Well, I've driven a 335i coupe, and that's basically a heavy M3 with 100 less hp.

It's an amazing car. Fun to drive, and just simply amazing.

I've also driven an IS350, and although it is nice as well, it's just not as fun as the 335.

 

thats a pretty sick ride, i'd take it in a heart beat

 

The current M3 is awesome. The next M3 will likely be better in everyway except Chris Bangle will ruin the looks.

In my opinion, the current BMW line is crap. Chris Bangle has ruined all of their cars with his lame styling. I don't care what they do to the BWMs, if they don't look nice, I wouldn't consider buying one.

I hope BMW pays dearly for their lousy styling. What is with the European cars? The BMWs don't look as good as their previous generations. The Audis would look good except they all have the same Audi front end that looks like a huge gaping hole. The new TT would look excellent if they hadn't use the Audi corporate grill.

At least the Toyota IS series cars look pretty good.

I had thought Toyota was working on an IS 2-door coupe. Is that not true?

 

^I thought I remebered seeing some spy shots of a IS coupe test mule somewhere on the internet (maybe autoblog.com?)

Styling of course is always subjective. I for one like Chris Bangle's radical styling. The flame surfacing was tastefully done on the current generation of Bimmers IMO. I usually abhor things that are stylistically contrived, but there's a cohesiveness in the designs that I appreciate. Not everyone's cup of tea though.

I do think it's funny though how after all the critical reviews of Bangle's flame surfacing that other mfgrs are starting to incorporate those elements (albeit to a lesser extent).

 

To say BMW's current line is crap because of Bangle's flame surfacing is very closed-minded. It's like saying the FJ is crap because they only come with a white roof. You can either like a car's looks or not, but don't discount an entire company just because of it's aesthetic direction.

I personally think the Bangle's work is hit or miss, but it saved BMW's from looking boring, and that's exactly what it was intended to do. When you see a current 5-series next to the previous generation, their success is obvious.

 

I like the current M3 looks in all but the features and interior looks aren't nice IMO...Euro cars never really look nice....its all weird to me but maybe its because I am used to Honda and Toyota interiors? lol, that was random but like I said its my opinion...

And to add to what some people were saying, where is the 2 door one? Wasn't there a post with a pic of a 2door IS?

 

i just hope its stick..whos bright idea was it to make the 350 auto only anywayz sheesh

 

A lot of people don't like the styling on newer BWMs. That includes individuals and professional reviewers. Eventually, people will get used to them and not dislike them so much, but it won't change the fact that they are ugly. The shock value will have just worn off.

The previous (pre-Chris Bangle) generation of BWMs was very positively reviewed on styling. I'm sure some people didn't like them, but the general opinion was they were nice looking vehicles. I don't think the general concensus was that they were boring. Even if you like the new BWMs, I don't see how you could argue that the general concensus is positive towards their styling.

BWM didn't have to move to Chris Bangle flame surfacing to keep their cars from being boring. They went for designs that grab attention and catch your eye, but they aren't nice looking.

I don't see any hit or miss with the current BMWs. I'd take a Z3 over a Z4 on styling. The 7-series and 5-series don't look near as nice as the previous generation. The 7-series recently did slightly redesign their trunk so it doesn't look quite so horrid. It's unreal how they could put a trunk on a car that looks like it belonged to a different vehicle. It's amazing how bad the back of the 2005 or so 7-series cars looked.

The 3-series isn't bad, but it doesn't look as nice as the previous generation. I'm sure they kept Chris Bangle somewhat under control because they couldn't afford to alienate 3-series buyers too much since that is their cash cow.

 

m3 is a hardcore car, and has every performance number and review to back it up. it doesnt matter if you LIKE eurocars or not. it's fact that its an awesome piece of machine.

id love to drive it. or an is500. preferrably both. :D

 

kdpew, I agree w/ some of your points above. Of course, bold styling like Bangle's won't be accepted by a large number of people, especially when BMW's last generation was designed pretty conservatively IMO.

I must give lots of credit to BMW though for pushing the artistic envelope (well, a rather commercial art, isn't it?) and not caving in so much to the corporate bean counters.

Maybe my sense of perception is skewed as I live in LA and see TONS of 5 and 7 series, z4's, and of course copious numbers of 3 series running around. BMW and Bangel have to be doing something right--at least in the so cal market!

 

My sister drives a GS300. I told her she shoulda got an IS =P I like the look of the IS way more...

 

This is a IS500 topic isn't it??? why the hell is everyone debating BMWs styling and such... I mean, it's a nice car'n'all, but seriously - I could care less (specially bout the uncoming version)...

All that matters is the IS500 smoking the M3 while looking 10 times better inside & out.

 

that was quite hypocritical but thats just me

is500 should be awesome. if toyota wants to look sporty again.

 

To me the term "sporty" = the diluted version of "performance".

I'd take performance over sporty any day, but no matter what ~ it's gotta look Pimp =)

 

If there is an option to switch off that cursed VDIM, then i would consider it.

 

well, there is on the IS350-- you just have to do a nintendo-like code to do it.

 

Hopefully going to see this at the Paris Auto Show. Atleast we know the weight and the engine specs so we sort of can try and calculate certain things like the 0-60 mph (give or take). One thing for sure it will be electronically limited to 155 mph like most cars that wear the Lexus badge. One thing for sure can not wait to see this in the show room and take it for a test drive. One thing for sure can not wait to hear what else Lexus is putting in this new IS. Another note would be interesting to see a two door version of this in the future, probably will never happen. Seeing the SC is getting a face lift in 2008 (hopefully will be like the LF-C) and then the year later we have the GT (LF-A) coming out. Still would be nice, dreams on.

 

Will also be interesting to see what it looks like. Will it look like a normal IS, or will it be substantially different? Only time will tell, I guess.

Also, it'll be interesting to see if it'll be balanced, or if it'll just understeer like crazy. To truly compete with the M and RS4, it'll need to at least have some sort of handling ability.

 

I have a feeling someone who buys the IS500, is going to try and tune it.

 

I'd take Chris Bangle styling over any Mercedes Benz...anyday of the week...except for the mclaren slr and the new S class. I think that this IS500 is a step in the right direction for Lexus. It may or may not beat its competitors now, but I'm sure with time it'll accomplish the task at hand. I like the styling of the IS500 over the spy photos of the new M3. the new M3 looks very sedate IMO. There was some type of photoshop or spy pic that was on here showing us a picture of a red M3 that was possibly the new M3. If that image was the true next generation M3...I would probably go ahead and say that the M3 was better looking.....

But on a more serious note...I'm interested on what kind've transmission will be in this IS500. Automatic?, SMG styled gearbox?, maybe a 6 speed?. if they put in the paddles...I hope that the transmission is up there in quality and speed of shifts, as well as throttle blips for downshifting. I've gone off track...just my .02 haha