LexFather

In this thread will be all the reviews posted by the press. Thanks in advance to our Clublexus members who have posted this information. Please DO NOT add comments or they will be deleted, thanks.
Edmunds

LexFather

Please ONLY add articles with links. Please do not add comments in this thread. This thread is only for thread reviews


Car Connection

LexFather

Newsweek, with VIDEO!!



Feb. 14 issue - Mother Nature laid it on thick: rain, wind, even a little ice for my test drive of the redesigned GS 430. Would this debutant handle the big stuff and still keep its luxe cool? Sure enough. This superbly redone second-generation GS is packed with safety technology that does everything to keep the sport sedan's hunky 18-inch wheels with Z-rated tires fixed on the road. Several times I felt the onboard computer kick in, fluttering the brakes and controlling the accelerator, to right the car when the back wheels began to slip. If the car got buffeted by wind, it self-corrected its steering. On a rain-slicked straightaway, I turned off the traction-control button and floored it, just to see how sure-footed the GS would be without its safety gizmos. Huge surprise that the GS shot forward with no slippage or tire spin. Very nice.

Technology carries into the cockpit with push-button ignition, heated seats and an ingenious drop-panel drawer that controls 10 different functions, like the fuel-tank latch and side-mirror toggle. It's a perfect solution to a cluttered dashboard. And the optional Mark Levinson audio system, with 330 watts and 14 speakers, delivers the purest sound I've ever heard from a car stereo. So though it was stormy outside, inside it was a day at the beach.


ROAD TEST: LEXUS GS 430

$52,000 buys you power to spare, computer-assisted handling and one of the industry's most luxurious interiors
• Launch video review
• More video
Tip: For the first time, the GS also comes in a three-liter, V-6 all-wheel-drive version that delivers even better traction but less power for $6,000 less.

—Tara Weingarten

LexFather

New GS 430 positive review from Winding Road (u must have Adobe)
Its a very good review. And they have another color GS, looks like the Sea Green, it looks great. They were surprised at how well it handled and impressed with how Lexus kept the weight down (it only weighs 3745 lbs, that is VERY impressive considering its bigger and has much more equipment) and blown away by the new ML sound system.

http://www.windingroad.com/get_doc.php?issue=2

The review is in Adobe, it is a great read.

LexFather

In Chicago I got to actually get all up in the new Lexus GS. The dark grey model on the floor was super sexy. This is by far the nicest looking Lexus sedan since the brand debuted. The lines are very smooth and masculine. Inside I found the design even more appealing. The doors have a very cool wedge of leather leading into the window controls. The tach could be a little nicer (the images of them didn’t turn out) and the area around the shifter seemed a bit plain, but otherwise the interior was very luxurious. Even the interior lighting had pinpoint effects. If I was shopping in this class and had to make a call between the Infiniti M, Acura RL, Audi A6, BMW 5 and this Lexus GS I’d have a tough time. Click below for more images.

LexFather

2006 Lexus GS - All-new lineup includes all-wheel drive.
By Greg N. Brown

Overview

As the first completely new passenger car from Toyota's luxury division since 2001, the 2006 Lexus GS is a showcase of the giant company's most advanced technology. It's not only loaded with more computer power than some third-world countries, and flush with the degree of luxury enjoyed only in the best zip codes, but the fully restyled and reengineered four-door luxury sedan makes a bold dynamic statement that says, "Watch out, BMW!"

Lexus openly admits that BMW's 5 Series sedan provided the benchmark for the new GS, in much the same way the big Lexus LS was originally targeted the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, at the time top of its class. Again going after the perceived leader of the pack, Lexus devised a crafty strategy.

First, it broadened the appeal of the GS line-up with a faster, better equipped "base" car. In fact, the rear-wheel-drive GS 300 out-measures its competitor from Munich, the BMW 530i, in horsepower, torque, the 0-60 sprint and fuel mileage, not to mention offering a far friendlier and more sybaritic cockpit.

Second, to entice those in cold climes who until now had to look elsewhere for an all-weather passenger car, Lexus is offering an all-wheel-drive option for the GS 300. More than one-third of all new GS sales are expected to be AWD models, most headed for the northwest and northeast United States.

Finally, Lexus made sure the top dawg of the family, the 430, had the bite to wrest bragging rights away from the Germans, not just by matching but exceeding the high-end performance recorded by the BMW 545i. Simply put, Lexus fine-tuned its 4.3-liter V8, paired it with a wonder of a transmission and cloaked the drivetrain in a slippery coat of sexy metal. Result? The GS 430 runs in realms never reached by a Lexus, and it's quicker than the BMW.

However, the primary target of this new, longer and wider GS isn't all that important, because Lexus is confident its four-door sedan's combination of driving fun and creature comfort is unequalled among its many peers and will do much to spread the badge across the land.

The outgoing GS was six years old, so it was expected that the new GS would be more than just a freshened take on a familiar theme. Lexus hasn't disappointed, adding more than a dash of driving spice to the family virtues of smoothness and refinement. But there is another, major question to be answered: Is this Asian upstart delivering where it counts most. Does a Lexus GS feel like an ultimate driving machine?


Model Lineup

The 2006 Lexus GS is available as three models (and an intriguing gas/electric hybrid GS is on the horizon).

The rear-wheel-drive GS 300 ($42,900) sports a completely new 245-horsepower V6 under the hood; the GS 300 AWD ($44,850) grips the road through the first all-wheel-drive system in a Lexus passenger car; and the top of the line GS 430 ($51,125) is the quickest Lexus yet due in part to its recently refined 300-horsepower V8.

Every GS puts its power to the wheels through three variations of a new close-ratio six-speed automatic transmission, each designed for optimum performance with their respective GS applications. One of the smallest and lightest gearboxes of its type, it includes a sequential manual shift mode, with gear changes made via a lever in the center console. Steering-wheel-mounted pushbutton gear selection is no longer offered.

The list of standard equipment places the GS line squarely in the luxury fold. And yet despite all the amenities wrapped in the more appealing bodywork, on a comparably equipped basis the new GS 300's cost-up is a paltry $140 over the outgoing model. In addition to the usual electronics, every GS gets a bunch of cool stuff, including leather-trimmed, heated front seats with 10-way power adjustment; SmartAccess keyless entry and a pushbutton starter; a premium sound system with both CD and DVD capability; Bluetooth wireless telephone technology; and a 7-inch multi-information touch screen for easy access to a wide range of information and commands.

Not surprisingly, given the generous array of standard items, interior options are limited: a steering-sensitive Park Assist system ($500); DVD navigation system and rear backup camera ($2,250); one-touch open/close moonroof ($1,000); ventilated front seats ($200); power rear sunshade ($210); and an eardrum-pounding, wallet-smashing Mark Levinson audio system ($4,030), its 11 channels of sonic wash flowing through 14 speakers. Exterior options are even fewer: a Rain-Sensing Wiper package ($525) that includes adaptive front lighting and headlamp washers (standard on the GS 430); a rear spoiler ($200); and all-season run-flat tires ($400), which also can be ordered with a spare ($480).

Walkaround

The face of Lexus has evolved cautiously in the marque's short life, but the company is now determined to inject more passion into its styling language. In the GS this was resolved with a lower stance, more front overhang, a longer and lower hood, a 2-inch-longer wheelbase and wider rear track. The nose still carries the line's trademark four separate headlamp units and vertical grille, but now it's more like a spear piercing the wind than the blunt instrument of the previous GS. It certainly looks as sleek as the 0.27 coefficient of drag would suggest. A flat underbody aids the aerodynamic efficiency (the previous GS had a Cd of 0.29) and helps reduce noise.

The lowered stance is underlined by an aggressive front valance, with a large inlet to indicate there's a powerful engine under the hood, thirsty for air. A fog lamp is integrated into each lower front corner. Prominent body-color rocker extensions anchor the car's mass along the midsection, which is nicely balanced by the well-proportioned wheel wells. A deep rear valance carries this glued-to-the-ground theme to the tail and frames the large, exposed dual exhaust with stainless steel tips.

