I was driving my parents 99 LS400 back on I-295 after picking up my gf from college. I had half a tank of gas, about 200lbs of luggage, and my gf in the car. It was about 11:30pm and the highway had no traffic. I was doing about 75mph and all of a sudden this heavily modded M3, the body style from several years ago, starts pulling on me then slowing down over and over. From what I can see it had a custom exaust, 18" rims that must have been at least 10" wide in the back, a body kit, and angel ring headlights with HID and HID fogs. Defineatly stick cause I can here the gears straining, and changing constantly. He had no passengers.
So he starts driving beside me and my gf and I were just waiting for him to gun it again. He does and we are both off and right from the start the LS takes the lead. I was steadily distancing myself from him. At about 125mph I was a car length ahead and the gap was getting bigger fast so I slowed down to try it again. We tried it again, same thing but this we both take off simultaneously and the gap was about 2 car lengths. Then I decided to have a start from 50 mph but he no longer wanted to race. Every time I slowed to let him pull beside he would slow down too and turn off his fogs. He couldn't touch the 300hp V-8.
Are all the older M3s this slow? I thought the M3 would have beaten the huge luxury sedan or at least present a decent challenge.

 

Well off the line is where he would get you (maybe) Don't get me wrong now the LS400 is a very FAST car for its weight. I would'nt sleep on it ....I learn my lesson that day, but its a whole different story tho! We have a guy over at www.clublexus.com that is running 14.5 in his LS400 with minor exhaust mods...I say thats very impressive. The New LS430 beat the New Q45 and it has 50hp less and heavier! I have to admit thats one BIG BODY that can represent!!!!!

 

It wasn't an M3 or he didn't try as hard as maybe you thought.. A stock M3 would shit on any LS400 or even 430 on the highway, off the line, moving, whatever. The LS is a dog compared to the M3. Fast for its weight, but that's it.

I remember when my wife's brother had a 98 LS400 and I got beat by a Camry V6 off the line. These cars are geared to be smoooooooooooooth!

 

well its 290hp not 300, i'm not saying u didnt win but u prolly raced a 328 or 323 w/ a ///M badge

 

Agreed.

 

Good point. Nice kill, the LS is no slouch for a large sedan.

 

I agree with everyone except for the LS430 comment. I drive my parents father's 02 LS430 every time I go visit them and it's definitely no slouch and faster than my cls on the highway. When driving the LS and you turn on the sport suspension and ECT and gate shift with that car, it is definitely NO JOKE! I have not raced a pre 2001 M3 but I have killed alot of cars that are similar and faster off the line and highway. To name a few all of the 3 series 330 included manual, the new SC430, took an s4 on the highway, integra type R with mods, a GS400, tl-s, Cl-s (my father was driving my car), and the list goes on. I don't know about the older LS but I can vow on the new one. If you ever see a black LS430 with light tints flying on 295 or 495 it's probably me.

 

i'm gonna run my cousin in his moms ls 430 in like a 0-70ish run, just waiting for the weather to clear up

 

Hey I thought he meant a older M3 I know he can't get the new ones! Goes for the LS430 I wouldn't even give it a car length from me on a roll, because I wouldn't catch him right away That car runs high 14s STOCK!!! My buddy goes to the track alot with me and BONE STOCK he ran a 14.9 with a full tank of gas, spare tire and jack!!! ofcourse he could catch me but I was shocked it ran that fast. Like I said it out performed the Q45 which has 340hp and the LS430 has 290hp! Car and Driver said its all bout the VVT-i and the quick shifts it had.

 

Pusher, he did say older M3, which would still shit on the LS4xx on any given day. Pretty much all luxo cars in that class are running 14's these days. Those cars are too heavy. The M3 is pretty light and still gives me a good run...the older M3's. The new ones beat me.

 

Yikes, its horrifying to read stories how sports car is getting owned by family sedans. At least for me the only Sedan I should fear are heavily modified S4, some M5's and modified AMG's

 

14.9 nice for a big sedan. Im sure this car has more than 290HP. In the middle east they sell it as 335HP. Do u know anyone that dyno'd the LS430?

 

I would dyno my fathers but I think that would look crazy on a dyno machine.

 

Yes The guys at SRT dynoed one!! Those cars are underrated alittle I say! Its the Same engine as mine with different exhaust, that they say makes it 10 hp less I still think that an LS400 will give any older Model M3 a run for its money on a 75mph roll......IMHO!!! He might not beat it but That M3 shouldn't smoke it either at those speeds. I Ran a 97 cobra from a roll 75 to 140 and guess how was in back ...not me

 

I have rode and drove LS400-LS430 from 93-03 in the middle east where we dont have cops that care to stop us. Those cars do have a great topend power past 200Km(125mph). I have driven the old LS400 and went up to 260Km(162mph). Also drove the LS430 to 160mph and it got there faster than the LS400. So i know these cars are crazy past 160km(100MPH). The tach just doesnt stop moving. We did try some races between the S500, 740iL and the LS430 and the LS430 did pass them towrds 185Km(115MPH). In the middle east the LS430 couldnt beat the Q45 since it has 370HP.

 

damn i gotta go to iraq to test my cl-s

 

LOL, no this was done in Saudi Arabia. U will get passed sometimes going 240Km(150Mph) LOL. Police are starting to get stronger in SA and give tickets if u went above 120-300km. But the funny thing is that the amount of the ticket is the same if u were going 120 or 300km LOL. Ofcourse u have the choice of not stopping(run away), but they will send u the ticket in the mail if they got the licence plate. U dont have to worry about getting arrested. Thats why most people here like German car like MB and BMW and the big Lexus LS430 because they cruise nicely at 240km without feeling the speed. The new Q45 is good at high speeds, but not as quite as the LS430, BMW 745 and S500. Opps i forgot the A8 and S8 too, its my favorite car in SA.

 

Man your lucky to do that speed over there. I did that once in my GS400 but I don't think I will be trying that again anytime soon!

 

nice werk

 

I hear ya...scary shit aint it?

Mike we gotta hook up one day again! Let's do lunch or something bro!

 

Yeah I agree we should do lunch one day! Maybe right after the holidays.

 

I tried hanging with a LS 430 on I-5 here in Cali..........we were over 125 mph and he was pulling, much faster than the M3 pulled on me..............