Yes, my younger brother was Product Planner, All New Vehicles, for Lexus at that time. I remember it well, how successful they were at bringing over a Japanese-market Toyota and re-branding. Good show.
The 211(and even the 210) is more
refined, more powerful, and definately nicer to drive. I don't agree that it is as well engineered however, too much emphasis on FEM/CAD/etc. to minimize weight, cost, and material. Still very good cars, just didn't have the longevity built in that the earlier models had.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lkchris
Actually it was Lexus. Indirectly, of course.
No W212 diesels in the USA yet, but I can say without hesitation that there is NOTHING about the W124 that even comes close to the W211. The latter is a fantastically better car.
Have owned W123, W124 (2), W210, and W211.
I'm relatively certain most W124 owners would be blown away even by a W210 with the V6 and--especially--the five-speed transmission. Smoother in all ways than the iron-engined W124s and no headgasket leaks, either. Even our diesel is a rocketship compared to a dog 300E, and 2700 highway rpms (V6) or 2100 highway rpms (OM648) sure is nicer than 3400.
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