Lexus IS430

[wctsao]

Not sure how much truth there is to this but...
I got this from auto week.

"Lexus set to put together IS 430 muscle car this fall


By AUTOWEEK

The traditional definition of a muscle car is a smaller car given the engine of a bigger car. Well, Lexus has a smaller car, the IS 300, and it has a nice engine from a bigger car, the 4.3-liter V8. Voilà: muscle car.

Lexus has tapped Rod Millen to assemble its IS 430 muscle car, which should be completed this fall. The V8 will not be supercharged or turbocharged but will get enough massaging to put out 350 to 360 hp, with the emphasis on “street driveability.”

The power will run through a Getrag six-speed manual to a drivetrain upgraded to handle the extra power. The car also gets bigger brakes and 18-inch wheels.

Is this a production tease? We hope so. Word is the engine requires only an extra three-quarters of an inch of hood space to fit, a clearance that could easily be accommodated."

Currently, they don't have an M3 competitor. Actually this would probably compete closer to the Audi S4 V8.

 

[ChrisK]

I'd say it is a high probability. They already did the prototype IS430 last year or so when they put the 4.3 V8 in the IS body, so they did have an actual working version. It would be very interesting to see if it does get made and what the price would be.

 

[Black Knight]

whether that's true or not, i'm sure they're having an IS330....

 

[4AU4LIFE]

I would be really interested in that car. I just don't like the insturment cluster.

 

[Ponyboy]

Sounds like a fun car! If I remember correctly, Toyota did some suspension tuning on it early this year at the Nurburgring.

 

[Brian2by2]

I agree...that would be a fun, classy car, however, such a small machine with a 4.3 litre v8? kinda front heavy, no??

 

[5inchfatlip]

I like the IS alot, but what I hate is the bunch of teeny boppers that drive around in them thinking they are some rich "baller" type of person because its a Lexus.

For that price and if I had to get a 4 door competitor- a nice C Class AMG Benz would be much more my way.

 

[Ennesssex]

Who needs a IS 430 when you can get a IS 300 and slap on a turbo by Excess Engineering (only $7,900) and get a whopping 400+ horsepower. That thing is a monster.

 

[Ponyboy]

I'm sure the V8 is heavier than the V6 but you can tune a lot of that out with suspension tuning. If it's going to compete with it's class, it'll have to be at least an above average handler.

Who needs a IS 430 when you can get a IS 300 and slap on a turbo by Excess Engineering (only $7,900) and get a whopping 400+ horsepower. That thing is a monster.

Who needs a potentially unreliable turbo system when you can get the same hp from the factory with a warranty?

 

[Ennesssex]

400+ does not equal 360.............as far the reliablity issue goes, Excess had a problem with the auto-transmission handling all that power so they didn't release the turbo kit until the manual IS 300 was released.

 

[dawggpie]

i had read that the auto actually handles the extra power better than the 5spd. That 5spd does not have a good rep for power handling or even for feel in the stock car. People said it's very chunky. It's definitely not in the same class as the Getrag 6spd. I was seriously looking at getting a 5spd IS and putting a SRT turbo on it about 6 months ago but decided against it because of the transmission. No way I'm getting a 400+whp auto car. A shame since that engine is amazing.

 

[Da Hapa]

I'm sure the V8 is heavier than the V6 but you can tune a lot of that out with suspension tuning. If it's going to compete with it's class, it'll have to be at least an above average handler.

1) The IS300 is currently powered by a 3.0L inline 6, not a V6.
2) the aluminum block in the current Lexus/Toyota 4.3L V8 is only marginally heavier than the iron block 3.0L I6

FWIW, we love our IS300 and would much prefer a more powerful N/A straight 6 over a bigger V8 or a FI motor. But that's just me.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

I don't see a lot of them around here. Having a nice plump V8 in it would be sweet.

 

[nsx1164]

whether that's true or not, i'm sure they're having an IS330....

the 3.0L V6 used in the Camry, Solara, Highlander and Lexus RX is being uprated to 3.3L (already in RX330).... unclear how they will handle the I6 in the IS300