A Nice Combination Of Performance And Comfort
For those browsing in the luxury automotive segment who are looking for a little “go” to go with the “show,” the tendency is to start and stop with the European imports. And no question, those are the vehicles—mostly from Germany—that dominated that particular field for years. But there are many other players out there today as well, both from domestic and Asian manufacturers.
Lexus jumped into the fray when it put the GS 300 on sale in the early 1990s. Though customer and critical response was positive, it really wasn’t until 1997 that Lexus started paying attention to the “performance” half of the GS’ billing as a performance sedan. That’s when it introduced the GS 300/400, giving buyers a choice of six- or eight-cylinder power.
In September 2000, the GS 400 got an engine upgrade with a 4.3-liter V8 replacing the 4.0-liter. The jump in horsepower to 300 over the previous model’s 245 was a signifi cant increase, making the GS a true competitor as a performance sedan.
A totally redesigned GS was introduced in February 2005, with a tad more horsepower added to the 4.3-liter V8.
The year after that, Lexus engineers put a hybrid power plant under the hood, though frankly it was far from the fuel-sipper most people associate with hybrids. What the gas-electric setup did was simply provide another source of power to send to the rear wheels. Fuel consumption for the hybrid (using 2008 testing methods) is 22 miles-per-gallon city, 25 highway, and zero-to-60 miles-per-hour clockings are just a couple of ticks over five seconds.
When it came time to consider what should be next in the progression of the GS, the answer was almost inevitable. Why, add more power, of course, in the form of a 4.6-liter V8 to replace the 4.3-liter engine.
And so the 2008 Lexus GS 460 is the most powerful GS yet with horsepower rated at 342 and torque at 339 pound-feet. When you pound the accelerator on the GS 460, you move from a stand-still to 60 miles-per-hour in slightly more than five seconds. But you still get fuel mileage that is rated at 17 miles-per-gallon city, 24 highway.
“We believe the GS models deliver the ideal balance of performance and luxury that customers seek in this segment,” says Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager.
The transmission on the GS 460 is now an eightspeed automatic, which Lexus bills as the world’s first. (Only a six-speed automatic is offered on the GS 350.) Like most of the high-end cars with automatictransmissions today, you may also select gears manually. With the eight-speed, shifts are so smooth it’s like driving one of the new CVTs (Continuously Variable Transmission), only without the annoying feeling you sometimes get with a CVT that something is slipping. But power and performance are only half the story for the GS 460.
Even though it was redesigned just a couple of years ago, designers still made some refinements for this year.
They revised the front fascia and added a new bumper and a new chrome grille. They included turn-signal indicators in the side mirrors and updated the wheel designs. They also redesigned the instrument panel and used just enough brushed aluminum and genuine wood trim in the cabin to give the interior a classier look.
Dash clutter is relieved by the ingenuous use of a drop-down panel box to the left of the steering wheel. It contains controls for functions that you don’t use all that often, such as adjusting side-view mirrors or the brightness of the instrument lighting. Lexus did move the buttons to open the fuel-filler door and trunk to the dash for quicker access to those. Oh, one thing about that drop-down panel; you need to make sure it is closed when you’re not using it, because it can become something for the driver to bang his or her knee on when getting out of the car if it is left open.
The GS 460 features Lexus’ keyless operating system, which allows you to keep the key fob in your purse or pocket and start the car with a push of a button on the dash to the right of the steering wheel.
Controls for the radio and climate control systems are very intuitive and easy to operate. The navigation system for the GS 460 remains one of the best on the market in regard to the size of the screen and ease of operation. Most of the functions are touch-screen, making adjustments such as scale easy to accomplish.
There are, however, a couple of drawbacks to the touch-screen operation. Obviously, after a period of time, the screen can get mucked up with fingerprints, though most don’t show unless the sun hits the screen just right. Touch-screen controls also areused for some audio functions, and that does make using the radio a bit tedious at times. Fortunately, there are duplicate controls on the steering wheel for many of the same functions.
With the optional navigation system you also get a rear-view backup camera, which is, no doubt, of more importance for an SUV than for a sedan, but it is reassuring nonetheless to get a confirmation of what is behind you. (You DO look behind when you are backing up, don’t you?)
Standard features on the GS 460 include: 10-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, power-tilt and telescopic steering wheel, three-position memory for the driver and front-passenger seats, front and rear side-curtain air bags and seat-mounted side airbags for the front seats, and the Lexus VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management) system that monitors the electronically controlled antilock brake system, brake assist, electronic brake deployment, vehicle stability control and electronic power steering. (It seems to do everything but drive the car.)
Base price for the GS 460 is $53,385, which includes the $785 destination and delivery charge. Our test model topped out at $58,664 with the biggest chunk of the extra cost going to the navigation and premium sound systems. That’s a pretty good jump from the IS and ES models, which start in the low 30s, but the GS offers considerably more in luxury appointments and sheer size.
The GS 460 is about $10,000 under the cost for the flagship LS sedan, but offers more fun in driving experience. Set the GS 460’s adaptive suspension system in “Sport” mode and you get a firmer ride with reduced body roll and about as close to a sports car-like performance as you’re going to get out of a vehicle that is 190 inches long and weighs nearly two tons. Comfort mode provides a smooth ride for cruising.
Overall, the GS 460 is really a nice combination of performance and comfort and a legitimate player in a very competitive automotive segment.
More On The Trail Articles:
Lexus GS 460 A Nice Combination Of Performance And Comfort
Ford Mustang BULLITT: 60s ICON RETURNS
AudiS4 Cabriolet
2008 Infiniti QX56
Rolls-Royce Phantom
Volvo S80: Venerable and Visually appealing
Mercedes-Benz S-Class The Flagship Standard
Lincoln Navigator: Luxury in a big way
The Bentley Azure
View All On The Trail Articles
