Why did lexus make the GS 430 if it isnt really any diffferent from the GS4 yes it has a 4.3 V8 engine and has more torque but performes the same as the GS4 off the line they both have the same 0-60 why did they spend the money if it didnt make it better/faster? just wondering

 

Because the E420 turned into the E430 etc....

They upped the displacement to compete with nothing more than the competition.

 

I would guess so they could retire the 4L and use the new 4.3L they had from the LS430.

 

i agree..its all about image...and numbers.

 

I believe the new 3UZ engine is also a ULEV vs a LEV (GS400), which is more environment friendly, right? I seem to recall that tightening emissions standards played a part in the need for the release of the new motor.

Edit - some interesting reading I found googling on this topic
http://www.toyota.com/about/environm...02envrep-3.pdf

 

lexus is upgrading the engine from ls/gs/sc400 to ls/gs/sc 430. same with the es/rx300 to es/rx330. now they are working to upgrade the lx470 to vx550. also to match displacement of competing brand like mercedez.430's

 

If I recall correctly, issues with ULEV compliance also were responsible for the elimination of e-Shift on the 430 model (vs. the 400).

 

Yep...that is correct...they removed e-shift to comply with emissions (ULEV). Can't wait for the GS500

 

As Dave stated, it's a cleaner engine, also why no e-shift.. 2, Lexus needed to up the displacement for the LS 430 and SC 430, both introduced in 2001. Since the GS shares the same engine, it went to 430 as well. Other odd facts:
The BMW 540 is actually the 544, it's a 4.4 liter engine.
The previous gen Q45 should have been a Q41, since displacement shrunk from 4.5 to 4.1 liters.

With the Hybrids coming, I am not sure what the new cars will be called. Rumor is the hybrid RX will be called the RX 400H.

GS 330
GS 430
GS 500H?

 

i also remember reading where is was just the same power but better on gas and the enviornment..

 

Chiming in, a couple of reasons:

1. Like everyone else, lower emissions and larger perceived power w/ "430" vs. "400" emblem
2. Higher torque rating (it's available at a lower RPM), but same HP rating--for better around town driving (but the freeway mileage dropped from 24 mpg in GS400 to 23 mpg in GS430)

 

Everyone is right about ULEV - I read in some report when they were coming out with the 430 Motor..
(I wish I had saved it now)... Anyways the article was discussing ULEV and how certain companies like Honda and Nissan and how "Lexus" is handling this issue.. From what I remember from the article was that they first tried putting ULEV on our 4.0 L motor and it reduced the horespower down to 287! yeah that sucks.. So Lexus engineers came up with a new engine..The 4.3 was born... And it was easily able to produce 300 HP like before -it could have made 325 HP..but Lexus still choose to play it "Safe" with its modest 300 HP, the torque went up to 325 , so they were satisfied with the bump.. And Deleting E-Shift.. the article was stating E-shift didn't have much to do with ULEV. I was wondering why its gone?!?!?!
I read further and towards the end of the article - it says ""They did a survey and most people that have E-Shift on their cars did not use it much(thanks to the older crowd)- and most people that own GS300 (younger crowd) wanted the E-Shift.. So they switch- to increase sales.. Since the Gs430 was now more powerful and refined that E-shift was not needed in this model."" -- Most of the older people who own the GS400 with E-shift don't even know its there!

So thats how I remember that article.. Anyone else read this also?
Correct me if I'm wrong but thats what I remember from reading the article 3 years ago..

 

I'll be honest, I don' t know how the heck I will ever drive an automatic car without e-shift. I want to change my gears on the steering wheel, not on the shifter. If I want to change the gears on the shifter, I will buy another manual car.

 

i'm 57 years old and prefer to use the e-shift all the time . it gives me so much more control over what gear its in. i hate gated shifters on all cars. of course a 5 -speed stick would be even better.

 

Hello,
I am 51, and I use E-shift, so I odn't think us "old guys" can be blamed for the E shift deletion. The fact that the earlier units had E shift..PLUS NO SHIFT BY WIRE, and it was a no brainer to et the 1999-2000. I know that the newer cars have bigger engines, but I don't feel they are any faster. Seems to me that the 430 weighs more, too.

I love my 99, and would not trade it for a 430 for the reasons I just listed.

Thaks again!
GSEREP1