Is200 Or Altezza?

[jamief]

I was thinking of buying an IS200 (se or sport), but then I saw that the Altezza had a more powerful engine. What exactly are the differences (i.e. engine/ trim / mpg etc)? Ideally im after something comfortable, but Im coming from driving a 270bhp Mr2 Turbo, so I still have a slight hankering for more power!

Cheers :)

[Pip]

Do a search mate and you will find it has been covered many times.

If youre coming from a turbo mr2 then you will find the is200 and altezza both a little slow. The altezza is an import. The is200 is the uk.

Altezza is the 4 cylinder engine and the is200 6 cylinder. Is200 has 153bhp and altezza has 210bhp.

Both arent very good on fuel.

Altezza is noisy and less refined than the is200 but quicker.

Both have to be revved hard for to achieve anything.

Altezza interior is cloth, IS200 is leather and alacantra. IS200 has all the gadgets and comforts. Top spec altezza may have it.

oh yeah, altezza= Toyota. IS200= Lexus.

Thats a rough idea. Just use search.

[IanF]

oh yeah, altezza= Toyota. IS200= Lexus.

That's what the label on the back says, but they are made by the same workforce in the same factory to the same standards. Don't let badge snobbery sway your decision :D

Ian

[jamief]

Thanks guys. Im actually a bit more concerned at this point in time with comfort and having a "nice" car, so I think the IS200 will do for me. Ive probably scared myself and my passengers enough in the mr2 :) :D

[Pip]

Have you found a buyer yet ian?

There is badge snobbery or people wouldnt be fools to BMW lol!

[Noel]

Thanks guys. Im actually a bit more concerned at this point in time with comfort and having a "nice" car, so I think the IS200 will do for me. Ive probably scared myself and my passengers enough in the mr2 :) :D

Personally I'd recommend an Altezza.... because it's just so much FUN.....

[Mr Morse]

Go for the Altezza, it has the same 3S-GE as the MR2 and you can always fit a Greddy TD06 for extra grunt!

[Mr Singh]

Go for the Altezza, it has the same 3S-GE as the MR2 and you can always fit a Greddy TD06 for extra grunt!

Wrong.

[Bazza]

beware that the altezza comes in two guises

the AS with a 6 cylinder , same as the IS200 @ 153 bhp

and the RS with a 4 cylinder @ 210 bhp

[Mr Morse]

Go for the Altezza, it has the same 3S-GE as the MR2 and you can always fit a Greddy TD06 for extra grunt!

Wrong.

Care to enlighten us? "wrong" is fairly meaningless as a one word response

[jamief]

Go for the Altezza, it has the same 3S-GE as the MR2 and you can always fit a Greddy TD06 for extra grunt!

Wrong.

Care to enlighten us? "wrong" is fairly meaningless as a one word response

The MR2 Turbo has the 3s-GTE engine (the T being Turbo), whereas the NA MR2 has the 3S-GE engine (the Mark 2 mr2 I'm referring to).

[Bazza]

Go for the Altezza, it has the same 3S-GE as the MR2 and you can always fit a Greddy TD06 for extra grunt!

Wrong.

Care to enlighten us? "wrong" is fairly meaningless as a one word response

The MR2 Turbo has the 3s-GTE engine (the T being Turbo), whereas the NA MR2 has the 3S-GE engine (the Mark 2 mr2 I'm referring to).

the altezza has a 3s-ge with vvti

[Sirnixalot]

the early spec mr2's...the body shape before the MRS...the sw10 or whatever the chassis code is came with the non BEAMS 3sge or the 3sgte.

i know that the later ones like the 99's did come with the BEAMS 3sge (same as us altezza guys have) but mounted the wrong way lol

btw....trust/mitsu turbos suck donkey scrotum, garrett or IHI (though i must admit i am impressed with the evo 9 mr rs's titanium wheeled turbo). A comparable sized garret will always make boost sooner than the mitsu****ty turbo's because mitsu seem to be allergic to ball bearings?

[Mr Morse]

The Yamaha BEAMS only came with the MR2 Rev 5-6

[Monster-Mat]

not entirely true....

i must point out that saying its a beams means nothing, you can get a 1g-fe BEAMS in japan...so lets forget BEAMS, it means nothing in terms of engine type

ok the altezza 3s-ge has the same block, and that is basically where the similarities end.

the mr2 red top 3sge has single vvti whereas the black top altezza has dual

the lastest incarnation of the 3sge, as found in the Caldina is different again, as this has Dual vvti with lift and has an all aluminum block

Yamaha.....the only part of the engine done by Yamaha was the head, im sure, that it was only the altezza Black top heads that were fettled by Yamaha, one of these improvements being the titanium Valves

Edited March 31, 2006 by Monster-Mat

[Pip]

The Yamaha BEAMS only came with the MR2 Rev 5-6

talking sh!t as usual...lol!!

