I was watching Motorweek and noticed that they said the LS460 is going to be 380HP. I guess the GS460 is getting the same engine so that is good news. At last Lexus are getting in the HP war against Infiniti, BMW and MB. I just hope they have an OFF switch for the VDIM system.

 

U do realize Lexus STARTED this HP mess, with the GS 400 back in 1998. It was the most powerful in class, and the fastest accelerating auto matic sedan til the AMG and R Jag came.

Even with less HP, the GS 430 is pretty much on par with the fastest in class, only a tick or 2 behind.

Lexus said "around" 380hp, with the GS being the performer and it has always had more power than the LS, my prediction of 400hp may come true

 

Discussed here as well
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...&highlight=460

 

[QUOTE=1SICKLEX]U do realize Lexus STARTED this HP mess, with the GS 400 back in 1998. It was the most powerful in class, and the fastest accelerating auto matic sedan til the AMG and R Jag came.


Lexus started the HP race. Now thats funny.

 

I know it's hard to believe, but IT IS TRUE. Do you remember when the second generation GS debuted with the V8, the ad went something like this... "Something wicked this way come, the fastest automatic sedan in the world."

Shortly after, the European manufacturers responded with a slew of new and more powerful V8 sedans.

 

I was just taking about this the other day.. They really should have increased the HP for the 06 GS 430.. I meant the they changed the body but why not the HP.. It should have been 380HP for this year...

Tony

 

yeah very true. back in 98 with the gs400 coming out, it WAS "the fastest sedan in the world", believe it or not.

i agree lexus has been a bit behind after that, but seems like they are catching up again

and tmf2004, i will continue to say. i think the new gs rolled out too fast, they want the new car out but the new engine can't come out for whatever reasons. could be design not done, or more likely coz' they want the new engine to go in the ls460 first.

that's why before the gs430 came out, i said it doesn't make sense to me to get the current gs430 with the same old engine (basically from 01).

the new gs460, that's going to be very interesting

 

my official GS460 HP estimate is 390

 

You will need to get one if you hit the target

 

I will be all over one if it has 400hp. not to mention I believe it will have the 8 speed tranny!

 

[QUOTE=GS430X6]Lexus started it. They just didn't finish it

 

The 1995 E34 BMW M5 had 300 hp
The 1990 Mercedes 500E had 326 hp

I agree that the "Something Wicked this Way Comes" marketing for the Lexus in 98 was clever and left an impression that lasted until I bought my 2001 GS430 earlier this year, but to say that Lexus started the sport sedan trend is a little short sighted.

 

Using those two cars as your comparison to the GS400 is not fair in the sense that the BMW and Merc are the massaged versions of their regular siblings.

On the other hand, those are sedans too like the GS400, so I wonder if it is accurate to say the GS400 was the fastest sedan in it's class.........? Well for non-performance massaged cars (unlike the M5 and Merc), yes it was.

 

Agreed. A little unfair to compare. I interpreted what Omega was saying as Lexus started the "300+ sport sedan" concept and I disagree with that. The accessibility of the GS was far greater than the M5 or the 500E.

 

I am aware of sedans before the GS with over 300hp. These were all very low volume and not well known cars. They also didn't start any HP wars.

Lexus was known up until 1998 as a staid, quiet company for luxury. The GS 400 changed this perception with its 32v 300hp V-8 with VVTi with a 5 speed auto and e-shift. It followed the E and 5 as import car of the year. It won or placed 2nd in every comparison. It was the fastest in class.

The Germans did not take this lightly at all, as they knew they would never be as reliable as a Lexus but they sure could make their cars more powerful.
Next thing that happened.
Jag XJ-R 390hp, 0-60 in mid to low 5s
E55 349hp, 0-60 in low 5s
M5, 400hp, 0-60 in high 4s

Then Benz went nuts (in a good way) with AMG, their sedans are simply some of the most poweful cars on the planet.
RS6, 450hp , 0-60 in high 4s
Jag S-type R, 390hp, 0-60 in low 5s

Lexus didn't and cannot compete with those limited production high output cars then, regular production
E500 302hp
E60 545, 325hp (the E39 had 282)
Infiniti M45 (old)340hp
Audi 4.2 V-8 340hp


The GS was the first regular production sedan in the midsize luxury segment with 300hp, as an automatic.

Since then, the Germans and even Jag and Nissan have replied in kind with more power.

Back in 1998, 0-60 in 5.7 sec in an automatic sedan was pretty much unheard of!