Time is up for Lexus to pull the wraps off the third-generation GS luxury sedan that made its first outing today at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California.
Based on the LF-Gh concept we saw in New York, the new GS features much bolder lines that its predecessor. Key highlights include a prominent trapezoidal grille that the company says will be a trademark of all future models, deep-set headlamps with L-shaped LED daytime running lights and an aerodynamic body that brings to mind the smaller IS.
Lexus' Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class challenger is underpinned by a revised platform that is more rigid thanks to the increased number of spot welds as well as laser welds in specific locations.
The engineers also redesigned the suspension, which features aluminum upper, and lower control arms for reduced unsprung weight and an updated rear subframe that supports a new multilink suspension.
The mid-size sedan also features wider tracks (+40 mm up front and +50 mm at the rear) and different shock absorbers with lighter-viscosity oil, allowing for faster response to small driver inputs. Braking is taken care of ventilated discs all around with four-piston calipers up front.
In Europe, Lexus will offer the entry level GS 250 (we presume equipped with the IS's 2.5-liter V6 as the company did not reveal any specific details) and a GS 450h full-hybrid version, whereas in the US the line-up will include the GS 350 and the GS 450h.
The North American market GS 350 is motivated by a 3.5-liter V6 generating 306-horsepower and 277-pound-feet of torque, enough to propel the premium sedan from 0 to 60mph (96km/h) in 5.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 142mph (228 km/h). Acceleration from 30 to 50 mph takes 3.0 seconds. The V6 engine is linked to a six-speed sequential shift automatic transmission with paddle shifters and sport driving functions as standard equipment.
Lexus will offer the GS 350 in both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive versions. According to the Japanese automaker, the optional electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system can vary front-to-rear torque balance from 50/50 to as much as 30/70, depending on driving conditions.
Although its dimensions are almost identical to the outgoing model, the new Lexus GS offers improved space in the cabin, while boot capacity has been increased by 25%. Entry and exit are made easier thanks to wider door openings and the redesigned seat frame and steering column give the driver better visibility as well as increased comfort.
The dashboard’s design bears no relation to that of the outgoing GS, with the styling clearly inspired from the LF-A sportscar.
It features cleaner lines while highlights include the extra-large touchscreen (up to 12.3 inches) and the relocated controls for the audio (a 17-speaker Mark Levinson, if you tick the options box) and climate system. The latter uses a new, energy saving technology called S-Flow with an occupant-detection system to direct airflow only to the front area where passengers are actually seated.
In this class, a multimedia all-in-one control system is practically compulsory and the new GS has its own “next generation Remote Touch with one-push confirmation” as standard for “intuitive operation of climate, audio and phone controls as well as the navigation system” (Lexus’ words, not ours…).
In terms of safety, the new GS features a huge array of both passive and active safety features. There are 10 airbags in total, including knee ones for both driver and front passenger and side airbags for rear passengers.
The new GS can be equipped with a pre-collision system that uses the radar cruise control system to detect a probable accident and an infrared camera that monitors the driver’s eyes. If it detects that he is not looking forward when road circumstances suggest that an accident is probable, it sounds an alarm. If the driver doesn’t respond the system will automatically activate the brakes, reducing the severity of the impact.
Lexus said that it will also offer an F-Sport Package with styling and chassis upgrades.
According to the Japanese company, GS production will start in December with the first cars arriving in showrooms in February.
25 Comments:
The front reminds me of a Maxima.
That screen is humongous! :D Cool!
awesome and for those who criticize this magnificient lexus baby stop telling the whole world that you can only afford a kia....
It looks a lot better than I thought it would, but it still does not grab me. Build a GS-F. Give it 510 horses. it will not steal M5 sales, but it will give the Jaguar XF-R some problems.
It beautiful!
Looks like Lexus Is trying to chance infiniti and BMW. Car is ugly because it does look like the style of a GS.
i absoulutley love this car, 110% too the max, more than any other car out there.!!
the front is very ugly... too bad that this is their new design theme. But the interior is very nice & modern looking. Compare that to the "new" Porsche elsewhere on Carscoop... the 911 is drab & old-looking, nothing that couldn't have been produced 5 or even 10 years ago.
i love it. i purchased my 1999 gs 300 in september of '99. i have always wanted the ls 460 but could not afford it at the time. i still own my gs 300 with 147,000 on it now. if owning my car for 12 years isn't an indication of how much i love my car, then i don't know what is. i WILL buy this car (hybrid) as soon as i am financially able. that might not be for another 2 or 3 years, but it will happen. all this talk about mercedes, bmw, audi, etc... in other blogs or forums is ridiculous. most of those commenting drive a honda civic or ford escape (you know what i mean). drive what you like. all those aforementioned manufacturers make a good if not great car. if i had real money, i would probably buy one of each. lexus does it for me (always has)...comfy, quiet, reliable, and gets the job done. cheers to lexus.