Much of the car's visual dynamism emanates from the strong shoulder arc, which evokes the contour of an airplane wing slicing through the wind. This sense of forward motion is reflected in a swept-back greenhouse that blends into the short rear decklid via a coupe-like C-pillar. The integrated aero look extends to color-keyed rearview mirrors and bumper covers. For sportier types, or for the determined driver who might need a bit more downforce in high-speed corners, the tail can be outfitted with an optional spoiler.

The external structure is rust-resistant galvanized steel and was engineered to provide just one of many lines of defense against collisions. Should an accident occur, the GS has an airbag for every occasion, but Lexus also took measures to reduce the chance of those accidents happening in the first place. Sophisticated systems of electronic sensors and computers, designed to provide the safest possible motoring, work seamlessly, without the driver aware of all the electro-mechanical effects prompted by such threats as slick pavement or, especially, driver error.

Along with the usual airbags for both front passengers, Lexus offers, for the first time, driver and front-passenger knee bags to augment the many other levels of the supplemental restraint system. These include seat-mounted side-impact airbags; force-limiting, 3-point seat belts (all five seats), with pretensioners for both front and rear (outboard) passengers; front and rear side-curtain airbags; and automatic locking/emergency locking retractors for all occupants save the driver (ELR only).

This passive level of occupant protection extends to such features as a padded instrument panel; impact-absorbing upper interior trim; a tire-pressure warning system. Also standard: daytime running lights; adaptive front lighting that illuminates the road through a curve; a system that reduces movement of the brake pedal toward the driver in the event of a front-end collision, thus minimizing leg injury; a rear backup camera display in the touchscreen; and the usual array of electronic handling aids, designated by a veritable avalanche of acronyms.

The new braking system integrates four-channel, four-sensor ABS with large, vented discs at all four wheels. To ensure that the brakes achieve optimum stopping dynamics, they're augmented by Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); Brake Assist (BA); Traction Control (TRC); and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). The 300's front discs measure 11.6 inches, while the 430 is fitted with giant 13.1-inch. discs. Both cars have 12.2-inch rear discs.

Though the GS 300 uses a conventional brake booster, GS 430s also get what Lexus calls Electronically Controlled Brake (ECB). This system detects the length of the brake pedal stroke applied by the driver and then sends the data to a computer that calculates the optimum brake force for each wheel in that particular situation. High-friction brake pads complete the upgrades to handle the extra beef of the V8.

The GS 430 also sports an even more sophisticated handling technology as part of its standard package: Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management or VDIM. Such data as steering angle, yaw rate, deceleration, brake pressure and wheel speed are processed much earlier than was possible before VDIM, which then sets in motion a number of measures to ensure stable handling at the very limits of adhesion. In contrast to conventional systems, which only react to a car's loss of control, VDIM was developed to anticipate a dangerous situation and then, by making certain corrections, allows the driver to maintain a brisk pace without even realizing the system is at work.

VDIM integrates operation of various active systems, including VSC, TRC, Brake Assist, ABS and Electronic Throttle Control with intelligence (ETC-I, of course). Three new technologies are also brought into concert with VDIM: Electric Power Steering (EPS); Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) and Electronically Controlled Brakes (ECB), a brake-by-wire system.

Also available: Intuitive Park Assist ($500) and the Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control ($2,850). Intuitive Park Assist, a feature of previous Lexus models, now considers steering angle input in the equation and offers contact avoidance advice (through graphics in the touchscreen) for heightened driver awareness while negotiating tight parking spots. This advice is displayed in the lower center of the speedometer, an area that is also used to show information from the trip computer, radar cruise status, distance monitoring and various warning messages.

PCS goes even further and uses a millimeter-wave radar sensor to detect obstacles in front of the car. A computer then measures vehicle speed, steering angle and yaw rate to calculate the likelihood of a collision. If it looks like there will an unavoidable front-end collision, PCS switches the AVS to Sport mode to reduce nose dive and enhance emergency handling, preemptively retracts the seat belts and gets Brake Assist ready to go so that increased braking arrives instantaneously with application of the pedal. And if the driver doesn't react quickly enough, or not at all, Active Braking then kicks in and automatically applies the brakes, up to a deceleration of 0.3 g.

These unprecedented measures still might not meet the demands of drivers in icy climes, in which case there awaits the GS 300 AWD. The full-time all-wheel-drive syst***s basic elements are front and rear differentials and a center transfer case. Acting from the information provided by wheel sensors, the transfer case varies torque output between the front or rear axles to retain traction. During take-offs, while accelerating or on very slippery surfaces, torque output is evenly divided between the axles. It also can vary up to 30/70 front to rear if Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) determines it's necessary to keep the car going in the proper direction.

A secondary level of the AWD system is Electronic Traction Control (ETC), which, when it senses wheel slippage, applies the brakes on that particular wheel and then transfers torque to the non-slipping wheel on the same axle. With this electronic safety net in operation, anyone who sticks a new GS in a snowbank has got it coming.

2006 Lexus GS
Interior Features

We should all live in houses as well appointed, and as well designed for simple use, as the Lexus GS. Open any one of the four doors (don't worry about having to unlock the car, you've got keyless entry) and you're greeted by aluminum alloy Lexus-stamped scuff plates, the scent of leather and cut-pile carpeting, and the gleam of highly burnished hardwood trim.

The handsome wood and leather-trimmed steering wheel, electronically adjustable for rake and reach, frames a newly designed dash panel. Following established Lexus standard, each gauge, button, wheel and lever is clearly identified by easily read words or symbols, and the three-pod analog instrument cluster's white-on-black graphics can be grasped at a glance.

A 160-mph speedometer, with an integrated electronic digital odometer and twin trip meters, is flanked to the left by a tachometer and to the right by fuel and water temperature gauges and lights indicating gear choice.

Dominating the center console is a 7-inch touch screen, flanked by two banks of menu buttons. Entering the various menus and navigating through the submenus doesn't take too much brainpower, but like most multi-tasking systems, a day spent with the owner's manual on a quiet side street is the best way to figure out how to work everything properly.

Still, there are so many systems/operations/functions to either operate or monitor that Lexus chose to hide some of the switches. One of the hideaways is accessed via a door that drops down out of the dash panel to the left of the steering wheel. Here you'll find switches for outside mirrors, fuel lid, trunk release, meter brightness control (more on this later), odometer/trip meter, headlamp washers, rear sunshade, park assist, AFS (lots more on this later), and interior lamps. More hidden switches are under the sliding top of the center console: adaptive variable suspension, transmission mode and front seat heaters and ventilators. Some might find it tedious to access these functions in these ways, but it does go a long way to cleaning up the console of excessive clutter.

Another innovative cockpit feature is the variable transparency lens covering the gauge cluster. Called an electronic chromatic device, it automatically changes the diffusion of the lens to optimize viewing depending on the intensity of light in the cabin.

The interior leather/wood schemes are Ash with black bird's-eye maple; Cashmere with brown bird's-eye maple or Black with walnut. Fit and finish is impeccable, down to the finest details. For instance, every compartment door or cover opens at exactly the same speed, with identical levels of damping and feel. Tactile luxury at its most basic.

Definitely not basic is the standard Lexus audio stack, comprised of an AM/FM ETR with auto-reverse cassette and 6-disc, in-dash CD changer and DVD player (DVDs can be viewed only when the shifter is in Park and the parking brake is engaged), 10 speakers and a 134-watt amplifier. No MP3 capability is yet offered, but the GS is pre-wired for XM Satellite Radio.

Audiophiles can opt for the Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound system, developed especially for the GS interior. Utilizing Discrete 5.1 surround playback via a 7.1 channel speaker topology, it sends the vibes through 14 speakers via 11 channels of amplification by an advanced discrete amplifier with 330 watts. It sounds quite amazing.

The newly reengineered navigation system ($2,250) now has information for more than 6 million points of interest. Destinations can be input in several different ways for easier use, and the phonebook holds over 10 million entries. Route searching is said to be 10 times faster than with the previous nav system, and both it and the Bluetooth cell phone system can be operated by voice command or through the 7-inch touchscreen.