[Mr Singh]

Go for the Altezza, it has the same 3S-GE as the MR2 and you can always fit a Greddy TD06 for extra grunt!

Wrong.

Care to enlighten us? "wrong" is fairly meaningless as a one word response

sorry mate was in a rush

i think nikko answered it better though...

pretty certain the header won't work from mr2 3S-GE to Altezza 3S-GE, as the ports are different.

[neuro]

A fren of mine mistakenly bought an 6Cylinder AS Altezza (thinking that all altezzas are the same) and told me it wasnt up to his expectation in terms of power.

As you browse thru this forum, you'll find out JDM RS Altezzas are a lot quicker in terms of Hp and torque responses.

If you want a smooth ride, IS200 is your choice.

If you want that extra kick then Altezzas for sure. :D

Anyways, I know this is off topic, but what happened to the Forum member's Garage pics? I want to post up my new pics...

[MacRS200]

Ok having cleared up the history of the 3S-GE :D

The Altezza as standard is a bit less refined than the IS because of less sound insulation, it is not particularly noisy like Pip says. Mine is because of the induction and the manifold, before that was done there was not a lot of difference between the Tezza and the IS.

On mpg, I got around 25 from the IS sport and get around 23 from the Tezza so fairly even on that front.

Having done 30k miles in the IS and 17k in the Altezza I would not go back to the IS200, if you want the gadgets go for an IS300 if you are not bothered get an Altezza.

As Bazza pointed out there there are 2 models of Altezza, the RS200 is the one you want if you go that route. Also beware of importing as you cannot ESVA the manual Altezza.

[jasestu]

Altezza interior is cloth, IS200 is leather and alacantra. IS200 has all the gadgets and comforts.

Wrong.. ;) L-Spec Altezzas have leather.

And I'm going to have to disagree with the comment that Altezzas are noisy and unrefined - sure theoritically the 4-cyl 3S-GE may not deliver the power as smoothly as a 6-cyl does, but really it makes little difference. You can still drive the powerful 3S-GE smoothyl and quietly. But where's the fun in that? ;)

[MacRS200]

Altezza interior is cloth, IS200 is leather and alacantra. IS200 has all the gadgets and comforts.

Wrong.. ;) L-Spec Altezzas have leather.

And I'm going to have to disagree with the comment that Altezzas are noisy and unrefined - sure theoritically the 4-cyl 3S-GE may not deliver the power as smoothly as a 6-cyl does, but really it makes little difference. You can still drive the powerful 3S-GE smoothyl and quietly. But where's the fun in that? ;)

Yup but we are talking about someone who has probably never seen an Altezza never mind sat in or driven one.

On power delivery the IS is flat as a witches tit below 4.5k revs the Tezza KICKS in at 5k, when the IS is at the rev limiter the Tezza keeps pulling and pulling. So whats the difference, 500 revs and 60bhp :D

Like you say Jason the RS200 can be driven sedately if you want, but if you want to "boot it" it goes, only IS2s' that keep up have a blower attached.

On trim level, I have full leather in the Tezza, what is "Leather and Alacazam" anyway

I have one of each and I can tell you that there is not a lot of difference in comfort between them. As I said in an earlier post; 30,000 miles in an IS 200 Sport and 17,000 miles in a Tezza, done both.

[Pip]

Altezza interior is cloth, IS200 is leather and alacantra. IS200 has all the gadgets and comforts.

Wrong.. ;) L-Spec Altezzas have leather.

And I'm going to have to disagree with the comment that Altezzas are noisy and unrefined - sure theoritically the 4-cyl 3S-GE may not deliver the power as smoothly as a 6-cyl does, but really it makes little difference. You can still drive the powerful 3S-GE smoothyl and quietly. But where's the fun in that? ;)

Yup but we are talking about someone who has probably never seen an Altezza never mind sat in or driven one.

On power delivery the IS is flat as a witches tit below 4.5k revs the Tezza KICKS in at 5k, when the IS is at the rev limiter the Tezza keeps pulling and pulling. So whats the difference, 500 revs and 60bhp :D

Like you say Jason the RS200 can be driven sedately if you want, but if you want to "boot it" it goes, only IS2s' that keep up have a blower attached.

On trim level, I have full leather in the Tezza, what is "Leather and Alacazam" anyway

I have one of each and I can tell you that there is not a lot of difference in comfort between them. As I said in an earlier post; 30,000 miles in an IS 200 Sport and 17,000 miles in a Tezza, done both.

I have seen plenty and also drove 2. Granted basic spec ones at that.

[MacRS200]

I have seen plenty and also drove 2. Granted basic spec ones at that.

Ok I take that back then Pip, but I still say that the Altezza is not that much different to the IS in noise terms.