Lexus is moving in the right direction, but not there yet. Germans have this lead well in hand.
but not the XFR-S
I don't understand some of these people that comment on these auto websites. To start off, when they released the first images from a chinese magazine (I think) everyone said the car was ugly. So now the hi-res images come out the car is automatically beautiful!!! Then you had the Lexus and Toyota trolls trying to defend the car. If you said the car ever looked like a Maxima, Sonata, Mitsubishi, G35 mutant; hell I even read someone said the front looked like the Impala, I kind of agree with those comments because if you do in fact, combine those cars you do get...this! I never called the car ugly myself. But the car has some pretty good styling cues. From the A-pillar back, I like the car. The front has to yet grow on me (the car looks like it's getting ready to sneeze!). So I'll just leave with this, this car might sell better than the pre-gen because it has a more updated look. As polarizing as the Sonata is (and you see those everywhere), this shouldn't do that bad considering it has a more conservative design. One thing that I do love and hate about the car is the interior. The interior has a better fit and finish than the 5-series..but yet it's almost a blatant copy of it. And that's a big ass "L" on that steering wheel lol!
So it's a big sedan with the CT200h face...
The center console is nearly perfect, but what happened with the side vents ?? These come from Jeep or what.
The speedo cluster is great too, and steering wheel looks much better too but still not big fan of this grey -not-even-silver like color design.
behind the car is like bmw & sonata (mixture)...the dash is like bmw and the front of the car is like lexus ct...totally nice and good looking car
Its the 4th generation GS, not the 3rd....
Horribly overworked front and very unattractive end negatively contrasts the extremely vanilla Infiniti sides. Fail.
The front could be a Subaru Legacy, and the rear end an Infiniti...
Get a Is and a inifinit and you get this
"As they say A fool and his money is soon departed"
I don't like Lexus and I can afford a KIA or a Lexus, but I rather not waste my money on a glorified Toyota Camry....Was your choice of a KIA really your inner voice screaming why can't my Lexus be as good as a KIA for half the price,...let's face it, all cars are made the same..kia Lexus ford Cadillac Honda Saab etc etc and the parts for most of those cars do come from the same part suppliers, you enjoy your badge while I will enjoy my money for other such things as vacations, etc and still at the end of the day have a car that is as good as a Lexus at only half the price , But yea if saying people who criticize Lexus for its shortcoming is in any, your way of saying they drive a KIA, then enjoy that if it lets you sleep at night ..I would hate to see your stock investments if this is how you look though your glasses at life and car shopping and comments about car
The entire car reminds me of a little bit of Infiniti/BMW design with a Camry stance ewww
its the fourth generation, not third! how could u get that wrong...
I agree to an extent that most cars are the same. But I would add that most are the same in a certain price range. To me Lexus, Infiniti, BMW, Mercedes, Acura, Audi, etc, (mid level luxury cars) are just not worth the money. They are built with the same manufacturing processes and parts as the lower priced cars. They just throw in a bunch of techno gadgets and leather and overcharge people. These cars are where the profits are. Now, if you take a Ferrari, Lambo or even a car like the GTR or Lotus you can see the parts and the chassis is more advanced and more expensive. Carbon fiber and other lightweight materials are used and sometimes the engines are hand built. . All the mid range luxury cars are so boring looking and you see them everywhere. At least here in California. Marketing like BMW is the self proclaiming it is "Ultimate Driving Machine" are gimmicks that work. When ever I see people driving these mid range luxury cars the first thing I thing that comes to mind is that they are broke and living paycheck to paycheck to impress people. I know that is not true for all but I would guess many. Anyway, back on topic, Toyota makes boring cars regardless if they put a Lexus badge on it or not. This car is not different.
the more I see it the more I like it. In fact, I wasn't quite impressed about the design but now, I really think it's very upscale and good looking.
BOOOOOORIIIING... $80,000 Camry (sofa) :)
it's rear end looks so much like sonata's
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