Of course, the GS boasts all the usual amenities expected by luxury car buyers, including power door locks; cruise control; electric trunk and fuel filler door releases; a pass-through tunnel to the trunk for hauling long items; a dual-zone climate control with an auto-recirculation feature to help minimize micro-dust, pollen and other air pollutants from entering the car; auto-dimming for outside mirrors as well as the interior rearview mirror, which also incorporates a compass and Homelink programmable garage door opener; and illuminated vanity mirrors in the sun visors.

Driving Impressions

Entering a locked GS via the Smart Access system is as easy as touching the inside of any door handle or the underside of the trunk lid, as long as you've got the key fob on your person. First seen on the LS 430, this is a worthwhile convenience and also saves door paint from wayward keys seeking small keyholes. Once seated, the driver starts and stops the engine by simply applying the brake pedal and pushing a stop/start button. Again, the convenience is augmented by practical considerations: fewer moving parts to require potential repair, and the elimination of a safety risk posed by a bunch of sharp-edged keys dangling from the console. Smart Access also allows the key fob to be programmed to memorize three different settings for the front seats, steering column and rearview mirrors.

The 10-way adjustable seats and electronically adjustable steering column ensure a good fit for almost every physique, but a bit more bolstering and a longer seat cushion would be helpful for spirited driving. The GS is capable of extraordinary road grip, but the seats just don't quite match up to that grip. Otherwise, they're just the kind of chairs that allow you to climb out after a long drive without needing your spine cracked. Adjustable headrests are found at all five seating positions, and the fronts automatically adjust up or down as the seats are moved toward or away from the steering wheel.

Push that start button yet? Better check by blipping the throttle, because there's no way you're going to hear the engine, V6 or V8, at idle. All GS models are extraordinarily quiet, their aural distinctions to be appreciated only at full throttle. It's then that the V8 separates itself from its new, smaller sibling. The big engine scarcely notices the weight it must pull or the air it must push, and the suck, squish, bang and blow of the eight cylinders is reduced to a muted rumble from the dual exhaust system.

Throw in a six-speed automatic that is so smooth as to seem one continuous gear, and there's little to do except sit back and enjoy the ride. At its most fuel deficient, the GS 430 jets from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds, with the driver's chief sensation simply the rapid change of view outside the windows. A bit of road noise manages to make it through the sound-dampening measures, and there's a hint of wind around the A-pillars when the car approaches triple digits, but otherwise the cockpit is a librarian's paradise.

Handling is virtually no-fault. The newly engineered suspension is state of the art even without all the electronic handling aids. Both V6 and V8 cars share the same suspension geometry: double-wishbones, coil springs and gas-filled shocks in front, and a multi-link design with coil springs and gas-filled shocks out back. The GS 430 also features standard Adaptive Variable Suspension, which automatically adjusts shock values depending on the driving conditions, or the driver can choose between normal and sport modes.

But, is it an exciting car to drive? If your only measure of driving fun is speed, then the 430 is a fulfilling ride. But, if you value a high level of feedback from external forces, then the Lexus experience might be a bit of a bore. It is just so competent and smooth that the driver feels more like a passenger than the commander. Make no mistake; this is no track car. The electronic handling aids cannot be switched off, so tail-happy cornering is out of the question. However, there's a lot to be said for the ease of taking a corner at competitive speeds without having to wrestle the steering wheel or worry about the rear end overtaking the front.

Driving fans should consider the rear-drive GS 300. In comparison to the outgoing inline six-cylinder engine, the new V6 produces more torque over a wider range, better fuel economy and lower emissions, and it produces some very pleasing sounds as it goes about its business. Featuring such advanced aspects as drive-by-wire throttle, variable adjustment of the timing on both the intake and exhaust sides, direct-to-cylinder injection, and a special Swirl Control Valve that works like a variable induction system, the V6's 245 horsepower can take the GS 300 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds.

The V6 is not an effortless puller like the V8, but it's no slouch, either. The generous torque provides plenty of juice for the stoplight grand prix, and there's little sense of the power falling off as redline is approached. Better still, the V6 provides the kind of aural feedback that delights the sporting driver.

Whichever drivetrain is chosen, the GS has pretty much hit its targets. In those areas most critical to driving fun (steering, brakes and torque) this is a far better car than its predecessor. A lot of attention was paid to the steering, resulting in a new Electronic Power Steering system. A steering ECU processes vehicle speed, yaw rate and steering angle to determine how much electronic assist should be generated, and it works wonderfully well, assisting low-speed maneuverability and tightening up when more feedback is needed.

In addition, the GS 430's rack is augmented by Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS), which reduces the amount of steering input at very low speeds. It also accelerates the steering angles as the wheel approaches full lock. VGRS itself incorporates Differential Steering Control and Correction Steering Angle Reduction in its operation. DSC closely matches wheel angle to the speed at which the driver is turning the steering wheel in order to offset any delay in the car's response to steering input. This works especially well on winding roads. CSAR features a correction feature to offset the effects of sidewinds, making the steering adjustments normally having to be done by the driver.

This might sound too much like Big Brother taking over the wheel, but none of these systems are intrusive and do little to diminish the performance aspects of the new GS.

The GS comes in three flavors, all of them delectable, but all of them a variation of vanilla. Don't get us wrong; we like vanilla. But, when we were told the GS would make us forget about the BMW driving experience, it had our taste buds flipping into overdrive and hungry for a spicier kind of road cuisine than we'd come to expect from Lexus. We're still waiting.

Summary

Smooth, refined, fast, reliable, backed by a great dealer network, Lexus cars have a lot going for them. Now add in stylish bodywork and a sharper performance image, and the formula is even tougher to beat. Remember, that this new GS is just the first in a wave of new vehicles from Lexus, reflecting the carmaker's desire to be compared with the world's best luxury performance cars. It's a giant first step and will doubtless keep BMW engineering up late at night in its bid to again be top dog in the segment.

New Car Test Drive correspondent Greg Brown filed this report from Palm Springs.

LexFather

Autoweek Found by freebay

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101814


Performance before Luxury? New Lexus sedans set to take on BMW 5 Series
MARK RECHTIN | Automotive News
Posted Date: 2/15/05

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- They came right out and said it: The benchmark sedan for the 2006 Lexus GS 300 and GS 430 was the BMW 5 Series. Known for putting luxury before performance, Lexus has let the pendulum swing the other way.

The basics

The V-8 GS 430 reaches 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, and the V-6 GS 300 does it in 6.8 seconds. That's about the same as the previous V-8, but the new V-6 is a second quicker.

The new 3.0-liter V-6 comes from the same engine family as that of the Toyota Avalon sedan and 4Runner SUV, though the Lexus gets direct injection and a different cylinder head. It also has variable intake and exhaust timing. The 4.3-liter V-8 is a carryover engine.

Notable features

All models come with electronic power steering. The GS 430 also has variable steering, which reduces the amount of steering wheel turns needed at lower speeds, to improve maneuverability.
Lexus says the GS sedan is the first in a wave of vehicles that will focus more on styling and performance.
The sedan also offers an optional precollision system that uses radar to sense an unavoidable crash and cinches the seat belts and applies the brakes if the driver doesn't heed the warning buzzer.

Adaptive variable suspension is standard on the GS 430 but not available on the GS 300.

What Lexus says

At the media introduction here, Lexus Division General Manager Denny Clements called the GS sedan "the first in a new wave of vehicles that reflect a more passionate direction in styling and a more focused dedication to high performance."

Compromises, shortcomings

Production-spec prototypes of the GS 300 and GS 430 had brakes that were choppy and overly aggressive; a software change is in the works.

Nuts and bolts

The cars go on sale Monday, Feb. 14. Lexus is pricing the base GS 300 at $43,550 including destination charges, a big jump from its predecessor's $39,525. But Lexus says the jump is only $140 on the basis of comparable equipment.

The GS 430 price leaps to $51,775, from $48,625. The GS 300 with all-wheel drive starts at $45,500; all-wheel drive was not offered previously.

