Lexus ALMS GT2 IS350

[Made In the USA]

Originally Posted by [url=http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/05/15/lexus-unveils-is-350-gt2-for-american-le-mans/

leftlanenews[/url]]Since Lexus’ announcement in December that Team Lexus will field two IS 350s in the 2006 American Le Mans Series’ GT2 class, the team has been hard at work preparing the cars for their first racing season. The new cars will challenge GT2-class stalwarts Porsche and Panoz while taking on new entries from Ferrari and BMW.

“Although we’d love to be racing this weekend in Houston, building a new, competitive, GT2 car from the ground up is a complex undertaking,” said Team Lexus owner Chuck Goldsborough. “Our team has been working very hard to design and build the new cars, with inevitable challenges along the way. Once complete, the task of development then starts and must ramp up very quickly.”

The level of GT2 American Le Mans Series competition underscores the challenges inherent in building a sedan to compete on even terms. Top GT2 competitors include the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Ferrari F430GT, Panoz Esperante GTLM and BMW M3—all formidable cars.

With its production-based V6 providing more than 450 hp to propel a race car weighing less than 2,800 lbs., the new IS 350 GT2 promises to be plenty quick. The car also will retain its double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, suitably modified for the task and tuned to work with the large BBS-mounted Michelin racing slicks. StopTech will provide an upgraded brake package.

The team expects to begin testing in the next few weeks with the goal of a race debut in July. But the final decision on race timing will be based on test and development program results. “With the majority of the American Le Mans Series schedule taking place after July 1, it simply makes sense to be patient and develop the car properly,” said Philip Gaviola, Lexus motorsports manager. “And with the caliber of competition in the GT2 class, it’s going to be a steep learning curve regardless of when the IS 350 makes its debut.”

[p0w3r]

whoa look at those fender flares.....i like it

[Made In the USA]

Originally Posted by p0w3r

whoa look at those fender flares.....i like it

The one thing is it doesn't look as if the rear fenders are flared at all, but that is the only picture that is out right now, so it could very well have rear flared fenders.

[jayjaya29]

Wow, now thats sweet.

[SL65]

It had flared wheel arches already...now it just got a whole lot fatter

[Blind_Io]

It looks like a Lexus had a high-speed collision with a section of storm drain piping.

[Kebab gud]

hope it kinda makes it way in a street legal form ..
IS350 GT2... good name for a M3 killer...

[Paul_The_Aussie]

whoa there'd better be some decent rubber under there hehe.

hmmm a big L on the bonnet....interesting

[Labcoatguy]

Originally Posted by Paul_The_Aussie

hmmm a big L on the bonnet....interesting

L for Loser? And are you sure it's not a promo pic for Fast and the Furious 3

Joking aside, this looks interesting. Good luck to them.

[amdforever]

Are you sure this is not just a CG by Lexus fans?

[Byte]

I never quite understood how a jap car company could think of selling "luxury cars" in middle europe. People just don't go for them. Branding is still important and Lexus will always be "that Toyota brand"...

...as for the M3 killing mentioned earlier...well let's see about that

[Kebab gud]

dont forget .. a stock IS350 beats a E46 M3 in a stright line ..
if they want .. they can make a car thats faster then the nest M3..
and by all acounts .. they are going to

[patrick10]

since when has there been a gt2 class in alms?

[Kebab gud]

From what i understand .. there is (LM)P1, (LM)P2, GT1 and GT2 in ALMS

http://www.imsaracing.net/2006/compe...6ALMSRules.pdf

[Made In the USA]

Originally Posted by patrick10

since when has there been a gt2 class in alms?

Umm...since the begining. What do you think all those Porsche 911s, Panoz Esperante GTLM, and Ferrari 360/430 are doing there. GT1 are the Corvettes, Ferrari 575, Aston Martin DBR9, etc..

[patrick10]

i trhought that there was a gt and a gts class sry......

google is coming up with a bunch of gt and gts alms results so if im wrong... i wasnt the only person

[un-dee]

that actually looks worse than the title implies.