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The face of Lexus has evolved cautiously in the marque's short life, but the company is now determined to inject more passion into its styling language. In the GS this was resolved with a lower stance, more front overhang, a longer and lower hood, a 2-inch-longer wheelbase and wider rear track. The nose still carries the line's trademark four separate headlamp units and vertical grille, but now it's more like a spear piercing the wind than the blunt instrument of the previous GS. It certainly looks as sleek as the 0.27 coefficient of drag would suggest. A flat underbody aids the aerodynamic efficiency (the previous GS had a Cd of 0.29) and helps reduce noise.
The lowered stance is underlined by an aggressive front valance, with a large inlet to indicate there's a powerful engine under the hood, thirsty for air. A fog lamp is integrated into each lower front corner. Prominent body-color rocker extensions anchor the car's mass along the midsection, which is nicely balanced by the well-proportioned wheel wells. A deep rear valance carries this glued-to-the-ground theme to the tail and frames the large, exposed dual exhaust with stainless steel tips.
Much of the car's visual dynamism emanates from the strong shoulder arc, which evokes the contour of an airplane wing slicing through the wind. This sense of forward motion is reflected in a swept-back greenhouse that blends into the short rear decklid via a coupe-like C-pillar. The integrated aero look extends to color-keyed rearview mirrors and bumper covers. For sportier types, or for the determined driver who might need a bit more downforce in high-speed corners, the tail can be outfitted with an optional spoiler.
The external structure is rust-resistant galvanized steel and was engineered to provide just one of many lines of defense against collisions. Should an accident occur, the GS has an airbag for every occasion, but Lexus also took measures to reduce the chance of those accidents happening in the first place. Sophisticated systems of electronic sensors and computers, designed to provide the safest possible motoring, work seamlessly, without the driver aware of all the electro-mechanical effects prompted by such threats as slick pavement or, especially, driver error.
Along with the usual airbags for both front passengers, Lexus offers, for the first time, driver and front-passenger knee bags to augment the many other levels of the supplemental restraint system. These include seat-mounted side-impact airbags; force-limiting, 3-point seat belts (all five seats), with pretensioners for both front and rear (outboard) passengers; front and rear side-curtain airbags; and automatic locking/emergency locking retractors for all occupants save the driver (ELR only).
This passive level of occupant protection extends to such features as a padded instrument panel; impact-absorbing upper interior trim; a tire-pressure warning system. Also standard: daytime running lights; adaptive front lighting that illuminates the road through a curve; a system that reduces movement of the brake pedal toward the driver in the event of a front-end collision, thus minimizing leg injury; a rear backup camera display in the touchscreen; and the usual array of electronic handling aids, designated by a veritable avalanche of acronyms.
The new braking system integrates four-channel, four-sensor ABS with large, vented discs at all four wheels. To ensure that the brakes achieve optimum stopping dynamics, they're augmented by Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); Brake Assist (BA); Traction Control (TRC); and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). The 300's front discs measure 11.6 inches, while the 430 is fitted with giant 13.1-inch. discs. Both cars have 12.2-inch rear discs.
Though the GS 300 uses a conventional brake booster, GS 430s also get what Lexus calls Electronically Controlled Brake (ECB). This system detects the length of the brake pedal stroke appl
Interior Features
We should all live in houses as well appointed, and as well designed for simple use, as the Lexus GS. Open any one of the four doors (don't worry about having to unlock the car, you've got keyless entry) and you're greeted by aluminum alloy Lexus-stamped scuff plates, the scent of leather and cut-pile carpeting, and the gleam of highly burnished hardwood trim.
The handsome wood and leather-trimmed steering wheel, electronically adjustable for rake and reach, frames a newly designed dash panel. Following established Lexus standard, each gauge, button, wheel and lever is clearly identified by easily read words or symbols, and the three-pod analog instrument cluster's white-on-black graphics can be grasped at a glance.
A 160-mph speedometer, with an integrated electronic digital odometer and twin trip meters, is flanked to the left by a tachometer and to the right by fuel and water temperature gauges and lights indicating gear choice.
Dominating the center console is a 7-inch touch screen, flanked by two banks of menu buttons. Entering the various menus and navigating through the submenus doesn't take too much brainpower, but like most multi-tasking systems, a day spent with the owner's manual on a quiet side street is the best way to figure out how to work everything properly.
Still, there are so many systems/operations/functions to either operate or monitor that Lexus chose to hide some of the switches. One of the hideaways is accessed via a door that drops down out of the dash panel to the left of the steering wheel. Here you'll find switches for outside mirrors, fuel lid, trunk release, meter brightness control (more on this later), odometer/trip meter, headlamp washers, rear sunshade, park assist, AFS (lots more on this later), and interior lamps. More hidden switches are under the sliding top of the center console: adaptive variable suspension, transmission mode and front seat heaters and ventilators. Some might find it tedious to access these functions in these ways, but it does go a long way to cleaning up the console of excessive clutter.
Another innovative cockpit feature is the variable transparency lens covering the gauge cluster. Called an electronic chromatic device, it automatically changes the diffusion of the lens to optimize viewing depending on the intensity of light in the cabin.
The interior leather/wood schemes are Ash with black bird's-eye maple; Cashmere with brown bird's-eye maple or Black with walnut. Fit and finish is impeccable, down to the finest details. For instance, every compartment door or cover opens at exactly the same speed, with identical levels of damping and feel. Tactile luxury at its most basic.
Definitely not basic is the standard Lexus audio stack, comprised of an AM/FM ETR with auto-reverse cassette and 6-disc, in-dash CD changer and DVD player (DVDs can be viewed only when the shifter is in Park and the parking brake is engaged), 10 speakers and a 134-watt amplifier. No MP3 capability is yet offered, but the GS is pre-wired for XM Satellite Radio.
Audiophiles can opt for the Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound system, developed especially for the GS interior. Utilizing Discrete 5.1 surround playback via a 7.1 channel speaker topology, it sends the vibes through 14 speakers via 11 channels of amplification by an advanced discrete amplifier with 330 watts. It sounds quite amazing.
The newly reengineered navigation system ($2,250) now has information for more than 6 million points of interest. Destinations can be input in several different ways for easier use, and the phonebook holds over 10 million entries. Route searching is said to be 10 times faster than with the previous nav system, and both it and the Bluetooth cell phone system can be operated by voice command or through the 7-inch touchscreen.
Of course, the GS boasts all the usual amenities expected by luxury car buyers, including power door locks; cruise control
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