The final word

So how do the new cars compete against the benchmark? While still not a 5 series, the GS sedans are strong on the sporting side of the performance-luxury equation. A GS 450h V-6 hybrid sedan arrives in the summer of 2006.

LexFather

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...8/pageId=62798

1. Lexus GS 430
2. Acura Rl
3. Infintii M45 Sport

Introduction

By Scott Oldham
Date posted: 02-28-2005

After years of barking up different trees, recent redesigns of the 2006 Infiniti M45, 2006 Lexus GS 430 and 2005 Acura RL have landed this trio of luxury-laden super sedans at the foot of the same birch.

Not only are all three built in Japan to an unquestionable high level of quality, each packs at least 300 horsepower, an automanual transmission, keyless ignition, an electronic stability system and enough interior volume to haul five Grave Digger fans and their full foam coolers to the monster truck jam. Oh yeah, and all three cost about $50 grand.

But which one should you spend your hard-earned money on? To find out we ordered up one of each and lived in them for one week. We also took them to the track and performed our usual battery of instrumented testing.

And after all that, the winner was clear. Sort of. Meet the cars.

2006 Infiniti M45 Sport
The Infiniti is the hot rod of this group. It has the largest and most powerful engine, the largest wheels and tires, the most powerful brakes, the firmest suspension, and it outaccelerates the others like they're tied to a post. It's also the most entertaining to drive, with a transmission that actually matches revs like a good driver does when downshifting a true manual, and a well-balanced chassis that rewards advanced driving technique.

Our Infiniti M45 Sport was also sportier on the inside than the others, with the firmest and most heavily bolstered seats, a prominently placed tachometer and real aluminum trim instead of the more traditional wood that adorns the interiors of the Lexus and the Acura.

On the downside? Some on staff feel too much tire noise makes it into the Infiniti's interior and its steering isn't as refined as the GS 430's or the Acura's.

2006 Lexus GS 430
The Lexus carries a base price of $51,125, which makes it almost $2 grand more than the others. But that extra expense is more than justified by traditional Lexus attention to detail and sweet workmanship. The GS 430 is built like a fine watch and runs just as smoothly. Its interior is a wonderful mix of fine leather, rich wood and simplistic design. Its forms may not be as artful as the other two, but the materials used and its ergonomics are far superior.

With 300 hp from its 4.3-liter V8 and the only six-speed transmission of the group, the Lexus performs as well. It accelerates hard enough to push you back into the seat, and leaves the equally powerful Acura in the dust. Its suspension, which can be adjusted firmer with a switch on the console, is also tuned to near perfection, delivering a supple highway ride and athletic reflexes.

Flaws are limited to very grabby brakes, which make it hard to stop smoothly, and a very aggressive stability control system, which cannot be shut down.

2005 Acura RL
The Acura's story is value. For the as-tested price of $49,470, the RL comes with such luxuries as a navigation system with voice-command capability, satellite radio, a power sunroof, a power rear sunshade and a premium 10-speaker audio system, all of which cost extra on the Infiniti and the Lexus. And it's the only car in this test with all-wheel drive (the Lexus and Infiniti are rear-wheel drive).

The Acura is quick, and it can be surprisingly fun to toss around, but it's just not as focused on performance as the other two. It's powered by the only V6 engine in the test, and it doesn't have as much grunt off the line as the V8s in the other cars. It also doesn't handle as well as the others despite its all-wheel drive, and its brakes are the most easily overheated.

Some also feel the Acura's interior materials and décor aren't up to the RL's $50,000 price tag, and its seats, which are the softest and least bolstered of the bunch, just aren't sporty enough for a sport sedan.

Lexus Wins a Close One
Here's the reality: Anyone from Tony Stewart to Martha Stewart would be happy owning any one of these three cars. They're all that good.

So good, that after all our driving, after all our note taking and score keeping and track testing and long-winded discussions about cupholders and trailing-throttle oversteer and rear-seat legroom, all three finished within four points of each other. Four points out of 100.

Basically, for all intents and purposes, it was a tie.

Still, on paper, it's the Lexus that comes out on top. Its combination of performance, luxury and astonishing attention to detail cannot be ignored. It's a car worthy of its price premium over the others, and it's a car anyone would be proud to own. But the Acura RL has run a very close second, very close, and the Infiniti M45 Sport a close third.
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LexFather

From new member Omega66! Thanks.

http://carreviewsonline.auto123.com...xus&artid=36941



Its a big review, here are some parts
The new GS moves this agility quotient up a notch or two, at the very least. Lexus used the new BMW 5-Series as a benchmark
Does the Lexus GS 430 truly handle as well as a benchmark BMW 545i? (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)
car, and its obviously biased but nevertheless conservative engineers who were on hand to help answer questions, feel that it matches the "ultimate" sport sedan in every respect; a claim that they believe has been earned through internally testing the two models back to back.

So my job, among other things, is to critically assess if the Lexus GS engineers are blowing hot air, simply deluded, or actually on the mark. Does the GS 430 truly handle as well as a 545i? After the better half of a day on a circuitous route throughout the island paradise Lexus chose for its launch location, capped off with a high-speed slalom, and various safety tests, I have to say I'm impressed. Without driving the GS back to back with the 5 on the same road surfaces, conditions, temperature, etc, it's impossible to tell which one is sportier
The Lexus achieves 60 mph in a scant 5.7 seconds in 300-horsepower GS 430 trim, 0.3 seconds quicker than the more powerful BMW 545i. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)
dynamically, per say, but I wouldn't dare write the Lexus off as the loser as it might just be BMW's equal.



As you can tell, I really like the new GS. It's great looking, divine to drive and meticulously put together. It takes all of the attributes that make Lexus automobiles some of the best in the world, and combines them with superb road manners and a unique, elegant style.

Is it as good as BMW's 5? Yes, easily, but it's different by design. Many who find BMW's new styling offensive will find refuge in the much more graceful GS, and others who are generally frustrated by problematic German luxury cars, most of which are rated below average on J.D. Power and Associates annual dependability studies and initial quality studies, will sleep well knowing that Lexus is rated number one year after year.

LexFather

http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=101887

Thanks JHStrange!

2006 Lexus GS
TechnoBabble Battle: New GS uses technology to chase the 5 Series
MARK VAUGHN
Published Date: 3/7/05

2006 LEXUS GS 300
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $43,550
POWERTRAIN: 3.0-liter, 245-hp, 230-lb-ft V6; rwd, six-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 3536 lbs
0 to 60 MPH: 6.8 seconds (mfr.)

You’ve heard comparisons listing the relative computing powers of Apollo 11 and various modern automotive functions. (e.g., “Why, the key fob alone could have landed our astronauts on the moon!”) Well, the new Lexus GS has more computing power than the space shuttle, the International Space Station, the Hubbell space telescope and any leftover Russian and Chinese space junk crashing through orbit today.

Or at least it seems that way when reading the spec sheet.

While the rest of the all-new car has the improvements you’d expect in a new Lexus—more power, longer wheelbase, wider stance, new body panels, etc.—it’s the technology onslaught that stands out and overwhelms.

There is everything from VDIM to PCS, and even things you’d never think of, like the function with no acronym that automatically countersteers the car into a crosswind. (Crosswind Resistance Adjustment Program?) Every letter of the alphabet gets a workout in this car. To cover it all would take two more pages of the magazine. Why all this gizmometry? The all-tech, all-the-time BMW 5 Series was the benchmark in development of the new GS.

“We did not set out to build a better 5 Series,” said chief engineer Shigetoshi Miyoshi. “Our goal was to create something different, and in its difference, something superior in overall performance.”

Superior to the 5? Hey, man, that’s talking some serious smack, Miyoshi-san. To gauge whether he succeeded, let’s have a look at these new cars, the GS 300 and the GS 430.

We might have expected the 300 to be a 330 and to share the same 3.3-liter V6 with other Toyotas. Instead, it gets a new aluminum alloy 3.0-liter V6 to replace the old iron-block straight-six. The new V6 shares its block and a few other items with the Avalon and 4Runner, but gets its own heads, direct injection and variable cam timing on both the intake and exhaust. The engine makes 245 hp at 6200 rpm and 230 lb-ft at 3600.

