Just got home from the Lexus event at Englishtown, NJ. A very worhwhile event although the initial 30 mins presentation of BMW, Audi and IS by the organizers was a little stilted as you might expect. A bonus here was the appearance of the SC430 (silver) at the end of the presentation - I will hopefully be getting one next year.
Next we went outside for an acceleration/decceleration demonstration pitting the IS300 against the BMW 328i (auto). The two cars were lined up at the far end of the straight and near us were two large paper barriers, one for each car to hit. Both cars (professional drivers with a spectator on board) hit the gas when the green flag dropped. Within a second the IS was slightly ahead and by the time they came up to the checkered flag the IS was over a car length ahead. Both cars stood on the brakes when they got to the checkered flag. The very impressive brakes on the IS stopped it 10 feet before the barrier, and naturally the BMW stopped 10 feet after bursting through the paper. If this demo wasn't staged (and I don't think it was) then it certainly persuades me that the IS can easily accelerate and brake better than a 328 with auto and no sports package.
The organizers had two circuits set up in a large carpark - unfortunately no racetrack - a Hot Lap course with the professional drivers and a Learn to Drive course for the merely human. The Hot Lap (actaully two laps due to small circuit) is where I started off. My driver is off to Malaysia later this week for some international event so seems to be a real professional. He threw the car through the corners like I couldn't believe, sliding and correcting the car all the way whilst carrying on a polite conversation about the handling etc. We never exceeded 80mph due to the tight circuit but I was very impressed with the car and the driving. I asked him how he thought the IS compared to the BMW on handling and grip and he said it is definitely better than the BMW on regular wheels and tyres.
Next I went to the Learn To Drive course which was also a coned route through the carpark with various obstacles (flip-up cardboard cars to drive around, guy throwing foam rocks to distract you, sand covered cornering section to test ABS, various slaloms, simulated potholes etc). I jumped into the IS first and gingerly navigated the course, not knowing what to expect. Speed limits were marked everywhere and nothing exceeded 35mph. I learnt little about the IS other than the engine is very smooth and the quality of the production interior is easily better than the NY show car. (Sadly the pedals are aluminium on rubber with rubber blobs on top).
Next was the Audi A4 2.8 tiptronic - very sluggish and unresponsive in acceleration (I left it in full auto) and slow to change direction and with a lot of bouncing around on the potholes. Not good at all. This time I was familiar with the course and ignored speed limits and braking markers but I didn't have much fun.
The BMW 328i was what I was really looking to compare with. Again all the vehicles were automatics (would anyone really buy an auto 328?) with 'standard' wheels, tyres and suspension. The beemer was much quicker than the Audi and very chuckable - a lot of fun (by now I was very familiar with the circuit).
Finally I returned to the IS. Before setting off I went back onto the Hot Lap to get the adrenaline flowing and to see how it should be driven. This time when I drove the IS on the Learn To Drive circuit it was incredible. I managed to break traction on almost every corner, but it was so controllable, the steering perfectly weighted and direction changes instantaneous. The acceleration was slightly better than the BMW but IMHO the handling and braking was leagues ahead.
I left the course quickly, before someone spoke to me about not sticking to the suggested limits, with a huge smile on my face. I look forward to my Spectra Blue on June 23rd (instead of a metallic blue 330Ci on July 31st - my other option).
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Next we went outside for an acceleration/decceleration demonstration pitting the IS300 against the BMW 328i (auto). The two cars were lined up at the far end of the straight and near us were two large paper barriers, one for each car to hit. Both cars (professional drivers with a spectator on board) hit the gas when the green flag dropped. Within a second the IS was slightly ahead and by the time they came up to the checkered flag the IS was over a car length ahead. Both cars stood on the brakes when they got to the checkered flag. The very impressive brakes on the IS stopped it 10 feet before the barrier, and naturally the BMW stopped 10 feet after bursting through the paper. If this demo wasn't staged (and I don't think it was) then it certainly persuades me that the IS can easily accelerate and brake better than a 328 with auto and no sports package.
The organizers had two circuits set up in a large carpark - unfortunately no racetrack - a Hot Lap course with the professional drivers and a Learn to Drive course for the merely human. The Hot Lap (actaully two laps due to small circuit) is where I started off. My driver is off to Malaysia later this week for some international event so seems to be a real professional. He threw the car through the corners like I couldn't believe, sliding and correcting the car all the way whilst carrying on a polite conversation about the handling etc. We never exceeded 80mph due to the tight circuit but I was very impressed with the car and the driving. I asked him how he thought the IS compared to the BMW on handling and grip and he said it is definitely better than the BMW on regular wheels and tyres.
Next I went to the Learn To Drive course which was also a coned route through the carpark with various obstacles (flip-up cardboard cars to drive around, guy throwing foam rocks to distract you, sand covered cornering section to test ABS, various slaloms, simulated potholes etc). I jumped into the IS first and gingerly navigated the course, not knowing what to expect. Speed limits were marked everywhere and nothing exceeded 35mph. I learnt little about the IS other than the engine is very smooth and the quality of the production interior is easily better than the NY show car. (Sadly the pedals are aluminium on rubber with rubber blobs on top).
Next was the Audi A4 2.8 tiptronic - very sluggish and unresponsive in acceleration (I left it in full auto) and slow to change direction and with a lot of bouncing around on the potholes. Not good at all. This time I was familiar with the course and ignored speed limits and braking markers but I didn't have much fun.
The BMW 328i was what I was really looking to compare with. Again all the vehicles were automatics (would anyone really buy an auto 328?) with 'standard' wheels, tyres and suspension. The beemer was much quicker than the Audi and very chuckable - a lot of fun (by now I was very familiar with the circuit).
Finally I returned to the IS. Before setting off I went back onto the Hot Lap to get the adrenaline flowing and to see how it should be driven. This time when I drove the IS on the Learn To Drive circuit it was incredible. I managed to break traction on almost every corner, but it was so controllable, the steering perfectly weighted and direction changes instantaneous. The acceleration was slightly better than the BMW but IMHO the handling and braking was leagues ahead.
I left the course quickly, before someone spoke to me about not sticking to the suggested limits, with a huge smile on my face. I look forward to my Spectra Blue on June 23rd (instead of a metallic blue 330Ci on July 31st - my other option).
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