I meet up VVTi at Hennessy Lexus of Gwinnet on Saturday to hang with for a second. Another CL/SELOC member and moderator, Legendary is there as well (mini-meet I guess). So you got 3 moderators together ready to cause havok
We talk about the influx of fanboys here recently, how we can better modearte and decide we need something to take our minds of things(lol).
Enter, VVTIs' brand new 2006 GS 430
Now for most buyers in this segment and even for those that respect these cars and cannot buy (i.e poster cars), they have to look the part. Well the 3GS does look the part. It looks expensive and its very detailed (check out the chrome strip on the bottom of the doors). It looks like nothing else, with the unusual quad headlamps up front and sweeping chrome to the short rear deck (which is not my favorite part). The rear lights owe some inspiration to the 1GS. This is "L-finesse" and in person, it speaks volumes. "God is in the details". Lexus has does a GREAT job of making the GS evolve from 1GS to 2GS to 3GS (GS lineage is here with pics
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/car-chat/151413-gs-lineage-from-italdesign-concept-to-3rd-gen-inside-and-out-with-pics.html). SImilar to how you can see BMWs and Benzs evolve from generation to generation. The luxury car market does not like it when luxury cars just jump around from design to design from one generation to the next, it kills re-sale and destroys a cars "panache" and its precense to the general public.
Its clean and VVTi says "lets go for a spin, wanna drive Mike?
Who me?
VVTi explains putting the fob in my pocket and just walk up to the car to open the door. I oblige (keys are so 1990s)
.
"Mike, press on the brake pedal and start the car". I sure will. Grrrrm, a nice small grown on startup. Now I am ^6"5, 225 (i lost 5 lbs ya'll
) and the GS fits me like a glove. Its very coupe-like to me which I like (like the 2GS) but some may want more room. VVTi is in the back, Legendary is riding shotgun.
Ohh, btw, RONIN is on the DVD player. So what a movie to JUMP OFF WITH! And its the scene where Robert DeNeiro and company are getting away in the S8, driving the snot outta it (get the move, its like $10 in most stores). Oh, btw, as VVTi explained, he figured out how to work the DVD while the car is in drive. So
to us.
Now I love my ES 300. And I love all ES 300s. But for those that have owned a 30-40k car and a 40-50k car, there is a difference in build quality,from the closing of the doors to the seats. So for those wondering "how can a car cost 50-60k" and "is it worth it" it depends. You can get around in a Honda Civic with no issues ever. You can "arrive" in your new GS 430, dripping in excess, excess, excess, that luxury car buyers demand.
His GS 430 is loaded except Crash Avoidance (I may need that for my GS
). I move the seat back and the headrest goes up as well. I move the steering wheel, the blackwood steering wheel solid in my hands. The gauges are lit as I turned on the HIDs. They are very bright in the daylight (beautiful day) so no washout. The dash speaks harmony, simple and easy to use. The blackwood is wonderful and like all and every Lexus, 100% real. You sit and feel "at home". Nothing confusing here or distracting.
BTW, Legendary and VVTi buckleup and VVti gives me the go-ahead to basically drive his car like an escaped convict.
The car is in sport and I hit the PWR button. VVTi informs me to use the "S" so I can sift for myself 1-6 gears. Now I still prefer the fact, e-shirt is on the steering wheel but this se-tup allows me to engage 1st gear, which e-shift does not. I turn right and put it in 1 and hit it, there is a slight delay (probably b/c VVTi is babying his car and I am about to beat it like a "grandwizard" at the Million man March, i.e the computer is not adjusted to the aggresive driving yet) and then WHAM, the big 4.3 300hp, 325lbs hits you full force, I redline and enter 2nd gear and I look down and am doing 65 in a 45 zone before I can count to 6 (so for those complaining about lack of speed, do yourself a favor and buy a F-16 fighter). I hit the brakes as I am about to enter "dealers row", basically a nice curvy road by the dealerships.
Now forgive me, but the speed limit is 35mph but I going to be doing twice as much here.
