JediMindTricks

what is your daily driver?

just curious.

catiaudo

F150 SCREWCab

2 years old and 69k so far... I like driving

Beltfed

Apparantly thus far the rumored HP from supposed leaked Japanese specs (from the IS board) is 415hp and a weight of around 3,700lbs (about 190lbs over the IS350).

If true, could have been worse...the RS4 comes in at almost 4k.

Hope that HP figure is wrong though, as you said....hopefully Lexus read up on the M3 reviews and has their own test vehicle(s) at this point to make some last minute competitive tweaks/changes.

Dr. Colorado

z06 ftw! that's the best priced "supercar" on the market. if 74 K is too high how about z51 2008 vette? since you live in wisconsin it may be worth it to wait and check out the audi s5 quattro. i know the nissan gtr is all wheel steering, not too sure how that helps in winter driving.

Beltfed

You're not stupid, you have a mature and realistic attitude (not sure how old you are of course). But the "Its stick or die" crew is generally in their late teen to twenties.

For me, with the amount of traffic in the area....if I'm stuck with one car at this point auto or DSG/DCT for me.

Pleasure/weekend car....manual all day long.

For those that don't live in really congested areas, more power to you.

The "Its stick or die" crew will eventually (a good number anyway) become a bunch of hypocrites later in life when they end up getting an automatic daily driver.

nokiaman

I'm glad you see where I'm coming from with the whole auto stick thing(I'm 29 for the record).I still love manual transmissions and that is why I went with a MT on the weekend car a black 335i coupe in my case. Just like you, I go through some 45min-60 min of traffic everyday, and a stick just won't do it(I drive a Tundra truck daily)
As for the thread opener, allow me to make a suggestion. You say that you want a fun weekend car. I'm not questionning your purchase or taste, but it seems to me that a weekend car should be fun,nimble and of course manual. The IS-F will be a large,powerful luxury sport sedan.Like Beltfed mentionned, it would be great for daily use. However, for that kind of money, if you don't fancy the lexus too much, I'd suggest a Lotus Elise/Exige, a slightly used ///M car or that Z06.It'll bring you incredible sensations.That's what a sports car should be after all. If you need to go downtown with some of your friends, take your F150.My long ass

zamo

IS-F. Couldn't Lexus come up with a better model name?

Satan0415

You can get Z06s cheaper than that. Shop around

zamo

Or come from other countries were automatics are rare, expensive and preferred by the grannies. I was so used to stick shift that when I arrived to the US back in 1999 and started driving an automatic, I felt stupid. But as I grew in this market I also understood that the stick was not a good option in stop n go traffic and when trying to multi task with a cell phone (even with Bluetooth).

Oh well, I got 2 automatics right now, and using the Advanced driving option in the S80 really makes the RPM touch the redline when I push it, and the suspension is really stiff.

F23A4

I do not hear many complaints about the 'CTS-V' name, which is similar in name and where both will be in the same segment.

Crazy Bimmer

What does the V stand for anyways?

godfather2

V stands for victory

catiaudo

F stands for Flagship, not sure what the V in CTS-V stands for.

Crazy Bimmer

Did lexus change it?

Before it was "F is for FAST"

TzarChasm

I agree, if it were me I'd be getting a Lotus or a Porsche Boxter. Now those are weekend fun cars.

stright-(paint)balling

i vote either Nissan GT-R(if your willing to vote a little bit)
or
IS-F.
personally i see Z06s everywhere and don't get me wrong their bad ass beast but i'd want something only one in town with it.

zamo

at least IS-F doesn't sound as bad as Zephyr

zamo

Sounds confusing. I thought the Lexus flagship was the LS600h

CTS-V sounds cool.

F23A4

It is.

TheMirror

Pros and cons, I love decisions like this.

Two very different cars, the Z06 and the IS-F.

Lexus would undoubtedly be safer in a crash, plus has a lot more room to carry junk around on weekend trips.

I know it seems crazy to consider things like cargo room in a decision like this, but believe me....it matters.

Not only that, but you do have the option to carry more than one person in the Lexus. Having spent considerable time with a C4 LT4 Corvette, I can say this car work for or against you. Its great when you want to take extra people, not so great when everyone wants to ride in "the kick-ass Lexus". I loved getting out of driving big groups because I could only carry one passenger in the Vette.

Both are big-time ripoff magnets, so no advantage there either way.

The Lexus would lag behind the Z06 in aftermarket goodies initially, but how much engine tuning are you really going to do to that Corvette anyway? Things like exhaust, suspension pieces and body stuff should be available for the Lexus in short order.

The Lexus should hold its value better for the short term, if that is a consideration.

Corvette has a very low seating position, and more laid-back than the Lexus will be...more sedan like. I'm a sedan kind of guy, so I lean in that direction.

So to sum up, do you want a two-seat hotrod or a Lexus M3?

-Mirror

JediMindTricks

um.

you can also count me in the group that favors the gtr over the vette.