I really enjoyed the grip and control of the GS300 AWD. We got in a rear wheel drive this afternoon and it felt lighter than the GS430 we received yesterday. Our parent co. owns Rockville Porsche-Audi and they used to be next door to us. The only problem I had with the Audi Quattro was that it used a lot of torque and affected performance. They started putting bigger and more powerful engines in and solved that issue. Reliability is still a thorn in their side. We don't really get a lot of snow in this region (Washington, DC) but we do get a lot of freezing rain and so called "black ice'". People will just abandon their cars and get 'em back later. People feel more secure with AWD. Now they will have a Lexus AWD sport sedan. When the IS250 comes out they will have another. Add this to the RX330 which sold about 106,000 units last year and your talkin' a lot of cars. Lexus will add a crossover AWD sport wagon someday. The future looks bright for AWD's.

 

Good points Rockville. We haven't even talked about how this affects weight distribution.

 

After driving the AWD version of the new GS, I noticed that the driver's footwell is tight. The AWD system encroaches on the floorboard on the driver's side, not a huge deal, but definately noticeable.

Anyone else see this?

 

That's your drivetrain bulge and it has been mentioned before but good detail to point out.

 

What it comes down to is that due to several factors, you are better off with an RWD car than AWD car. RWD is faster in corners, feels a bit more natural, lighter and has more hp.

Unless you have adverse winter conditions, you are better off with RWD.

Autobild (biggest european car magazine) has tested FWD and AWD Audi A4 3.0. Now keep in mind that FWD is the worst option performance wise. Yet, FWD version has been better off in most of the tests - even on the track - even wet rain test on the track! It only got worse on snow covered road and from starting acceleration (since it is FWD, with RWD you will be comparable to AWD).

So if it is speed, handling, mpg or feel that matter to you, and you dont have more than few days of snow, then all you need is RWD.

And today's RWD cars are pretty nice in light snow and ice due to all of the extra gizmo's that will help you handle the car. Of course, snow tires are needed!

AWD is pretty nice option but it wont make an snow truck out of your GS. Unless you are planning to add some supercharger to that engine, you probably dont need it :-)

 

The tradition of a true performance car being RWD has been altered by advancements in power application and stabilization. I remember when one of the auto writers went to Germany to test the AWD 911 Turbo he drove it around the track and his time was only about a second less than the Professional drivers. The sophisticated AWD and stability control made an otherwise difficult to manage street race car intelligent enough for the common man. Some years earlier a respected Indy driver totalled a much earlier technology 959 after only 15 minutes on the autobahn. These situations support Spywolf's enthusiast view. The new VDIM system is very impressive on film when you see a Lexus RX400h (AWD) driven through a slalom course in about 3 or 4 inches of snow. The conventional RX with VSC drives the slalom in much wider archs like a novice skier. The RX400h takes the course like a world cup racer in a much straighter and shorter line and of course faster. Since this system may save many lives it may be the only justification needed to spend $5,000 more on the hybrid. This same system now comes on the GS430. As soon as we begin test driving our 430 and it is raining I will take it to an empty lot and try sudden avoidance and middle of turn death spirals. The brakes on the GS430 are massive. I think the engineers had some magazine test in mind and went for overkill in the brake dept. Don't forget to wear your safety harness folks! This car should come with a helmet too. The V6 seems to be about 60 degrees and you get a bulge at the driver right leg for the AWD. I have been wondering why the V8 couldn't be produced with the AWD? The 4.3 is a 90 degree but I'm not sure if clearance is an issue. Audi makes a nice V8 4.2 AWD. Since AWD soaks up the torque it is usually not as snappy on the throttle. I haven't driven the RWD GS300 much so that will help me see if it is sportier. The 0-60 times are only a tenth of a second different.
My customers vary greatly but I think the AWD will have two main benefits. It will instill confidence in the wet weather for the average driver. It will help them climb up their driveways when it snows. Very few of my customers will go to the trouble of having snow specific tires in our region. You can take an IS300 and put some Blizzaks or Hakepelittas on it and it will take the snow slalom better than the 325X ! This test was actually done be AMCI. All you snowbelt drivers out there remember Wolf's advice. Taller and narrower snow specific tires make Winter driving a sport of its own.

 

Does anyone know if the GS AWD system automatically varies power between the front/rear wheels like the M's ATESSA AWD?

 

The GS300 center diff is a Limited slip type but is able to go from it regular 40% front 60% rear to 50/50 or 30/70. Now the left right is handled by the VSC really and can find the wheel getting power very quickly. It makes an expert out of average driver on slippery patches.