Peter S

Hai sucoshi, ga Nihongo was totemo musukashi des ne!!

Not sure of your location, but in the UK I believe if you fit tyres of a lower speed rating than the manufacturer recommends you can invalidate your insurance. Peter

The rev limiter will protect you/the engine on the upshifts, but is no help if you drop a gear at to high a speed I don't think... I'd want it to be a lot cheaper than book, and I'd also have a thorough AA/RAC type inspection before committing. Peter

Try here as well: http://www.gazoo.com/eng/auto/frameset.asp It's a Toyota site, but in English. Altezza is listed with the models having 'Minor Changes'. I used this iste when choosing my car here in Japan (currently an Altezza AS200 L edition, basically an IS200SE I think) Hope this helps, Peter

Just a reminder that the Lexus brand does not exist here - all are badged as Toyota. You do occassionally see a few cars with Lexus badges though - usually Harriers (RX300) and Altezzas (IS200). I guess people just stick the badges on...same as Toyota/Lexus UK :P These guys have a good reputation for exporting cars from Japan for people based here; not sure if they deal with non-residents though. The good news is their website is in English :) http://www.occidental.co.jp/services_menu.htm

The AS is also available here as a 6 speed manual, but there are not many around. It is JPY10,000 cheaper when new, or about £50... That's why mine is an auto - slow, but smooth around town. And, lets face it, you don't get much chance to accelerate around Yokohama or Tokyo quickly anyway!! The good news is that the basic car is around £11,000 at the current exchange rate - one reason why I'd never by an IS200 in the UK - knowing that it's a rebadged Toyota at almost twice the price !! Toyota UK are having a laugh...nice car to drive though.

It must only be a matter of time before a diesel IS is available; Toyota has the engines and they need to compete in the company car market. Remember that the petrol 'Lexus' engines in the IS are Toyota units, available in all manner of Tyota vehicles here in Japan (including minivans and MPVs!) If there is a market for it, and they have the engines, they'll make it!

Japanese spec is 160 @ 6,200 as you say. Difference is probably emmissions related, at a guess. Also, most Toyota Altezzas are delivered with auto transmission, so the extra power is more than offset by this! I'd stick with 153 and a 6 speed manual! Hope this helps, Peter

Hi Charles, just to clarify, the Altezza is available in Japan with 2 2 litre engines: BEAMS 3S-GE - 4 cyl. twin cam VVTI 210bhp/216Nm BEAMS 1G-FE - 6 cyl. VVTi 160bhp/200Nm. The 6 cylinder is the one badged as Lexus IS200. I guess they thought that the 4 cylinder did match the 'Lexus' image, even though it is more powerful. I guess it would be a tough sell to charge more for the 4 cylinder than the 6 in the UK - everyone else charges more for their 6 cylinder engines. I don't have 0 - 100km/h info though, I cann't see it in the brochure. FWIW, I am driving an AS200 'L' edition, which is approximately equal to an IS200 in SE spec, including auto. transmission. List price here - JPY2,640,000 or £14,000... Hope this helps, Peter.

Sorry for the late to reply to this message, but I've only just discovered this website - very interesting! I had Audi's as company cars in the UK for 5 years before I moved out to Japan - 2 A4s and an A6. Now I'm working out in Japan, and am using an Altezza AS200, which is a Lexus IS200 in the UK. In comparison to the 1.8T engine, the Toyota inline 6 is very smooth but, esp. when mated to the auto as mine is, it's not exactly quick... More of a cruiser than a out-an-out performance saloon. Hopefully the manual transmission is quicker. As people have said, equipment levels are probably much higher on the Lexus. Style is a matter of personal taste; some find the Toyota/Lexus a bit 'flash', and certainly the quality of the interiors trim is not up to Audi A4/6 levels - can't comment on the '3 though as I have never owned one. I also can't comment on the Lexus dealer experience for you, but it's bound to be better than here! I got used to my car being collected from the office, serviced, cleaned and returned to me by Audi dealers in the UK - here the car is not even cleaned, and as for collect/deliver or a loan car... Hope you enjoy whatever you choose!