Arrival Of Next Gen Is?

[dali]

Hello from Sweden!

My next car will probably be my last new car, I want it to be the right one. So far I've had a a beautilful one (BMW 323Ci), a sporty one (BMW 330i) and currently a grown-up, intelligent, practical but oh-so-not-the-car-I-dream-about Volvo V70 AWD.

My (realistic) dream car is a Lexus IS300, but the current model is only RWD. I've driven my share of powerful RWD's, amazing cars in the summer but in the swedish winter all those horses are basically useless. The solution is of course AWD - incredible grip all seasons, all weather.

I've researched the next generation IS for a long time and was very pleased to see that it will (most likely) have AWD as an option. So far all I've found is rumours, but it looks promising. Unfortunately I have also found several arrival dates for the next gen IS; 2005, 2006 and even 2007. Does anyone have more info about this, will it arrive this fall (as a 2005 model), next year or could it be up to three years away?

PS Yes, I've searched these forums, didn't find it - doesn't mean it's not there, but I didn't find it. DS

[ColinBarber]

I would think the new model will appear late 2005/early 2006. It won't be here at the end of this year, that is when the new GS and the RX hybrid come out.

There will be a AWD version. The US market wants it. The IS sportscross already has AWD in Japan. The only question is what countries will it be available in?

[Monster-Mat]

there will be AWD its been tested in the current and next platforms, this much i can say.

it will be seen early 2006, again as much as i can say

[Scorpion]

Oh go on Mat,you know more than that......spill some beans man :)

[whitie]

Its it going to look like the 430 (current IS shape)?

[LennyLexus]

Its it going to look like the 430 (current IS shape)?

doubt it, lexus said all new models will be based on the LF-S concept

[Monster-Mat]

:shutit: :shutit: :shutit: if only i could

[Bobski]

YOU CAN...................YOU CAN :P

Ya know you wanna................ B)

Go on...we wont tell.

[Mitch]

go on matt, pretty please or jus pm me some details if u dnt wanna tell everyone else, i'll kepp it hush hush honest.................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wot about an audi quattro dali?? awesome grip (drove the new S4 quattro sunday before GAYDON and it was wicked, threw it round some corners faster than i can the IS, scared **** out of audi dealer but car never went any other way other than way i pointed it!!)

mitch

[dali]

Supracharged-IS340, thanks for the info. I was hoping for 2005, but early 2006 is not too far away.

Mitch, the A4 is a beautiful car, when I bought my Volvo the A4 was very high on the list but the Volvo dealer gave me a better offer on my BMW. The A4 1.8TQ/190 and the Volvo V70 2.5T AWD are very close in price here in Sweden, within a few hundred pounds depending on options.

The A4 had some weak points; the stereo was quite bad (compared to BMW and Volvo), the suspension was a bit too stiff, the engine is nice but they crank 190 bhp from an 1.8L 4 cyl while Volvo produces 210 bhp from a 2.5L 5 cyl. Just seems that the Volvo engine isn't pushed as hard as the Audi. If I want to I can chip the Volvo to 255 bhp (costs about £600) and still not push it as hard as the A4's 1.8L.

The main reason for not choosing Audi is that their service network here in Sweden is really bad, they have consistently placed last in every reader's poll for the last years.

Lexus on the other hand seem to know how to treat their customers, have a great sound system, make beautiful cars with the best quality around ... and soon AWD. I'm pretty sure that an IS330 AWD is my best option when it arrives, if I can afford it.

[LennyLexus]

The main reason for not choosing Audi is that their service network here in Sweden is really bad, they have consistently placed last in every reader's poll for the last years.

Sweden is not alone ;)

And I going the driving styles of Audi drivers yesterday, i can safely say they are the new BMW drivers

[kev dood]

I guess the AWD version won't come out as the first models though, may have to wait 3-6 months for that?????

Mat, could you tell us where they are getting the 4wd system from, is it a toyota design or some other??

[Monster-Mat]

similer system as was used on the Altezza Gita in Japan.

the Gita was the test bed for the system

[kev dood]

so its a toyota 4WD system?

[Monster-Mat]

yes