Graham Brit Chauffeur Service Gives GBS Clients A Taste For Lexus
“Our drivers think the Lexus cars we use are great. They’re driving some of the top people from top companies and they too have only good things to say about the cars,” says Stewart Torrance of Edinburgh’s prestige chauffeur service Graham Brit Services Ltd (GBS). “After being driven in a Lexus, our clients are always saying: ‘I’m going to take a look at one of these myself.”
Mr Torrance was referring to the three Lexus LS430 saloons and the RX300 sports utility vehicle that comprise the GBS car fleet. Based near Edinburgh Airport, the company operates a fleet of luxury people-carriers and coaches as well as the Lexus cars, so that it can cater for groups of all sizes.
The vehicles are used for everything from airport transfers to personalised business and leisure tours and luxury executive group travel throughout the UK and Ireland. GBS carries out a lot of its business in association with leading Edinburgh hotel The Balmoral.
As part of the Graham Brit service, its team of chauffeurs and guides cover hotel and restaurant bookings, special-interest themes, sporting events, ‘meeting and greeting’ for conference delegates, security arrangements and provision of office facilities.
The Lexus models replaced Mercedes two years ago. “We originally leased the cars through Lombard and Lexus, but as the mileage has been lower than anticipated at around 25,000 a year, we now intend to buy all the LS340s at the end of the term and continue using them for the time being,” says Mr Torrance.
“We’re also looking forward to getting hold of the petrol-electric hybrid RX400h as soon as it becomes available.”
Mr Torrance says that Lexus were originally chosen primarily for their reliability, and describes the vehicles as ‘perfect for the job’.
“They’re bigger inside than an S500 and they’re designed to be operated from the back,” he says. Clients enjoy a smooth, comfortable ride behind tinted windows and privacy blinds, relaxing in reclining, massaging leather seats with built-in heating/air-conditioning. From their seats they can control the climate and CD player and help themselves to iced drinks from the coolbox.
Performance and ride comfort in the LS430 comes from its 4.3 litre V8 278bhp engine with six-speed electronic transmission and an adaptive air-suspension system. The RX300 4×4 luxury Sports Utility Vehicle has a 24-valve V6, 201bhp engine with five-speed automatic transmission and is ideal for a highland tour.
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