Och

iTrader: (3)

Well, the speed limiter is just a matter of hacking the ECU.

If its your average driver, then ES350 will be faster because FWD is just so much easier to drive unless you are very skilled. I for instance consider myself quite a bit better than average, and I've driven all kinds of cars, and FWD are by far the easiest to drive, followed by AWD. Of course if you take a real RWD sports car (and IMO 5 series isn't one of them), such as S2000 (my favorite) its hard not to appreciate how well and precisely it goes through a corner - but a single mistake, just turn that steering wheel a notch more, or give it a little too much gas around the corner and you're sliding. Thats why most drivers slow down more in RWD cars than FWD. Also, with FWD its much easier to regain control, and its much more forgiving when you make a mistake.

Than being said, i'd rather ride a bus than drive a FWD car (unless its Integra TypeR)

newr

wow.. very good number.. impressive..

newr

I've owned and tracked both cars intensively and what you said is dead on.

CHIS350

Well most reviewers say the GS is clumsy, and in my test drive I would have to concur. Give me a 550i. You don't think that 50/50 distribution is superior for handling?

Och

iTrader: (3)

Thanks... Nice avatar, that ITR and S2K are sweet.

Och

iTrader: (3)

The 30/70 RWD bias in AWD GS is not weight distribution!!! As far as clumsiness, the GS is not much clumsier than 5 series, they are both pigs. And at the price point you get a V8 GS vs V6 5series - I'll take the GS.

LexFather

Dude, take a coffee break . You were off about the S4 being FWD and now your comparing a AWD GS power distribution to WEIGHT distribution, 2 totally different things.

You are saying weight distribution. What I am talking about is AWD distribution. The GS is I think 52/48 weight distrubtion, the 5 series 51/49 I think.

The 30/70 I am talking about is 30% power to the front wheels/ 70% to the rear under normal driving, which is what you want in your luxury sedan.

Reviewers have NOT said the GS is clumsy at all. What they said is its not as sporty as the 5. Nowhere have they said its clumsy. The GS is being a GS, not a 5. You want more sport, buy a 5.

GFerg

Please stay on topic. This thread has nothing to do with a GS AWD.

Everything they said about the ES350 is very much expected from C&D. It is obviously a driver and sport oriented magazine. I love the car for what is. A comfort and practical luxury entry level sedan. And one that has diminishing competition.

newr

Och

iTrader: (3)

I6 5series... you know what i meant.

<VENOM>

I can't get my ES350 to do 6.2 in 0-60, at most it will do 7.2-7.4, they must use a model with nothing on it, racing downhill in the wind

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

What do you use to measure a 0-60 run?

spwolf

you would rather take an bus than FWD car? lol.

I do agree with you about ease of drive, most people drive their RWD cars slower than FWD.
My MRS Turbo for example, nothing better than mid ship engined car with 200hp and less than 2,300 lbs of weight, for light spinning on the road, any time you wish :-).

encore888

I want to read this article, when will it show up on their website?

<VENOM>

The street at night and some friends car can't outrun my 4Runner or Maxima to 60, the ES will pass the 4Runner after 70 but the Maxima just outpaces it more and more