News: Lexus strikes at 3 Series with dramatic new IS

You're looking at the first pics of the ultra-aggressive face of the new Lexus IS, the compact sports saloon that Lexus is hoping will, at long last, really take the fight to the heartland of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

Depending on how you feel about the styling of the current Lexus GS, you may or may not love the new IS' styling, with that outrageous sucked-in grille (vampire fangs, anyone) but while we're sitting slightly on the fence at the moment, we're loving the way the grille design makes it look as if the Lexus badge is being sucked into a black hole. Cool.

Of more practical concern, the new IS is going to be longer, more spacious (good – the current one is way too small inside) and lighter. The driving position is going to be lower and more overtly sporting too, and just have a gander at those gorgeous all-digital instruments. They've been lifted more or less straight from the fantabulous V10 LF-A supercar. 

There is a concern that Lexus is going to hobble itself with regard to engine choice though. Once again, only two powerplants will be available but this time around there's no diesel option, or at least none has been officially announced. For now, you'll have to choose between a 2.5-litre petrol V6 IS250 (which no-one in Ireland is going to buy) or a new IS300 Hybrid. Now, we're not 100% sure what the petrol engine component of the IS300 will be just yet, but it is already rumoured to have Co2 emissions in the region of 99g/km. Now, seeing as Toyota can get around 85g/km out of the Prius; 1.8-litre petrol hybrid, we're going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the Lexus' unit will be rather more muscular. 

Will being a hybrid hold the IS back, in sales terms, against the more conventional, but very engaging to drive, BMW 320d and Audi A4 2.0 TDI? Yes, it very well could, although it should be noted that the hybrid-only GS450h is at least as engaging and enjoyable to drive as any diesel 5 Series, so if the same engineers are working on the IS300 then perhaps, at last, we'll have a compact hybrid that's as good to drive as a diesel, but just as (if not more) economical and efficient.

We'll find out more when the IS gets its official public unveiling at next week's Detroit Motor Show.

Road Test: BMW 320d EfficientDynamics

Price as tested: €40,200

Chassis, steering, economy, performance, space, image
– Plain styling, pricey
= Just about as good a car as it’s possible to buy

I’ve said before that reviewing a new BMW 3 Series, especially a diesel one, is a bit like reviewing a monster Hollywood blockbuster (possibly featuring monsters). I could sit here and say that it's the worst pile of dreck ever committed to celluloid, but thousands of you would still go and pay the price of a ticket. Don’t believe me? Look at the Transformers trilogy. Worst damn films ever made, and they took a bundle of bundles at the box office.

It’s very much the same with the new 3 Series. If I were to tell you that I thought it an utterly worthless, dreadful insult to the legacies of Henry Ford, Wilhelm Hoffmeister and Preston Tucker combined, would you care? No, you wouldn’t. You’d still want one and a black 320d with biscuit leather upholstery would still be the most searched-for car on Carzone.ie.

And tempting as it would be to play out this little game and to scream from a height the inadequacies of the new 3 Series, I just can’t. Because it basically has none. It’s achingly close to perfect.

This is the EfficientDynamics version which, for a price, brings with it a whole new world of being able to enjoy driving your car without your conscience being pricked.

It uses the same 2.0-litre diesel engine as the standard 320d, but its power is reduced from 184bhp to 163bhp. Torque remains the same at a very healthy 380Nm, but the key to the ED’s performance is in its emissions and consumption figures. A few years ago, 109g/km of Co2 was an emissions figure that only a Toyota Prius could claim. Now, you can have a slinky, sexy German sports saloon that does the same.

And it’s fuel consumption is just as remarkable. BMW claims a scarcely believable 4.0l/100km (68.9mpg) on the combined cycle, but frankly, it’s a hard figure to dispute. Put it this way; over a hard-driven, twisty test route, taken mostly in third and fourth gear, I averaged 5.3l/100km (53mpg). Turn off the aircon, keep your right foot light and I reckon that claimed figure is within reach.

Of course, efficiency is all well and good, but what about the desirability that has traditionally been the preserve of the German sports saloon? Well, it’s present and correct, but with a caveat or two.

