lexus ls430 : If you expected the next Legend to be Honda's M killer, think again. As forpeople who would buy that expensive Japanese cars, there are more than youthink. Not everyone is blinded by BMW mystique (I unfortunately am not oneof those people. I'd love to have a Bimmer if I could afford to buy andkeep one) and even at $70K, a AWD Legend Type-S would be an amazing car withno direct competition. (Seriously... does any mainstream car company makean AWD, performance oriented, big luxury car? The only car that even comesclose in the near future is the BMW 330iX, and only by means of AWD,performance oriend, luxury car. It missed the Big part by about 4 Seriesnumbers) Honda quality matched with luxury and performance will have peoplebuying the car. Especially with the Lexus LS430 crowd, if they look at theLexus LS430 at $65K, and then look at the Acura Legend AWD Type-S, they maystart asking if all the extra stuff on the Legend is worth a measly extra 5grand. Or, knowing Honda, they may just keep the price increase from thebase model to around 5-10K, and the Legend AWD Type-S could really knock thesock off the Lexus LS430 and it's potential buyers.
lexus ls430 : I agree, that the BMW moniker carries a hefty line of heritage in motorsports,but you have to think of the "real" demographic looking to get a car in thisprice range....I doubt if many of the M5 buyers are looking for "performance"(get a vette or viper). They want luxo-power, IMHO. I agree...the upkeep on the BMW would be rather pricey. But like they say...ifu can't swim with the big fish, get outta the pond. No one would cough up themoney for a M5 or 7series without being able to maintain it, easily. Rich folkain't dumb, that's how they got rich in the 1st place ;-) True, but at least around here (Southern AZ) the stereotypical (almost to arule) Lexus 430 buyer is retired (or close to it) and looking for luxury, thenpower. I've never seen a high-end Lexus driven to it's performancecapabilities. All have been old folks cruising around in extreme comforthehe...they are status symbols more than anything (i.e....my car COULD do this,COULD do that)Do you know what Lexus has planned for it's 2002 models? I have no idea. But ifthe Acura Type S could very well be facing some serious competition (at leastas far as hp #s, not overall performance..the Lexus won't compare, believe me)I just wish I had this decesion to wrestle with!Jeff98 Civic EX coupe...next month, CL Type S...hahaah yeah and then i wake up!
lexus ls430 : I wouldn't count on 120 hp/L in a larger engine. It seems a lot moredifficult for them to come up with those numbers in a larger engine...thenagain, maybe they really haven't tried. Last time I checked, the Audi A8 4.2 qualifies as a large luxury car, withperformance and AWD. If the car will be successful, it needs to reverse the trend of theanonynmous Japanese luxury car and invent some styling. Come on. It's Audi. They're just a marketing scheme by Volkswagen anywayto sell more expensive Volkswagens. (said the Acura owner :-P) <j/k!>Seriously, I just forgot about Audi's and Quattro. You are right. Onecompetitor. But that still doesn't leave too much competition in the field.But, still, Honda has come work to do with the Legend Type-S if it expectsit to do some serious damage. The Audi, while not on the level of BMW orMercedes, still have European mystique, and that attracts buyers. Acura'simage, up to now, has still been affordable near luxury cars and pocketrockets.Big concern. All the pictures of the new Legend show a car very similar tothe current one, but a little more rakish. I would like to see a completeredesign, but then there's always the fear that the new design will be assugly. The Major Japanese automakers do have a way of doing that to theircar designs (see: Toyota Echo, Toyota WiLL VTi). Or, they coudl try to dosomething wild, and have it turn out ot be the king of understatement (see:Honda S2000, Nissan New Z). It's rare to see them actually get it right(see: Acura NSX, Lexus GS)
lexus ls430 : I was wondering what other people thought about the sound quality ofthe Mark Levinson stereo systems in the Lexus LS430 and LX470. Specifically, (with the eq flat and from the driver's seat,) I waswondering if anyone else thought that the bass was too mild and themidrange especially supressed in the LS430; I also think that the basscould use a bit more extension. I thought the bass (when raised) waspretty impressive in the LX470 except for the buzzing it createdsomewhere in the cabin; I also felt like the acoustics in this SUV wasbetter than any other car I've ever heard.I live with both cars and listen to Outkast, The Strokes, Nat KingCole, classical piano, etc. My preferences for the eq are:LS430: BASS +3/4, MIDRANGE +1, TREBLE +1LX470: BASS +4, MIDRANGE +4, TREBLE +2I'd like to hear other people's opinions and if they agree or disagreewith me; and how these 2 cars compare to custom installations in termsof SOUND QUALITY. MTIA.BTW, please mention the music you used to evaluate sq and pleaseBOTTOM POST.
lexus ls430 : I just saw an ad in Road & Track and supposedly the new Lexus has an(?optional) Mark Levinson audio system. Woooohoooooo ... Forget thisBose/Infinity nonsense, eh? Don't know any details but with that kindof name (pretty famous for overpriced home audio) behind it, it'dprobably be quality stuff. Anyone have any details? // / /\ \ \\ 1st Gen DSM (-- -- -- -- --) \\ \ \/ / // Diamond AudioDipan Loken Patel -> } {\ \/ / / Kicker a/d/s/ \ / / Xtant Genesis \/ / Sony Mobile ESThe Nakamichi system in the current LS400 comes as part of a $4500package. I'm sure it sounds good but for that much I'll build a bettersounding system. I heard the GS400 with the Nak system in it with a 10"sub and it sounded pretty darn good, the bass was clean and pretty loud.I don't know the brand of changer it it, it was mounted in the glove box andlooks just like the Panasonic unit in our ES300.I like my ML home amps. I don't think they're overpriced at all. I didn'teat as much for a few months, but hey.....Whew, yip, it's an OPTION. I don't even want to know how much.........Who makes the speakers though (all eleven of 'em), I suppose someone fromMadrigal
|
|
1937 oldsmobile, 1957 oldsmobile, 1970 oldsmobile cutlass, 57 oldsmobile, acura and logo, acura calgary, acura integra shells, acura laval, acura legend mats, acura mods, arp fasteners oldsmobile, burrard acura, classic oldsmobile, client satisfaction lexus, dallas oldsmobile, g35 infiniti, infiniti commercial songs, infiniti rx 35, irvine subaru, lexus auto parts, lexus is200 se, lexus nexus, lexus of bellevue, lexus of orlando, lexus soarer uk, lexus stem, metro lexus toyota, modified acura nsx, montclair acura, oldsmobile 37mm cannon, oldsmobile headlight assembly, oldsmobile heritage, oldsmobile history rocket, oldsmobile incentive, oldsmobile racing, oldsmobile sillhouette, oldsmobile wallpaper, park place lexus, saunders subaru, subaru ej20g, subaru re call, turbo wastegate acura