I don't know whether any of you have seen the new Lexus IS either in pictures or in the flesh, but I have been extremely impressed by it. The styling is spot on: coherent, balanced, contemporary and IMHO extremely appealing. The engines are advanced and feature variable valve timing on both induction and exhaust strokes to deliver superb power and economy. The panel gaps are miniscule. The interior cabin design is also exceptional. The quality of materials used together with fit and finish is more than comparable to Audi's. The SatNav system has a touch screen while its menus and controls are all incredibly well laid out and much more intuitive to use. In short, this car is everything that the new BMW 3-Series should have been but wasn't and takes Lexus to a level that is extremely close to the established German marques. If it drives as well as it looks, then not just BMW but also Audi and Mercedes-Benz need to be very afraid. The problem with Lexus is brand image and I'd love to know what Audi fans think of Lexus. Your feedback would be very useful.