Like the GS 430, the 300 is mated to a smooth six-speed automatic with a sequential shift option. All-wheel drive is a new option on the GS 300, with front, rear and center differentials. Power is split 50:50 front-to-rear on launch, during heavy acceleration, or when the wheels detect slip. It’s 30:70 the rest of the time. There is also electronic traction control on both the 300 and 430, which brakes individual slipping wheels.

The GS 430 gets the carryover engine, but it’s still a heck of an engine. It makes 300 hp at 5600 rpm and 325 lb-ft at 3400, both figures spread wide across the graph thanks to the variable timing on both cams. Lexus says the 430 gets you to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. Last time we tested a 5 Series with the 4.4-liter V8, we got 5.63 seconds 0 to 60, so, given the Lexus number is from Lexus, we might have a new comparison test to do.
The GS interior is full of gadgetry.

The GS 300 gets to 60 in 6.8 seconds, which Lexus claims is quicker than the 530i. Could be. But straight-line acceleration is just one measure of a sports sedan. Curb weights come into performance play, as the 300 weighs just 3536 pounds vs. the 430’s 3745 pounds. That is within tens of pounds of the 5 Series. The difference here is the 300’s weight is distributed 53/47 front/rear, the 430’s 54/46. The 5 Series is a perfect 50/50.

Suspension, often highlighted extensively in sports sedan intros, was almost glossed over at the GS intro in favor of acronyms, something a sports sedan maker wouldn’t do. It’s a double-wishbone setup in front and upper and lower control arms in back. That is promising, as so many sporty cars go with inexpensive struts up front and various multilink setups in back that hop when the going gets twisty. This one didn’t, though neither did it feel like the best-connected in class, either. Like everything else here, the suspension is controlled electronically, with four driver-selectable modes.

Summer tires are standard in both the 300 and 430, all-season run-flats are optional. The BMW has variable steering and so does the Lexus. Lexus’ version is called Variable Gear Ratio Steering, which varies from 3.3 turns lock-to-lock to 2.7. Variability comes at the rack itself, which is electrically operated.

The brakes are vented discs front and rear with high-friction pads, the performance of which Lexus described as “about like throwing an anchor out of the trunk.” We found them way too touchy at all speeds. Lexus said it was reworking the amount of boost to the brakes. Electronics plays a huge part in braking, perhaps bigger than with any system on the car, including ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Brake Assist to add force when necessary, the TRAC traction control and Vehicle Stability Control.

Just about the whole driving part of the car is controlled by the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system, sort of the mother of all acronyms. VDIM integrates most of the above-mentioned systems. Using its giant brain, it compares your vehicle’s intended motion with that of its actual motion and makes whatever desperate electronic corrections it can to save your fenders. Should it, using the radar system from the cruise control, surmise you are determined to kill yourself, it will, via the Pre-Collision System, stiffen the suspension, tighten your seatbelt, sound a warning and even begin braking for you.

But it can only do so much. The idea with all the electronic controls is to perform their functions without being intrusive. At this goal, Lexus has generally succeeded. Though we never got a chance to violently flail the car around to see how it would react in severe under- and/or oversteer situations, throughout a long day’s drive on twisty, rainy mountain roads we never got the sense the systems were nannying us, nor that they were even working most of the time. And we never hit anything. So it must work, right?
The interior is built to typical excellent Lexus standards.

We’d like to toss it around on our test track and through our slalom to see how all this plays out. While it feels sound and fun now, we will withhold judgment until we can thrash it without adult supervision.

At the end of our half-day drive in the GS models—the 300, awd 300 and 430—none jumped out as being a BMW-beater. That 50/50 BMW balance has a lot to do with that, as does a more tightly controlled suspension, born of looping Alpine passes 50 years ago. The Lexus is good, but we would like a car that is good first of all without those electronic life-savers, as the 5 Series was when it was born, and then adds the electronics afterward, instead of depending on it to get there.

We will get back to you after several more drives in the new GS as to exactly how close it gets to the iconic 5. Maybe we can even do one of those DoubleTake features. (Are you listening, Road Test Editor?)

In the meantime, cars are in showrooms waiting for you to make your own decision—there are plenty of Lexus loyalists out there who won’t care about what anyone says about the BMW alternative. The GS is priced from $43,550 for the base 300, $45,500 for the awd 300 and $51,775 for the base 430. That’s before you pile on options like the fabulous Mark Levinson stereo system.
After a seven-year wait, this is a lot to cram into one car, and it is a car we look forward to driving a lot more.

LexFather

Thanks Sandman!

Lexus GS pushes for passion

GERRY MALLOY

Nanaimo, B.C.—If cars have a persona (and they do), Lexus has played the part of the straight-A student.

Respected by its peers, quietly competent in every way, but never, ever, considered the life of the party. Until, perhaps, now.

With its all-new 2006 GS 300 and GS 430 sedans, the brand has pumped up its muscles and donned fancy new duds.

Now it's ready for some one-on-one with the baddest boys on the block — especially those with German accents. Marquess of Queensberry rules, of course: a Lexus is no common brawler.

The introduction of the redesigned GS line, on sale early next month, marks a turning point in the Lexus philosophy.

Style and performance have now been elevated to the same status as quality, refinement and luxury on the brand's priority list.

One look at the car confirms its focus on design. The company says the GS is the first manifestation of what it terms "a passionate new direction in styling ... known as L-Finesse."

Whatever you call it, the GS effectively combines Lexus' classic conservatism with a fluid modernity that commands attention without flamboyance.

Beautifully proportioned, its near-fastback roofline gives it a long, low profile and adds the practical benefit of extending and thus enlarging the cabin.

The Lexus sedan lineup opens with the small IS 300, then comes the ES 330, followed by the GS pair, with the big LS 430 as the flagship.

As with its rivals (BMW 5 Series, Jaguar S-Type, Cadillac STS, etc.), the GS is offered in both V6 and V8 versions — the GS 300 and GS 430 respectively.

The smooth inline-six of earlier 300s is gone, replaced by a new 3.0-litre V6 with dual VVT-i (continuously variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust valves) and gasoline direct injection.

The latter feature, also used by Audi and BMW, injects fuel directly into the combustion chamber, rather than pre-mixing it with air as is normally the case, resulting in better performance, lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions.

Peak power from the V6 is 245 hp at 6,200 r.p.m., with a torque rating of 230 lb.-ft. at 3,600 r.p.m.

That's enough to provide 0-to-100 km/h acceleration in the seven-second range — about a second longer than the GS 430, with its 4.3-litre V8.

That engine produces 300 hp at 5,600 r.p.m. and 325 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,400 r.p.m..

Both are coupled with six-speed automatic transmissions with adaptive shift logic and sequential manual-shift features, as well as selectable Normal, Power and Snow modes for varying conditions. Think exceedingly smooth and very quick.

The V6 is available with a real all-wheel-drive system that motivates all the wheels all the time, making this GS 300 model the first Lexus sedan equipped with AWD.

Steady-state torque distribution is split 30/70 front to rear to maintain a rear-wheel-drive feel, but that can shift as far as 50/50 if rear wheelspin looms.

The AWD V6 version is expected to account for about 75 per cent of the GS's 1,000 annual sales in Canada.

There is much more technology to be found beneath the GS's stylish skin, including standard electric power steering and Vehicle Stability Control.

The rear-wheel-drive GS 430 raises the ante on both, with a new, state-of-the-science Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system that combines VSC with Variable Gear Ratio active Steering (VGRS).

The system automatically adds to or detracts from the driver's steering input according to circumstances.

For instance, if the system determines, based on a range of sensor inputs, that the car is turning more than the steering-wheel angle dictates — oversteer — it reduces steering angle.

Though the limits of traction and physics still prevail, the two integrated components of VDIM make the car almost idiot-proof in terms of its dynamics — a point I proved on a watered-down runway at Nanaimo's airport.

With just VSC activated, the GS completed a full-lock, J-turn manoeuvre at 50 km/h with surprising composure, albeit with noticeable front-tire chirping and inherent understeer that pushed it into a broad arc.

