i love lexus.

They need to make a 2 door version of the IS.

The 2 door IS is already approved. The release date is still undecided, though. Lexus has a lot of product launches coming up and they need to stagger them. The convertible is still being decided on.

Wow Iron you sure do know your stuff. Thanks again for the info, im glad to hear that it should be near the IS because my dad was giving me quite a load of crap about how it will be WAY more expensive... However we already pay 1200 a year for insurance and we own a Suburban, 05' Lexus ES330 and 94' Lexus ES300.... Quite ridiculous

They were estimations from Lexus. Not dealerships.

The only estimates Lexus has released so far is that it will start at $29,900. It is assumed that it will be for a base model IS250 with the 6 speed manual. The first people to get the pricing information is the dealerships. Magazines and press have made estimations, but if we take the GS introduction as any benchmark they are not much more than wild guesses.

And another correction is that there is not going to be a wagon at all.

Out of curiosity, what is your source?

Looks pretty slick. Plus lovely interiors.

OK, we got our first batch in and here are the true MSRPs for the cars:

All cars are automatics
IS250 no navigation: $ 32,664
IS250 AWD no navigation: $ 35,069
IS250 with navigation: $35,214
IS350 no navigation: $ 36,944
IS350 with navigation: $ 39,494

All the cars are coming with 18" wheels, even though they are optional on the 250. The navigation package also includes the Mark Levinson 6 disc DVD system.

Because a computer controlled manual box can change gear MUCH faster than a human can?
The first cars with paddle change were manuals...

The technology that initiated in F1 cars is of a manual box fitted with a computer controlled clutch. The driver has no clutch pedal as all the shifts are done by the computer.
On the road, the 2 cars that have that technology are the BMW SMG transmission and the Audi DSG tranmission. Again, neither of those cars have a clutch pedal and can be driven in full automatic mode. For all intensive purposes, they are automatic cars. To the driver an automatic car will shift gears, a manual needs you to shift the gears. I actually prefer doing my own shifts. I got out of my SMG BMW because it was the harshness of the manual without the fun of shifting. I now have a full automatic because my wife doesn't drive stick.

Alfa, Fiat, Ferrari, Lancia, Lamborghini, Maserati, Aston Martin and so on also have computer controlled manuals. They aren't automatic cars, as they have a clutch, and although they can swap gears automatically, they are fully manual gearboxes in design - an automatic gearbox is a totally different design.
The gear change is only harsh if you don't lift between changes...

You're absolutely right. Alfa, Fiat and Lancia are not sold in the U.S. while the others are pretty exotic. I was thinking mainstream, but again, you are absolutely correct.

My point is that they do have a clutch, but no clutch pedal, meaning there is no interaction between the driver and the gearbox (except for putting it in Drive). To the driver, it's automatic.

I like rowing my own gears, I think that's part of the fun of driving. In the U.S. I'm in a terrible minority, which is why people couldn't understand why I dorve a stick shift and had no comprehension of my answer that I actually liked it. To me, the SMG is not a manual. Flicking a paddle does not replace shifting a stick. It may shave of a couple milliseconds on the track, but not my preference in everyday driving, which is about... let's see... 100% of my driving.

I know what you mean, but, I suppose most people don't want to change gear themselves, and if they do, paddles or flicking a lever back and forwards is enough...

I do!