The new 3 looks smart, and I do like that split around the edge of the headlamps and the beginning of the kidney grille; it looks as if the car is trying to show off a Terminator-style endo-skeleton. But the rest of the styling seems a bit plain. In fact, from dead-side on, you’d be hard pressed to tell it from the old 3 Series.

It is longer, wider and more spacious than before though. So spacious in the rear, that I reckon it’s about a match for rear seats space with the old E60 5 Series. The boot’s big too, if a trifle shallow.

Up front, there are lovely soft-touch surfaces and the usual beautifully clear and elegant dials. The seats are very comfy, but on our manual gearbox test car, the pedals were noticeably offset to the right. There is also the slight problem that the fascia looks too similar to that of the smaller, cheaper 1 Series. You can get around this a bit with careful speccing and colour choices; just avoid the plain black and grey of our car’s cabin.

To drive? Well, it’s about as good as you’d expect. Toggle the electronic Drive Performance Control to Comfort and it’s almost too soft, allowing a little too much body lean and wobble. Best kept for long motorway miles or town work, that one. Hit Sport and it feels like a proper 3 Series again; taut, communicative steering (the best electric system we’ve yet tried), perfect body control and yet a ride quality that, while firm, at last succeeds in absorbing the worst tendencies of Irish roads. Mind you, that was on the 16” wheels (with high profile tyres) of our test car. Don’t expect an M-Sport 320d on 18”s to ride with the same equanimity. The third setting for the DPC system is Eco Pro, which dials back throttle response and other items to maximise economy. Clever stuff, that.

Let’s talk about price though. Our ED test car lists at €40,200. That seems to be getting dangerously close to 520d price levels, especially when you start adding options. Leather trim, for instance, costs a whopping €1,700 (yet is standard on a 5 Series). Fair enough, BMW’s people were at pains to make the  point that basic specs have actually improved and if you drove off the lot with just the standard car, you would still have a very respectable equipment level. That may be true but the options list remains a corridor of pain. Worth pointing out though that the most basic 316d ES costs just €35,600, which does seem like quite a lot of car for the money.

As I said when we came in, reviewing a new 3 Series is more or less pointless. You’re going to love it and covet it whether I reckon it’s crap or not. And while I do think that there are some things that need improvement (check out what gorgeous styling inside and out Volvo can provide you with for the same price, for instance) there isn’t much point in me saying much else other than... pass the popcorn, please.

Facts & Figures

BMW 320d EfficientDynamics
Price: €40,200
Range price: €35,600 to €61,110
Capacity: 1,995cc
Power: 163bhp
Torque: 380Nm
Top speed: 230kmh
0-100kmh: 8.1sec
Economy: 4.1l-100km (68.9mpg)
CO2 emissions: 109g/km
Tax Band: A. €160 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: Not yet tested

Road Test: Jaguar XF 2.2D SE

Price as tested: €44,995

In brief: A decade ago, a diesel Jaguar would have been close to sacrilege. Now, the smallest, most affordable oil-burning Jag is one of the famous marque’s best.


It's no coincidence that Jaguar chose Munich as the location to launch its updated XF saloon to the world's press. Munich is home to BMW and BMW is most certainly Jaguar's target as it seeks to double sales of the already-popular XF.

That the XF has sold well since its 2008 launch is more than merely pleasant news to Jaguar; it has in the most literal way saved the company. When Indian manufacturing conglomerate Tata bought Jaguar (and sister firm Land Rover) from Ford that year, Jaguar had primarily been making headlines for losing money and trying to entice US buyers with ill-considered 'retro' models like the unlovely S-Type.

The XF put a stop to the rot in two ways. Its cutting edge styling signaled the end of Jaguar's tiresome raiding of its back catalogue, and its sales revenue allowed the company time to regroup, recover and reinvigorate. That Jaguar-Land Rover recently posted a STG£1-billion profit tells you all you need to know on that score.

And how refreshing it is to be driving a new Jaguar and not commenting on or worrying about the firm's future or financial stability. And doing so in Munich, just minutes from BMW's heartland? Brave, almost arrogant. Good to see it.