With VDIM, that turn circle tightened by at least a third, with no protest from the tires and no indication to the driver that the system had taken control.

Impressive stuff.

The GS 430 also incorporates such goodies as brake-by-wire (electronic brake control) and Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), which continuously adjusts individual damper rates in accordance with changing road surface, vehicle speed and steering and braking inputs.

The driver can manually select either Normal or Sport modes.

In Normal mode, the ride is firm but compliant — near perfect by my assessment. In Sport mode, everything tightens up, including the VDIM's steering ratio and you're ready for serious duty.

For all its enhanced performance, the GS still excels in areas of traditional Lexus strength. It is supremely quiet and refined and wonderfully luxurious.

One feature I particularly appreciated is a pop-down panel, to the left of the steering column, that houses an array of secondary control buttons — power-mirror adjustment, instrument-lamp intensity and the like.

A Lexus exclusive: an ElectroChromatic Device (ECD) on the instrument-cluster lenses, which varies the diffusion characteristics of the lens based on an initial driver-selected setting and variations in ambient light to minimize reflections. Wow.

Every control feels just right, and most are well placed.

But one feature — not exclusive to Lexus — annoys me. While you can access basic audio and climate-control functions with ***** and buttons, you have to scroll through a screen-based menu for more precise adjustments.

That takes time, requires taking your eyes off the road and is complicated by the controls being touch-screen activated. Such complexity is not progress.

Otherwise, there is little fault to find inside the GS. Front-seat room is more than ample, and the extended roofline and a 50 mm stretch in wheelbase make more room in back as well.

All told, the new GS is a well-thought-out and well-executed automobile that addresses most of the shortcomings, real or perceived, of its predecessors.

If only I fit the $175,000 annual-income demographic of its target buyers...

Starting prices: $64,300 for the rear-wheel-drive GS 300; $66,700 for the AWD version; $74,700 for the rear-drive GS 430 (AWD is not offered).

LexFather

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=1

2006 Lexus GS300

1 2
Another step toward perfection. Hold the passion.
BY TONY SWAN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID DEWHURST
April 2005

Chief engineer Shigetoshi Miyoshi invoked the "p" word—"passion"—frequently in his preview presentation for the third-generation Lexus GS series, but after a short day of mountain-road driving around Palm Springs, we're not convinced it's the word that really captures the essence of these new sedans.

How about "sophisticated"? Hard to dispute that as a descriptor. The inventory of electromechanical enhancements—VVT-i, AVS, EPS, VGRS, EBD, TPM, AFS, VDIM—rivals the alphabetical agencies of the Roosevelt administration. These babies—the GS300 and the GS430—are nothing if not trick. Particularly the GS430.

Click Here!

Stylish would also seem to apply. So would smooth, quiet, tasteful, and hedonistic. But even though the GS430 is, according to division manager Denny Clements, "the fastest Lexus ever built," it doesn't seem to be the kind of car we associate with red mist and seeking out the long way home. As luxoid sports sedans go, its message seems more attuned to the cerebrum than to the viscera.

We'll see the GS430 in more detail next month. For this report, we'll cover the GS300, which is offered in rear- and all-wheel drive, a first for a Lexus passenger car, and thus our focus here.

So let's examine what Lexus hath wrought. The last GS makeover was for the 1998 model year, which is ancient in terms of design shelf life today. So it's good that the new GS really is new—new body shell, new styling, new technology, new just about everything, with the exception of the GS430's 4.3-liter V-8, which is shared with the flagship LS430 sedan. The new GS is a slightly bigger car than the previous version, although the biggest dimensional change—a 2.0-inch wheelbase stretch, to 112.2 inches—is hard to see, as is the wider (by 1.2 inches) rear track. The beam has broadened from 70.9 inches to 71.7, and overall length has increased fractionally, from 189.2 to 190.0 inches. The roofline has come up slightly, from 55.9 to 56.1 inches (56.5 for the all-wheel-drive model), and Lexus is attempting to make a virtue of increased front overhang, which allows a "simpler, rounder, and more sculpted profile," according to Miyoshi.

0504_gs300_side.jpgAnother distinct break with this car's Giugiaro-inspired past is a distinctly higher beltline, which, again quoting Miyoshi, "is more stylish, more formal, and conveys a more serious presence." The net result, says Lexus, is "a major departure from the norm," which works—provided your GS isn't parked next to a new Mercedes CLS.

Operating full time, the GS300's all-wheel-drive system features a planetary gearset and a wet, multidisc clutch to couple the primary drive wheels, at the rear, to the front. The standard torque split is 30/70 front to rear, but the syst***s electronic brain can vary that to 50/50, making its judgments on the basis of various driver inputs such as throttle angle and steering angle, plus vehicle data such as wheel speed and yaw rate. An interesting element of the AWD package is that it includes all-season run-flat tires (225/50-17), which Lexus vaguely cites as a weight-saving measure, since it eliminates the spare. Even so, the AWD GS300 outweighs the basic rear-drive version by about 200 pounds. That's not as bad as it sounds, since the standard version, at about 3550 pounds, is claimed to be roughly 100 pounds lighter than the previous GS300.
This improvement is largely attributable to the car's all-new 3.0-liter DOHC 24-valve aluminum V-6, which replaces an iron-block straight-six of identical displacement. With Toyota's VVT-i variable-valve-timing system operating on both cams, plus direct injection, plus a formidable 11.5:1 compression ratio, the new six generates 245 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque, compared with 220 of each for its predecessor. The new V-6 is bolted to an equally new six-speed automatic transmission, featuring manumatic shifting and an electronic brain that does a good job of avoiding excessive hunting, particularly in uphill runs.

A couple other noteworthy features before we hit the road. The comprehensive airbag inventory includes a pair of bags dedicated to knee preservation for the driver and front passenger. There's also a new optional "pre-collision system" that uses adaptive cruise-control radar to evaluate closing speeds and decide whether collision is imminent, in which case it cinches seatbelts and preinitializes the brake system for quicker response. Unusual touches: A small bin flips down from the lower left side of the dash to provide access to infrequently used controls, such as side-mirror adjustments, and the glass covering the instrument cluster varies its transparency to reduce glare.

0504_gs300_controls.jpgNow for a little behind-the-wheel. The new six pulls smoothly and quietly, with more authority than we recall from the previous six. Lexus claims 0 to 60 in 6.9 seconds for the AWD version, which seems reasonable, although at higher altitudes it was clear there wasn't a lot of unused power for tight passing situations. We were impressed with the car's roll stiffness—cornering attitudes were gratifyingly level—as well as the grip delivered by the run-flats (Dunlops, in this case, although other brands are used, too). The electronic power steering in the GS300 and 300 AWD isn't as sophisticated as the setup in the 430, but its responses are more uniform, and path accuracy is acceptable.

All told, the GS300 AWD provides a driving experience that's exactly what we've come to expect from Lexus: creamy, competent, and quiet, augmented by beautiful interior appointments and celestial sound. None of that adds up to passion, at least to us. But for most prospective buyers, that won't matter.
0504_gs300_rim.jpgLexus GS300
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear- or 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
Base price: $43,550-$45,500
Engine type: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 183 cu in, 2994cc
Power (SAE net): 245 bhp @ 6200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 230 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
Wheelbase: 112.2 in
Length/width/height: 190.0/71.7/56.1-56.5 in
Curb weight: 3550-3750 lb
Performance ratings (mfr's est):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.8-6.9 sec
Standing 1/4-mile: 15.4-15.5 sec
Top speed (governor limited): 130-143 mph
Projected fuel economy (mfr's est):
EPA city driving: 21-22 mpg
EPA highway driving: 27-30 mpg

LexFather

Thanks to member RRocket

New review at Canadian Driver.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/roadtest/06gs.htm






www.canadiandriver.com

March 16, 2005

2006 Lexus GS 300
2006 Lexus GS 300. Photo: Bill Petro, Lexus. Click image to enlarge
First Drive:
2006 Lexus GS 300 and GS 430
by Grant Yoxon

Nanaimo, British Columbia - Just outside of the town of Chemainus, famous for its many mural walls, we pulled the 2006 Lexus GS 430 over to the side of the road and my driving partner, Winnipeg Free Press automotive editor Kelly Taylor, slid an Eric Clapton DVD into the Lexus' 14-speaker, 330-watt Mark Levinson audio system.

