The New Lexus GS

KEY POINTS

• All-new third-generation Lexus GS luxury sports saloon
• First production model to exhibit the new Lexus design philosophy L-finesse
• New model benefits from stiffer body than previously with longer wheelbase and wider front and rear track
• Four model grades for the UK – GS300, GS300 SE, GS300 SE-L and GS430
• GS300 models powered by new 3.0-litre V6 engine with dual VVT-i
• Adaptive Variable Suspension system and Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) with active steering control, standard on GS430
• Flagship GS430 equipped with 4.3-litre V8
• 3.0-litre V6 produces 245bhp for 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds and has 148mph maximum speed
• 279bhp 4.3-litre V8 accelerates from 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds and has 155mph top speed
• New electronically-controlled, close-ratio six-speed automatic transmissions for each engine, featuring sequential shift mode
• Awarded best-in-class score of 35 points for adult occupant protection in the latest Euro NCAP tests
• 10 airbags standard on GS300 and 12 airbags standard from SE upwards
• All models equipped with ABS, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Traction Control and Vehicle Stability Control
• Smart Key entry and start-up standard on all models
• Adaptive Cruise Control and Pre-Crash Safety system standard on GS430 (optional on GS300 SE-L)
• 10-speaker audio system standard on GS300 and GS300SE; higher grades equipped with premium
• 14-speaker Mark Levinson® hi-fi
• On sale in the UK from 15 April with on-the-road prices from £30,400 (GS300)
• Insurance groups are 16E for GS300 and SE, 17E for SE-L and 18E for GS430

A NEW LEXUS FOR THE WORLD MARKET

The all-new, third generation GS is a car that breaks new boundaries for Lexus. It is the first model from the prestige brand to be marketed globally and it has the distinction of being the first production model to display the powerful and sleek styling of L-finesse, the design principles that will shape a whole new generation of Lexus vehicles.

Developed in a three-year project, L-finesse shows Lexus adopting a bolder approach to design than ever before. The GS expresses L-finesse through its simple but dynamically powerful lines and proportions, inspired in part by a Japanese cultural heritage.

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE EASY LIFE

The new GS adopts a Smart Key system for simple door locking and engine start-up and makes use of an advanced new glass screen system to ensure the Optitron instrumentation read-out remains perfectly clear in all light conditions. A 10-speaker sound system with six-disc in-dash CD player is fitted as standard, but drivers of higher grade versions can enjoy the superior sound experience offered by a Mark Levinson® designed hi-fi, unique to Lexus.

The Lexus DVD-based satellite navigation system is offered with a simple touch-screen operating system that also lets you operate the audio and air conditioning functions and, where compatible, Bluetooth® control of your mobile telephone.

For even greater ease of use, voice control functions are also available, capable of recognising a multitude of commands.

The new GS is also available with the Lexus Parking Assist system, which uses a rear-view camera linked to the central display screen to provide ideal guidance for reverse manoeuvres. There is also less risk of unwelcome scrapes thanks to front and rear parking sensors that operate in line with the car’s steering angle – another ‘first’ in Europe for Lexus.

POWER TO PLEASE

The new Lexus GS is offered with two engines. GS300 models are powered by an all-new 3.0-litre V6, a chain-drive DOHC unit that produces 245bhp at 6,200rpm and 310Nm of torque at 3,500rpm. That permits 0-62 acceleration in 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 148mph. Using stoichiometric direct fuel injection technology and dual-VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing – intelligent), it achieves an excellent balance between performance and fuel economy.

The flagship GS430 model is equipped with the formidable 4.3-litre V8, delivering 279bhp and a maximum 417Nm of torque. Acceleration from rest to 62mph can be despatched in 6.1 seconds, while the top speed is limited to 155mph. Performance is aided by VVT-i with an ETCS-i drive-by-wire electronic throttle control.

Both engines are matched to a close ratio, electronically-controlled six-speed automatic gearbox with a sequential shift mode allowing the driver to make manual gear selection when desired.

DYNAMIC PRECISION

The all-new platform on which the GS is constructed offers greater rigidity and has a longer wheelbase and wider rear track than the previous generation model, factors which contribute much to the car’s excellent poise and handling.

