2007 Lexus IS Convertible
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This is the 1st picture of the upcoming hardtop convertible version of the new IS.
Both 2.5L and 3.5L engines will be available. Not sure yet about the new 5.0.
It will compete directly with the all new BMW 3 series convertible. A hardtop as well.
It’s not a really good picture (grainy, all covered) but it is better than nothing….
Whats that noise? Oh its BMW crying home to mommy!
wonder/hope it’s hardtop convertible
my guess is that since we are just staring to see producton spy shots, the debut will be at the December LA Auto Show and it will go on sale in Summer 2007
I AM DYING TO KNOW WHERE THESE PICTURES ARE TAKEN FROM…they are all from the same angle and a bit blurry
I am the same person that wrote on your earlier posting about the hardtop “regular” IS500 coupe. I still don’t see where your getting the idea that the engine in here is a 5.0L v8. Where do you get your so called “inside info” from? You could very well be right about it being a 5.0, but as some mentioned earlier, Toyota doesn’t HAVE a 5.0L engine. And why would they put it on a small car like this when they could have put it in the bigger lexus vehicles like the LS or the GS or even other Toyota SUVS?
You are right, Toyota doesn’t have a 5.0.
But they will.
And it will end up in the IS Coupe first. It is a performance engine. Not well fitted to the LS.
They goal is to compete with the BMW M3.
I am not the only one reporting this info.
Just wait and see.
Toyota have the 1GZ-FE, which is a 5.0L V12.
“Toyota doesn’t HAVE a 5.0L engine.”
Here you are yet again. You still have not answered my questions regarding how you can be so certain Toyota doesn’t have a new 5.0L V8. You don’t know that; the best you can do is guess or assume.
And for those that are wondering, this will surely be a hardtop, as a softtop convertible would be frowned upon for the Lexus line. Hardtops are always equated with luxury.
If they a 5.0L V8 in this car,it would be stupid. The fact that BMW is putting a 4.0L V8 in their M3 and Audi have a 4.2L V8, all it shows is that Lexus cant produce small capacity V8s (like BM and Audi) and get it to produce 300+kWs, instead they have to use a bigger engine to do so. BUT the thing is that they should be able to. If the 3.5L V6 can get out 230kWs there is no sayin they shouldnt be able to make a V8 in the 4L-4.5L range to get more then 300kWs. And use this engine ONLY in the IS, and use the 5.0L in the LS, GS, SC, etc like some have already mentioned.
BMW will have 2 performance engines, 4.0L V8 (fa the M3) and 5.0L V10 (fa the M5 and M6). Audi the same with the 4.2L V8 (fa the RS4) and a rumoured V10 (fa the RS6) and Merc will probs have the 6.3L V8 (fa all models) BUT i guess theyll make a smaller V8 fa the C-class AMG etc when the all-new one is released.
How do we even know this spy shot is of the IS? Or any Lexus for that matter? For all I am concerned, it could be the next Sebring convertible or something else.
Both the BMW 4.0L V8 and the Audi 4.2L V8 are high rev engines that rev up to 8000RPM. They thus produce a proportionately low amount of torque. For example, the Audi 4.2L produces less torque than the old Lexus 4.3L V8, despite being a high rev engine, and more technologically advanced.
The new Lexus 4.6L V8 will be producing about 280kW in a very refined manner. More importantly, it will also produce about 500Nm of torque, and it will not need to rev high in order to produce this. Finally, it will likely be more fuel efficient than either the BMW or Audi V8s. The BMW and Audi V8s won’t have nearly as much torque as this engine.
The 5.0L V8 is rumoured to be a bored-out version of the 4.6L, and current rumours state it making about 330kW in power, and over 540Nm torque. The rumour originally appeared with regards to the LS hybrid using this engine.
If you’re so interested in high rev engines, then wait for the Lexus supercar to be unveiled. It will feature a high-rev V10 making over 365kW (500HP+), revving past 9000 RPM, and rumoured to be between 4.5-5.0L in displacement. A display model of the engine has actually been shown at a few autoshows, meaning that it is definitely going into production. Another thing is that this will be Toyota’s first application of dry sump lubrication in a production engine. Interesting stuff.
“I AM DYING TO KNOW WHERE THESE PICTURES ARE TAKEN FROM…they are all from the same angle and a bit blurry”
Sounds like someone wants to know where the photographer’s stakeout is, LOL.
Phil, you can tell this is the IS convertible by the door handles, the shape of the door as well as the shape of the hood, the headlights, and lastly, the rims. Those are the exact same rims that are on the IS sedan.
As for where the pictures are taken, my bet is they are taken in Japan, at one of Toyota’s secret test tracks/facilities.
BMW outsales Lexus in March. It a big news in 6 years.
BMW outsold Lexus? I don’t know where you’re getting your info from, but it’s certainly not accurate.
The BMW group includes Mini sales. Mini is a different brand from BMW, and it is ridiculous to be comparing both BMW and Mini sales to just Lexus.
The BMW brand alone had about 24.5K US sales in March. The Lexus brand had about 27.5K sales in March. So no, BMW did not outsell Lexus in March, unless you count Mini, which almost nobody does. If you count Mini together with BMW sales, then it would make sense to count Scion with Lexus sales.
Furthermore, the BMW brand has a mostly new and fresh lineup, where as the Lexus brand has a still mostly aging lineup.