The Mark Levinson system can play DVD video, DVD audio and DVD-R discs as well as CDs and provides a surround sound listening experience that brings the concert hall onto the road. We sat and watched for a while, enjoying the crisp, clear video as well as the exquisite sound, before shifting the six-speed automatic transmission into drive and continuing on our way.

Videos can only be watched with the car in park and the parking brake engaged. But if you have the time and inclination, the LS 430's navigation screen doubles as a tv monitor. It will also display images to the rear of the car with the optional back-up camera.

A few minutes later we were exercising the GS 430's plentiful muscles on a closed course set up on a runway at Nanaimo airport. This is the quickest Lexus ever, capable of zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 5.7 seconds. Stopping is equally quick. The GS 430's front rotors are a whopping 13.1 inches (332.7 mm) in diameter and employ high-friction pads. As well, the 430's brake system is electronically controlled. The system uses a "stroke simulator" or sensor at the brake pedal to determine the actual brake stroke applied by the driver. The brake system computer then calculates the optimum brake force for each wheel. The result is straight, controlled and incredibly short panic stops.

2006 Lexus GS 300
2006 Lexus GS 300 Photo: Bill Petro, Lexus. Click image to enlarge
This is quite possibly the most technically sophisticated sedan Lexus has ever built, even more technically advanced than the considerably more expensive LS 430. Over the last few years cars in this $60,000 to $80,000 range have become increasingly more sophisticated, more luxurious and more powerful as technology trickles down from the ultra luxury segment. And the new GS 300 and 430 benefit from some of the technology first seen in the LS 430, like the LS's Pre-Collision System (more on this later).

Shigetoshi Miyoshi, Chief Engineer, Lexus GS
Shigetoshi Miyoshi, Chief Engineer, Lexus GS. Photo: Bill Petro, Lexus. Click image to enlarge
With the available technology, developing "the single most complete performance package in the mid-luxury segment" might have been an easy task, but Shigetoshi Miyoshi, Chief Engineer for the development of the Lexus GS sedans, had an even greater challenge. Not only must it be a performance leader, the new GS would be the first Lexus sedan to incorporate Lexus' new design language, termed "L-Finesse".

The L-Finesse philosophy emphasizes three elements: simplicity - in form and function and in uncluttered design; contrast - in look and feel and "in the contrasting emotional states of excitement and relaxation; and dynamism - "in the combination of a vibrant, forceful and vigorous look with thrilling performance."

At first glance, this philosophy may not seem such a great departure from the Lexus of past, which combined conservative, mainstream styling with excellent, if not class leading performance.

2006 Lexus GS 430
2006 Lexus GS 430. Photo: Bill Petro, Lexus. Click image to enlarge
But the 2006 GS is a departure from the past. Simplicity does not mean conservative. The new GS, with its long hood and short rear, fastback-like deck, is striking in its simplicity. The design is simple and unadorned, but the GS does not fade into the automotive landscape. Black grille inserts and sharply defined seams add contrast to the uncluttered exterior panels, but with subtlety.

During our press preview on Vancouver Island we were cautioned that the new GS may not be a radical styling change from the previous model, but it is one step up on a styling ladder that will take each successive model further away from Lexus' reputation for generally conservative styling and further differentiate it from parent Toyota.

Next up is the IS 300 luxury sport sedan, which revealed its new skin earlier this month at the Geneva auto show. Next year the entry level luxury front driver, the ES 330, will get the treatment, as will the ultra-luxury LS sedan.

2006 Lexus GS 430

2006 Lexus GS 430
2006 Lexus GS 430. Photos: Grant Yoxon. Click image to enlarge
Inside the GS, the look is decidedly elegant. Passengers are greeted with a stunning array of creature comforts, soft textures and smooth bird's-eye maple or walnut surfaces. Standard features include a 10-speaker, 134-watt AM/FM cassette audio system with 6-disc in-dash CD player and steering wheel controls, dual zone climate control, leather seating with heated front seats that are 10-way power adjustable, the full array of power accessories, power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, push button start and smart keyless entry. The key never leaves your pocket. The GS features a standard 3-driver and 3-passenger position memory system for the seats, steering column and outside mirrors, and the key fob can be programmed to automatically reset to the driver's preference when any one of the three different key fobs enter the driver's door.

The GS features two hidden compartments - one under the sliding top of the centre console storage box and one to the left of the steering wheel - for buttons and switches that are not used routinely. Compartmentalizing some of the switches helps keep the dash clean and uncluttered.

Rear seat leg room is more than sufficient and more than is found in many other competitors in the sport luxury segment. As expected, the interior is tight and well put together.

Both V6 and V8 models run quiet on the highway, with little wind noise and insulating passengers from the clatter of passing traffic - the better to enjoy the superb audio systems. But Miyoshi-san wanted to design a car "that would allow drivers to feel like they were behind the wheel of a premium autobahn cruiser."

One need only press the accelerator.

L-Finesse may be Lexus-lingo for exquisitely refined and dynamically forceful, but in street rodder terms, the GS is a sleeper.

The GS is available with two engines. An all new three-litre, 24-valve V6, producing 245 hp and 230 lb.-ft. of torque is the standard engine. This engine uses direct-to-cylinder fuel injection, which enables better-controlled fuel injection timing and a higher volume of air for cylinder charging. Zero to 96 km/h times (60 mph) are estimated to be 6.8 seconds.

2006 Lexus GS 430
2006 Lexus GS 430. Photos: Grant Yoxon. Click image to enlarge
The V8 is a carry-over from the previous generation, with a few refinements. Displacing 4.3 litres and producing 300 hp, the GS 430 will accelerate to 96 km/h in only 5.7 seconds. It is the quickest Lexus ever and about equal to the BMW's autobahn cruiser, the 545i, in the zero to 100km/h sprint.

The GS 300 is available with rear wheel drive and, for the first time, all-wheel-drive. The AWD system incorporates both a front and rear differential and a centre transfer case. The transfer case utilizes a planetary gear set and a "centre differential control limiting clutch." It is an electronic system. Based on input from wheel speed sensors, a computer ads or reduces pressure on the clutch pack, allowing torque to be split and transferred to the front or rear axles. During start-off acceleration and slippery conditions, the torque is split 50/50 front and rear. Under normal conditions or when the car's vehicle stability control system (VSC) intervenes, the torque split may vary up to 30/70, front to rear. Electronic traction control further enhances 4-wheel traction.

VSC enhances cornering stability by sensing and correcting oversteer and understeer situations. The VSC system works in conjunction with the anti-lock brakes and traction control system to decrease engine output and apply the brakes to the front and rear wheels to correct the unstable condition.

2006 Lexus GS 430
CanadianDriver contributor Jeremy Cato (driving) and CanadianDriver editor Greg Wilson test the GS 430's VDIM.

2006 Lexus GS 430
Testing the braking stability of the 2006 Lexus GS 430. Photo: Bill Petro, Lexus. Click image to enlarge
The GS 430, available only in rear wheel drive, gets some additional activity safety technology - vehicle dynamics integrated management or VDIM. The details of this system are best left to another article, but essentially it uses electronic sensors to anticipate that a skid is likely and invokes electronic braking, electronic steering and engine output management to correct the situation before it happens rather than after it happens. The system is completely non-intrusive and actually enhances the driving experience. Corrections are made without the driver even knowing it.

To test the VSC, VDIM and AWD systems, we drove each vehicle (GS 300 with rear wheel drive and VSC, GS 300 with all-wheel-drive and VSC and a GS 430 with VDIM) at 70 km/h onto a water soaked runway at Nanaimo airport and purposefully attempted a 180 degree u-turn. All three vehicles turned in and slowed to a stop, but the arc of the turn was narrower for the VDIM-equipped 430 than either of the 300s, while the rear-wheel-drive 300 turned with the widest arc.