Good too to see that the XF's subtle rhinoplasty has finally given it the face its body always deserved. You'd never have called the 2008 model ugly, but it lacked the piercing looks of the C-XF concept car the preceded it. Now, with narrow, feline headlights (with LED daytime running lights in the shape of a stylised J), a bigger, bolder grille and detail changes to the bumpers, the XF looks a million dollars.

Yet it will cost a much more reasonable €44,995 for a basic SE model; about €10k cheaper than the previous basic XF. And that's because Jaguar has introduced a four-cylinder diesel engine to the XF. It may sound prosaic to discuss a four-banger fuel-saver when talking about a Jaguar, but the simple fact is that its rivals (the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6) all score their biggest sales with just such engines.

So, lifted from the Land Rover Freelander and forthcoming Range Rover Evoque, the XF's 2.2-litre turbocharged engine gets a new oil pan and new active engine mounts, as well as a dual-layer bulkhead to keep noise to a minimum. And it works. At all but a cold start up, the XF's new engine is pleasingly refined although you're never in doubt that it is a diesel.

It is very punchy though. With 188bhp and 450Nm of torque, shifting even the XF's 1,745kg bulk wasn't going to be hard. 450Nm is actually more torque than the old 2.7-litre V6 diesel and the XF wafts along just as a Jaguar should, with real thump when the slick-shifting 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox (the only transmission option) kicks down. It can be a touch hesitant pulling out of a tight junction though as the engine takes a second or two to start pulling properly.  It's frugal though, and comes with a standard stop-start system that is impressive for the speed with which it kicks the engine back into life. Jaguar claims 5.4-litres per 100km on the combined fuel consumption cycle and an early production car drove the 1,312km from the factory in England's midlands to Munich on one 64-litre tank of fuel.

Co2 emissions are a touch high though. BMW's 520d and Audi's A6 2.0 TDI both slot into Band B for emissions, with 129g/km figures with makes the Jag's 149g/km look pretty lofty. Adding automatic gearboxes to the BMW and Audi raises their figures to 139g/km but that still leaves the Jaguar driver paying an extra €150 a year in road tax. Hardly a deal breaker but a serious consideration (as will the BIK figure be) for the fleet managers that Jaguar will be courting with this model.

Perhaps it would be best to forget the figures for now and concentrate on the driving. We'll hold back on any definitive judgement until we get some Irish tarmac under the tyres, but the XF feels wonderfully lithe and fluid to drive, with exceptionally well balanced steering and a ride quality that's only upset at low speeds by short-wave urban lumps and ripples. If you want your executive saloon to deliver on true driver enjoyment, the XF stands head and shoulders above even the mighty 5 Series. Remarkable when you think that its chassis dates back to a late nineties Lincoln.

Its cabin can't compete though. We love the blue mood lighting, the avant-garde rotary gear selector and the touch sensitive lights, and there's little enough to quibble with when it comes to quality of assembly. But the main dials look cheap and uninteresting and the touch-screen infotainment system is fiddly. Space in the back is only fine if you're stepping out of a 5 Series; compared to an A6 or (especially) an E-Class, it's too tight, even if the boot is reasonably generous.

But you would have to be a spectacular curmudgeon not to be charmed by this car, just a little bit. The new 2.2 diesel is a welcome addition to the XF range, expanding its appeal and making it noticeably more affordable to run. That it falls short of the Germans in the efficiency stakes is a shame, but that detracts not a bit from how terrific this car is to drive.
Facts & Figures

Jaguar XF 2.2D SE
Price as tested: €44,995
Range price: €44,995 to €114,800
Capacity: 2,179cc
Power: 188bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Top speed: 240kmh
0-100kmh: 8.5sec
Economy: 5.4l-100km (52.3mpg)
CO2 emissions: 149g/km
VRT Band: C. €302 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: Not yet tested

Road Test: Alfa Romeo 159 2.0 JTDM 136bhp TI

Price as tested: €32,495

In brief: Often overlooked, but the masses don’t know what they’re missing out on. Age keeps it behind the opposition, but charm and real quality help bridge the gap.


I think it’s fair to call the Alfa 159 a bit of a forgotten car. It’s predecessor, the 156, was one of the biggest sellers in Alfa’s history, but when the 159 was launched it dropped quickly under the radar and pretty much stayed there. While the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 have since been scaling Everest-like heights in sales terms, the 159 remains one for the cognoscenti.

