UTGS400

a review of the 06 GS300. Its not the best article in the world, but worth the read if you love cars as much as I do.

Oh, btw, they said next months issue will have a review of the new GS430.

Sandman

Please tell us more. What was said? What did they like and what didn't they like?

doug_999

It was a Preview article. It was titled "Another step toward perfection. Hold the passion." That sort of sums it up. Along with the following quotes...
"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."

and
"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.”


I hoping that they have the full GS430/A6/STS/545/M45 comparo in the next issue. Please o please!

LexFather

Thanks, that sounds like Car and Driver.

Threxx

I hate when they have those generic preview articles. I get all excited only to find out that they didn't go into any detail. I could almost write an article as generic as that after spending a whopping 10 minutes of a test drive with one. I wanna know the FULL specs. I'd also be very interested in seeing the 5-way comparison article. I'd really love it if they include sound measurements as well as quantitative ride quality measurements (although I think I've only seen motortrend do that)

Sandman

Thanks for the info. I too would like to see the comparo. The new GS is such an improvement over the Gen 2 - and I'm anticipating that the car will do fairly well against the competition in all major categories. I guess I should get used to the fact that the major mags are looking for raw performance over luxury - and therefore there is always a dismissive component to their perception of Lexus. If you compensate for their bias I guess what they said was good. I'm pleased with my purchase of the GS regardless of what they say, but I do like to know the numbers. It shows how much good engineering went into the car without sacrificing the luxury and refinement.

Gojirra99

That's why there is usually not much correlation between winning the most in car magazines comparison tests & the degree of success in sales for a car model. If winning the most comparisons in these car magazines have a big impact on sales, then the 5 series or maybe even the Audi should have outsold the E class for the past 10 - 15 years, which clearly isn't the case. The average car buyer is much more interested in the overall package (including brand prestige)than how well the cars handle & perform at the limits.

flipside909

Yeah i'm not a fan of this latest issue of C/D, they bashed the 05 4Runner in an SUV comparo.

spwolf

haha... funny... well after 4Runner won pretty much every comparo it was in (very recent MT or RT as well), it was time for someone to put it down - Toyota cant have all the fun!

Problem with most "previews", especially in bigger mags is that they were written 3-4 months ago, and mostly either w/o driving or with short drive of the car... which is why some previews make you wonder if they actually ever sat in the car :-)

Rockville

In the short time that I've spent on this forum I've seen information that is light years ahead of what any enthusiast magazine hack can provide. There is a symbiotic relationship between most magazines and their advertising from the manufacturers. So if they pan a car then there goes that account....The delay between the article's origin and the newstand is 2-3 months as SPWolf pointed out. The delay on CL might be 2-3 hours or even seconds really. Club Lexus has an enormous review staff compared to the magazines. Heck CL even has it covered in Switzerland and Guam. The bottom line is what Sandman said about his own satisfaction with his choice and purchase. The magazines opinions are subjective and vary greatly. Here on CL we have our own subjectivity and it is very passionate. This passionate engagement and the variety of experience is what makes Club Lexus so cutting edge. The rest is just pulp.....

doug_999

? I think the 3 series continually sells near the top of the pack and the E39 5-series outsold the E-Class as well. I actually do think there is a lot of correllation between the rankings and sales. Maybe it doesn't always equate to class leading sales (A4) but still it helps.

I'm assuming you are just kidding around right? Just because a certain mag doesn't like a product from a company that you love should not turn you against them.

Gojirra99

No, the E class outsold anything else in it's class in most parts of the world including the USA, it's MB's bread & butter car.

I am not talking about the segment of the 3 series, they're smaller cars aiming at younger demographics which cares more about performance & handling. On the other hand, many midsize luxury cars are used as family cars & the buyers are more mature & practical minded in general.

There may be some correlation between rankings and sales for those people who read those magazines & treat their rankings seriously as a guide to choose cars (i.e the so-called enthusiasts). But they are a very small minority compared to the entire car buying population, hence the overall correlation is very small.

jrock65

The 5 did outsell the E last month. First time that that's happened in a while. It could be a sign that the GS is taking more sales away from the E than the 5.

Gojirra99

That's only one month, besides the new E350 is coming out, E class buyers maybe waiting for that. We'll see what happens in the following months

flipside909

This is really for another thread but C/D has usually been anti Toyota with comparisons historically. The only positive recent review was for the LS430, but if you look at past comparisons of other vehicles/platforms, Toyota was always placed mid pack or last, contrary to what MT, R&T, Automobile, and etc reported.