The GS suspension is fully independent with double wishbone design up front and a multi-link design in back. The GS 430 also receives adaptive variable suspension with sport and normal modes. Summer tires are standard - P225/50 R17 on the GS 300 and P245/40 R18 on the GS 430. Owners will need to switch to snow tires during winter. Using two sets of tires rather than all-season tires means no compromises at any time of the year. All three GS models have a tire pressure monitoring system.

Standard safety features on all models includes dual stage driver and front passenger airbags, front seat mounted side airbags, front knee airbags, and front and rear side curtain airbags. Optionally available on the GS 430 is Lexus' pre-collision avoidance system which first appeared in the LS 430. The system uses a millimeter-wave radar sensor to detect possible objects ahead. Sensors then determine whether a crash is imminent and the system places the brake assist in stand-by mode, the seatbelts are retracted and the adaptive variable suspension sets the shock absorbers to suppress nose dive that occurs during braking. By preparing the vehicle and the passengers for a crash, lives can be saved.

2006 Lexus GS 430
2006 Lexus GS 430. Photos: Grant Yoxon. Click image to enlarge
The Lexus GS 300 starts at $64,300 with rear-wheel-drive and $66,700 with all-wheel-drive. Option packages include a Touring Package, which adds the Mark Levinson audio system, power rear sunshade, rear spoiler, intuitive park assist, ventilated front seats, rear seat airbags and rain sensing wipers. A navigation package includes wood steering wheel, navigation system and rear backup monitor.

The Lexus GS 430 starts at $74,700. The Touring and navigation system packages are the same as with the GS 300 with the addition of the pre-collision system which is part of the GS 430's navigation package.

2006 Lexus GS 430
2006 Lexus GS 430. Photos: Grant Yoxon. Click image to enlarge
Since its inception in 1989, it is clear that Toyota intended Lexus to seriously challenge the German brands - Audi, Mercedes-Benz and most importantly BMW. But despite a solid reputation for quality and reliability, Lexus has not yet overcome the perception that, yes, Lexus builds a fine sedan, but not the ultimate sedan, the consensus being that the BMW 5-series, despite the controversy over its styling, is still the benchmark in the mid-luxury class.

Miyoshi-san made several veiled references to BMW in his remarks to journalists. "L-Finesse", he said is "a direct response" to what Lexus' styling experts saw as a "troubling design trend towards surface complexity and exaggeration of form, most apparent in the premium and luxury brand segments." He also referred to the GS as a "premium luxury autobahn cruiser" and jokingly referred to his design team's head technician for dynamic evaluation as "the meister."

The 2006 Lexus GS is not a 5-series BMW. For Miyoshi-san and Lexus, imitation would not be sufficient. Building "the single most complete performance package in the mid-luxury segment" meant taking their own road - in a different styling direction and a different route to performance.

Look next year for an even hotter gas-electric hybrid version of the GS.

The 'ultimate driving machine' has an appeal to enthusiasts that is hard to resist. But the Lexus GS may appeal more to buyers who do not need to be first, just fast, who want the ultimate in luxury and technology, and who have no misconceptions about their driving ability.

LexFather

Thanks Jrock. Adobe will be needed to view.

LexFather

Thanks to CL member Ferix!

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Test drive: 2006 Lexus GS430

from Colin Hefferon
Could this be the Japanese car that beats the Germans at their own game?

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Lexus' sporty rear drive GS, introduced in 1999, has been totally re-thought for 2006. Far better looking now, the new GS also now has all the performance hardware it needs to run with the big German dogs. The 2006 GS 430 with a muscular 4.3L V-8 under its comely hood showcases Lexus' impressive engineering and build prowess. A no-less-impressive GS 300 with a new direct injection V-6 and AWD is also available. MSRP: $51,125; Warranty: 4/50,000.

First Glance
Lexus chose to introduce the 2006 GS at the plush Aerie Resort, Conde-Nast's 2002 resort of the year located near Nanaimo, British Columbia. With unusual (for February) sunny, spring-like weather, the Aerie offered an ideal setting to experience these luxurious and very sporty sedans. We had an opportunity to drive the V-6 powered GS 300 in rear- and all-wheel-drive forms, as well as the rear-drive V-8 powered GS 430. The GS shows off the new corporate design philosophy, which Lexus calls "L-Finesse". Future Lexus passenger car models will embody L-Finesse design elements. Shigetoshi Miyoshi (chief engineer for both the GS and the SC430 coupe) told us L-Finesse suggests "performance, refinement and luxury". It also signals the giant Japanese carmaker's determination to be a major player in the global sports luxury car market. Although recognizable as the progenitor of the original GS, the in-house designed 2006 is (by consensus of those journalists at the Aerie) far better looking than Giugiaro's original 1999 design. While it is actually a bit larger than the original GS, the new 2006 version looks much more buff.

In the Driver's Seat
2006 Lexus GS430 interior
2006 Lexus GS430: The stereo is great, but the soundtrack from the engine is better
© Lexus
The GS experience begins as you approach the driver's door with the ignition key in your pocket. You're immediately recognized by the car's electronic brain and authorized to enter. A light under the side view mirror illumines the ground under your feet. Touch the door and the latch pops up; as you open the door a light under the dash illumines the driver's side floor. And as you close the door, the ignition button lights up. With your foot on the brake and with the key still in your pocket, you touch the ignition button once and the 4.3L V-8 comes to life. A subtle rumble from the twin exhausts is felt rather than heard. The whole experience is just so... so... well, let's just say I could get used to it very easily. The base sound system will just knock your socks off; I think the optional Mark Levinson installation is overkill. So save your money. Standard ten-way power driver and passenger seats allow anyone of any proportion to get comfy. The large truck holds a lot of stuff and there's also pass-through to the rear seats for extra long cargo. The rear seats have ample legroom but the cushions are set too low to allow back-seat passengers a good view of the passing scenery. Entry to the rear seats is a bit tight as well.

On the Road
Anticipating extra vigilance on the part of the island constabulary, Lexus wisely secured an unused taxiway at Nanaimo's municipal airport to showcase the GS' dynamic abilities. I'm glad they did; I was able to push the GS well beyond what prudence would dictate and it allowed us to do so without fear of running into any of the local wildlife (not to mention cars or, in this case, parked airplanes... try explaining that one to the insurance adjuster). The most obvious advantage the GS 430 has over its direct competitors is its advanced stability control system (VDIM - Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management). VDIM takes Lexus' already excellent VSE automatic stability control system, which uses individual wheel brakes and the throttle to control fishtailing, to another level. By integrating steering control along with brakes and throttle, VDIM makes VSE feel almost primitive by comparison. It allows the driver to maintain complete control under the most extreme conditions. The net effect was to make me look like a far better driver than I actually am. I was able to snake through a greasy slalom course at speeds that caused the VDIM-less GS 300 AWD, which we were using for comparison, to stumble.

Journey's End
2005 Lexus GS430 rear view
2006 Lexus GS430: Poised to give BMW, Mercedes and Audi a run for their money
© Lexus
Potential buyers of the GS 430 will need deep pockets. Target market is the 40-something with a household income north of $150K -- no doubt the same people who, unlike me, can actually afford to stay at the Aerie Resort. But this is where the going gets tough for Lexus: This is exactly the same buyer that the German luxury car companies have drawn a bead on. So why would this unnamed high roller buy a GS 430 instead of a BMW 545i, Mercedes E500 or Audi A6 4.2? The GS will be far less common in fancy-restaurant parking lots, at least for a while. Another unique point is VDIM, which represents a revolution in electronically-assisted active safety and performance handling. According to GS chief engineer Miyoshi-san, VDIM also has another more subtle purpose: It is intended to help establish Autobahn credibility for the entire GS line. Which it should do because the GS 430 is also a very, very fast automobile. Lexus promises zero to 60 mph times in the 5.7 second range, though top speed will likely be limited to 155 mph as per the gentleman's agreement among the German car companies. When in Rome... or in this case, when in Stuttgart.