But not, crucially, one for just die-hard Alfa fans. It used to be that you had to be pretty die-hard to put up with the quality and dynamic foibles that once came a standard with an Alfa, but that has simply not been the case for may a year now, and the 159 (and its smaller siblings, the Giulietta and Mito) are proof of that.

If we’re going to talk about flaws (and we may as well do, now that we’ve started) then anything you can properly criticise the 159 for is based much more on age than on any particular flaw. So, the fact that it’s not quite as spacious as you’d like, the fact that the driving position is more awkward than it should be and the suppression of noise, vibration and harshness isn’t what it should be can all be traced back to the fact that the platform the 159 rides on dates its development back almost a decade. Car design, in technology terms, has moved on since then.

But not in terms of aesthetics. There’s no denying it, this is a properly beautiful car, and our test car in its bright red paintwork and with the 19” alloys that come with the TI specification looked utterly bewitching.

And pretty gorgeous inside too. The optional biscuit leather seats (with the Alfa logo embroidered in red stitching) the deeply inset dials and the slim-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel all create an almost clichéd Italian cabin experience.

What’s not a cliché is the quality. This is a car assembled with palpable care and attention to detail. There was not a single creak or groan, and all of the surfaces that you touch and feel (aside from some slightly brittle column stalks) are of the highest order.

Yes, the driving position is a little too high and a touch offset, but the seats are very comfy and supportive and that thin-rimmed steering wheel feels utterly brilliant to hold. Tactility, as well as quality, is the order of the day.

Nestling behind those squinting lights is a new 2.0-litre JTDM diesel engine. Gone is the old 1.9 diesel and in comes this one, with 134bhp and a healthy 350Nm of torque. Against the stop watch it delivers a 9.9sec 0-100kmh time and returns 5.1-litres per 100km on the combined fuel economy cycle.

Subjectively though, it feels much quicker. Must be the torque, which when you keep the engine in the right rev band, allows the 159 to bound along the road with great gulps of forward thrust. The six-speed manual gearbox is delightful, feeling properly mechanical as you move it across the gate, so stirring the 159’s engine is no chore. Of course, no diesel can give you the proper Alfa Romeo alto-soprano scram at high rpm, but against that we’ll take the excellent fuel economy and the 134g/km Co2 emissions.

A shame that there’s a bit too much clatter and gurgle at low and urban speeds, but once you’re cruising on main roads, that does go away, to be replaced by a bit too much wind and tyre noise. Again, blame the 159’s age. It’s not especially bad but an A4 or C-Class are noticeably quieter.

But the good news comes when you get to a smooth, sweeping stretch of corners. Then, with that torque wave to float on, the 159 reminds you of why it’s actually a proper sports saloon.

The ride, which is a touch firm around town, improves the faster you go and that steering; quick geared across its locks and full of feel, allows you to point the 159 exactly where you want it. OK, so perhaps this front-driver cannot match the handling ‘purity’ of a rear-drive BMW, but on the right road it flows wonderfully and rewards the driver with proper enthusiasm. In fact, given how anodyne and removed from the action so many modern cars are, the 159 is nothing short of refreshing.

Next year, there will be a replacement, called the Giulia, based on an all-new platform and doubtless with better refinement, more space and even better economy and emissions. But something tells us that it won’t be quite as good to drive as a 159. Electric power steering will rob the 159’s delicate feel and balance and the extra length and bulk will probably take away some of its fabulous chuckabillty.

And that will be a shame. You know that thing of never realising what you have until it's gone? I reckon that could well be the case with the 159. Get out and grab one while you still can.

Facts & Figures

Alfa Romeo 159 2.0 JTDM 134bhp TI
Price as tested: €32,495
Range price: €27,995 to €36,995
Capacity: 1,856cc
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 350Nm
Top speed: 202kmh
0-100kmh: 9.9sec
Economy: 5.1l-100km (55.4mpg)
CO2 emissions: 134g/km
VRT Band: B. €156 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: 5-star adult, 4-star child, 1-star pedestrian