New Lexus LS...thing. (TMG Edition?)

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CodeRedR51

CodeRedR51

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So Autoblog, and I'm sure a bunch of other sites, have been posting on this car lately. Apparently Toyota is calling it the "TMG Edition" which stands for Toyota Motorsport GmbH. Rumours swirling around about what exactly is powering the car, other than the fact that it clearly sounds like a V8. And that's mainly the reason I am posting about it.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/22/lexus-ls-tmg-edition-running-the-ring/

lexus-ls-tmg.jpg


The below video was posted in the net sometime in the last few days. Obviously the car has a V8 rumble to it, but those with good ears might be able to point out that the car sounds turbocharged. I posted my opinion on Autoblog and was shot down, but I know I'm not hearing things.

Listen to the video on the area of 3 to 5 seconds. Am I the only one that hears turbo spooling sounds and a blow off valve noise when they release the throttle for the corner? You can clearly hear the body work scraping the pavement when the car is loaded in the corner, but the blow off sound starts before the nose completely dives to the road. Also, when it drives away it has that smooth whoosh-like sound from the exhaust you would find from a factory turbocharged car.

What do you think?

 
I didn't hear turbo, what I heard was that bodykit scraping the road.. :lol: They need to beef up that suspension some more.
 
Weighs 4500lbs. Has 5.0 liter IS-F V8 engine, 642hp 523lb-ft of torque. 650ps 710NM. Revs to 9000RPM!
 
It looks like it's a japanese garage tuner special rather than a factory performance car.
 
To be honest it will probably become the Lexus LS-F.
 
-> I quite like this LS TMG, its like a hi-po BIG sedan that can kick serious tush against the other big German cruise missiles! :)

Alex.
To be honest it will probably become the Lexus LS-F.
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^ Too extreme to be a plain LS-F guise. Its more like Lexus LS-F Nurburgring Super Special or Lexus LS-F NSS. TMG sound lame, as in To My Grandma. They could've name it something more epic than TMG. :boggled:
 
It looks heavy and not particularly fast through the corners and I'm not overfond of high rev V8 engines, that's before we even start on the looks. The front end just reminds me of this car.

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Oh, I forgot it's also way too quite as well.
 
And I believe that the turbo sound came from that BMW 3-series in front of it.
 
That mill wasn't hitting 9 grand either. It was lugging like a 6-grand redline big block.
 
Just tone down all the gangsta vibe from it and it will be acceptable to look at.

The numbers are pretty amusing, I wonder if it is actually intended for production.
 
So it's super powerful, super low, super heavy, and super stiff. What exactly is this for?
 
Turbo whoosh? I didn't have it turned up enough but with an intercooler that bleeding large (along with 710Nm from a 650hp mill, low boost no doubt) it's gotta have a snail or two to not only help with power but add some economy.
 
It's probably a hybrid with the way Lexus is going. 'Gangsta'? lol, not really. The video was too quiet. Lexus' are quiet when not pushed, even the IS-F.
 
Zenith013
So it's super powerful, super low, super heavy, and super stiff. What exactly is this for?
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I dunno, something for people who wanted a BMW M7, but they won't make one. Either that, testing for a touring car series that requires two back-seat mechanics, as a nod to racing events of a century ago.
 
As one of the few people here who absolutely adores land-yachts, I think it is pretty cool. The crazy thing is that, well, its an LS to begin with. Lexus has attempted to make a sporty LS from time-to-time, but it has always had middling results... Particularly when compared to cars like the S55 and B7 Alpina.

Give it an electro-magnetic suspension, a torquey V8, and an aggressive set of wheels and tires and the car will feel pretty good.
 
Knowing the typical LS 400/430/460 owner, I really don't see the point. Rarely has the 65+ crowd begged for more power in those cars. Those that wanted something zestier in the same brand "downgraded" to the GS 430/460 for more sport and a tuned exhaust with a few more horsepower via a less quiet/restricted muffler.

Yes, idling LS's are that quiet. Every newbie in the service department accidentally re-started at least one already running LS (the trick is to check for Tach > 0 rpm first).
 
Pupik
Yes, idling LS's are that quiet. Every newbie in the service department accidentally re-started at least one already running LS (the trick is to check for Tach > 0 rpm first).
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I have an old issue of Autocar magazine that says an old trick they used to judge refinement on was pulling away in a car with passengers who weren't even aware the engine was on, if it was quiet enough.

They described even the first generation LS as being so quiet at tickover you could pull the same trick with people outside the car.
 
That TMG thing is just vile. It looks like someone failed at pimpin' their Lexus LS. Weird body-kit that doesn't suit the car, vents that look fake, a disgusting grille... :crazy:
 
Those bits are just there for testing, kind of like all the cars you see before release that have the black cladding and weird designed vinyl to hide their real lines.
 
How is that functional side-skirt there merely for testing? Wouldn't that significantly alter the performance?
 
Spacegoat
I really dislike that grill and those vents in the bonnet. :yuck:
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They got the grill made by Cadillac and the hood by Merc. Toyota is trying to reach out to all areas of the world and create unity. I know it brings a tear or two to my eyes.
 
It's not like this is a production car, so the grille, the hood- probably just test bits. Could be made a certain way to hide things underneath.
 
This is one of the most exciting cars I've seen in yonks. Nice one, Toyota! With all the performance luxo-barges on the roads here (E63/S63/M5/S8/etc) I reckon it'll go down a storm.
 
Absolutely love how people have been accusing Toyota for many years now of being the most boring manufacturer. Now they release a new Toyota sportscar, the LF-A Nurb edition has shown its true speed, an LS version with a monstrous engine and an IS-F that's not quite the M3, but isn't far off either and people still refuse to give them some slack.
 

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