The new GS also adopts new speed-sensitive electric power steering, which on the GS430 model further benefits from a Variable Gear Ratio Steering system that provides assistance to suit the driving conditions, ensuring excellent feedback to the driver at high speed, while making slow speed manoeuvring effortless.

Lightweight double wishbone front suspension and a compact multilink set-up at the rear deliver excellent ride comfort and cornering stability. On the GS430, Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) allows the driver to fine tune the damping system with settings for ‘normal’ or ‘sport’ performance. Selecting ‘sport’ also automatically adjusts the VGRS to provide quicker steering responses.

Close attention to aerodynamic efficiency and insulation provisions ensure that levels of noise, vibration and harshness are reduced to a minimum.

SAFETY AS STANDARD

Exceptional safety comes as standard with the new Lexus GS, a car designed from the start to meet the highest Euro NCAP requirements for passenger protection.

All versions are equipped with ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Traction Control (TRC) and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC).

Passive safety systems include 10 airbags, including knee airbags for driver and front seat passenger and front and rear curtain shield airbags. All models except the entry level GS300 also feature rear passenger side airbags. Both front and outer rear passenger seatbelts have pretensioners and force limiters and there are ISOFIX attachments for the secure location of compatible child seats.

The GS430 model is the first in Europe to deploy Lexus’s Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM), which co-ordinates the functions of the ABS, EBD, TRC and VSC together with the Electric Power Steering and Variable Gear Ratio Steering to ensure they operate as smoothly and effectively as possible, as the car reaches the limit of its performance.

Adaptive Cruise Control (standard on the GS430, optional on the GS300 SE-L) uses radar technology to ensure you keep a safe distance from the car in front and is linked to Lexus’s Pre-Crash Safety system. This uses the same network of sensors to determine when a collision becomes inevitable and prepares the seatbelts and the emergency braking system to deliver the optimum performance at the split second they are needed.

Pedestrian safety has also been carefully addressed, with the bonnet, engine cowl and front bumper having a crushable design. The bonnet is shaped to disperse impact energy over a larger area and also to lessen the risk of serious head injuries, by off-setting the angle of head impact.

Safer night-time driving is enabled, thanks to High Intensity Discharge headlamps with Lexus’s Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS). Standard on all GS models, AFS monitors the vehicle’s turning radius and moves the angle of the headlamp beams to improve forward lighting through bends in the road.

THE NEW LEXUS GS IN THE UK

The new Lexus GS will go on sale in the UK on 15 April, offered in four grades: GS300, GS300 SE, GS300 SE-L and GS430. Prices on-the-road will start at £30,400 for the GS300, £35,900 for the GS300 SE, £38,000 for the GS300 SE-L and £46,755 for the GS430.

The GS300 specification includes Smart Key entry and push-button start-up system, 10-speaker sound system with in-dash six-disc CD player, speed-sensitive electric power steering, cruise control, sequenced interior lighting with LED technology, leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel, advanced automatic dual-zone air conditioning, eight-way electrically adjustable front seats, tyre pressure warning system, Adaptive Front-lighting System, 17-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth® connectivity and an eight-inch touch-screen display.

GS300 SE models add the Lexus DVD-based satellite navigation system with rear view monitor and steering-guided parking sensors, leather upholstery and additional lumbar adjustment plus heating and ventilation functions for the front seats.

The GS300 SE-L adopts an electric tilt/slide sunroof, 18-inch alloy wheels and a Mark Levinson® 14-speaker hi-fi system. Standard features on the GS430 include Adaptive Cruise Control with Pre-Crash Safety and a wood and leather trimmed steering wheel.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has awarded the new GS300 and GS300SE insurance group 16E, the SE-L version is in group 17E and the GS430 is in group 18E.

The new Lexus GS requires servicing every 10,000 miles (Health & Safety Check) with major servicing required at 20,000 mile intervals. In line with all other Lexus models, the new GS will be sold with 3 years’/60,000 miles warranty with 3 year paint and 12 year anti-perforation warranties.

LEXUS GS TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

LEXUS GS EQUIPMENT

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