I enter curve one and the first thing I notice is the car is pretty flat and most importantly, the STEERING is with me. This is something I felt the 2GS lacked, even with my L-tuned ECU for steering. Both have what sport sedans BETTER HAVE, 3-spoke steering wheels, and the wood is not an issue with my sweaty palms (if you do track it, get some leather drivers gloves, IMO). The 3GS is as flat as our (VVTi and I had similar upgrades on the 2GS) 2GS with TRD sways. This is impressive. I use the gears 1-3 most of the time with no issues, there is power INSTANTLY whatever RPM range I am in (thanks to 325lbs torque avail very low in the range).
I am talking to Legendary and VVTi as I drive aggresively, the GS feels confident with it. I then switch OFF the Sport to see if I can feel the difference. " I can feel it, the GS is more plush" is what Legendary says. I agree, it now feels more LS 430 than GS 430. So the sport mode is not a gimmick but very effective. For those that want a nice, smooth freeway ride, you can take off sport for a wonderful ride, even on the big 245/40/18 tires (true low profile).
I come to a stop sign. I hit it at the stop sign and get to about 60mph, then SLAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, I hit the brakes. The car stops on a dime. Very impressed. Funny but the 2GS had some of the shortest braking distances of ANY car but they did not feel as confident as these bigger 4-caliper brakes did (the 2GS has 2 caliper). I have pics, the brakes are pretty large. I turn right and turnourd in the neighborhood. Why do I mention that, well the camera is on and I can see behind me with the NAV screen. I am a "newbie" to this and prefer to look back for myself. Rear visability is okay, nothing great as the car has thick C-pillars like the 2GS.
We take the same road back in sport and the GS really is a confident vehicle. What is amazing, is Lexus has figured out how to minimize vibrations to you. SO I think this is what leads people to say its not "sporty". Well it is, it handles great but you do not feel the road as you would in some other cars. Well if I want to feel the road, I'lll stick my foot and and push like Fred Flinstone. So the GS is ultra smooth, like some Grand Marnier at your favorite "joint" after a hard days work, with a beautiful woman you respect on the side. That is how the GS makes you feel. At ease and confident, I've been here before.
I never took off the traction control to respect VVTis tires as I would have smoked them all over and you would have read about a high speed chase in Atlanta. Also 18" tires= expensive, so be prepared for that.
We make it to the light to turn left and see 2 guys, windows down in a 2002 Maxima SE. Their jaws hit the ground when they saw the GS 430 coming, Legendary and VVTi and I smiled as we passed buy, they're heads turn and I give them something to remember, punching the car and a nice throaty growl enters the cabin. This is the scary part as I hit 85mph in a 45 zone with no problem and almost no cabin noise. This car has more than enough power just like the 2GS 400 unless you go to the track and race. Amazingly, more power is coming in a couple years and its hard to think how you could have so much power on tap and not be able to use it 99% of the time unless you want speeding tickets. I hope they also continue to refine and add features to the car.
We park and we let the ML system have it. I think volume goes to 60 looking at the NAV screen. And still crystal clear. You have to hear this sysemt to believe it. The last GS, the ML was ADDED (hence the dashboard bump speaker) to the car, with the 3GS, ML had input from the beginning on speaker placement
We get out the car and are all smiling. VVTi explains just walk away and the doors lock. If I want to enter, I can push the button (the black ones on all 4 handles) on each handle.
Now I've driven tons of different cars so how does it compare? Well I take the new GS as being the next logical step to the 2GS. The 3GS feels and drives how many of us modded our 2GS. This car also feels better built and has added technology. With really NO price increase. The outgoing GS 430 was near 50k to start. The new one is 51k to start, with new tech and new looks.
The perfect example of Lexus and execution. Lexus hid many buttons to controls rarely or less used with a drop down panel. . I never had to open and use these buttons for my drive. I never thought about them. Less is more.
Big thanks to VVTi for letting me drive his car like a lunatic! Everyone in the car wanted to give CL members a review of driving the car harder than normal.
1SICKREVIEW!! Driving VVTis GS 430 with Legendary riding shotgun! (pics)
I guess I gotta go test one out for myself.
PICTURES HERE
Hybrid Mode
