I recently had a chance to do a few laps in the GS 400 at Willow Springs Raceway 2.5 mile, 9 turn road race course. I found the car very benign in the corners with no vices. 450 foot radius turns were handled at 70 plus mph with no steering adjustments. It held its line perfectly with a little throttle application. On the two short straight-aways, I was able to accelerate from about 85 mph to about 110 mph in the quarter mile or so before having to brake for the next turn. It has remarkable performance, tenacious grip, superb balance and marvelous brakes.

At night, the Lexus high intensity discharge headlights ($500) illuminate up the road like no other lights I have ever seen. They cut off evenly and have a very wide pattern. They stay on even when the high beams are used. It enhances driving safety, especially when driving the country roads of El Dorado County with its abundant wildlife that still refuses to use cross walks.

Contributing to the stable, accurate handling are the optional ($215) 8 x 17 alloys fitted with Bridgestone Potenza 235/45ZR tires. Although the tires are rated for speeds beyond 149 mph, the car is electronically governed to 149, even though it has a theoretical top speed of about 180 with a drag coefficient of a lowly .29 (down from .31).

Matching the engine performance is the braking system. Four wheel discs (ventilated in the front) with four channel ABS are very powerful. The feel is natural. The standard VSC (vehicle skid control) couples with the traction control to keep the GS 400 where it is pointed. VSC uses the sensors, actuators and computers of the antilock and traction control to continuously monitor the vehicle's direction and steering input to make sure the GS stays on course.

All this performance comes with little mileage penalty. With an EPA fuel economy rating of 17/24 city/highway and a 20 gallon fuel tank, 500 hundred miles would be in the cards if you can restrain yourself. I averaged about 20 mpg in mostly short trips with a heavy right foot (Maybe a visit to the podiatrist is in order). Highway mileage should exceed the predicted 24 mpg by at least a couple.

The GS 400 also goes down the highway like a luxury cruiser. No harshness, noise, bump intrusion or tar strips. The engine turns a lazy 2250 at 70 mph and is inaudible. The interior has yards of soft leather, on the seats, door panels, steering wheel and shifter. The seats are 10-way power with a two-position memory. They are sublimely comfortable with great support for doing the twisties. The rear seats are sumptuous for two and not too bad for three. The rear headrests are moveable to provide nice support for the head and neck.

Even though this is a midsize car, the room in the rear, hip head and legroom are very adequate. The rear passenger windows are unusually large allowing for superb visibility for the rear seaters.

The door paneling is thick, soft padded leather with beautiful wood trim.

The dash is gorgeous. The driver gets a pod with three large holes. The center hole has a 160 mph speedo with warning lights below. To the left is a large tach and flanking right is the temp and fuel gauge split by the gearshift indicator. The lighting is Lexus unique. It is called Optitron and is backlit in a cool bluish/white color. It is legible under all conditions including direct sunlight. It is trick.

The center of the dash, which extends into the center console, contains the electronic HVAC system panel. There are separate controls for the driver and passenger and they are soft touch with superb feel. Ditto for the marvelous standard sound system located underneath the HVAC panel. The sound is concert hall quality, and the controls have a luxurious quality and feel. Everything is in easy reach of the driver and located intuitively.

Is there anything to nit-pick. At low speeds, the steering effort may be too high for some drivers' liking. The styling may not be for everyone, although it seems to be gaining favor.

Maybe most important to what this Lexus is all about is the exceptional fit and finish, the build quality and the use of the highest quality materials everywhere. There are no cutting corners in this automobile. It exudes quality in every aspect, from its state of the art design to its execution. Yes, some cars may have more glitz and glitter (don't think the Lexus doesn't have any), but there is an overall elegance to this car that is separate from its wonderful sporting nature.

The bad news is that this kind of quality and performance is not cheap. My vehicle had a list price of $45,505. It came with only five options: wheels locks ($42), a trunk mat ($49), rear deck spoiler ($440), 17 inch alloys and Z rated tires (a bargain at $215, I'll bet you didn't think there were any Lexus bargains) and a premium package, which combines an in dash (glove box) 6 disc CD changer, moon roof, heated front seats and high intensity discharge headlamps ($3055). With destination the total package tips the scales at $49,801.

But there is a GS 300 that could be had comparably equipped for about $43,000. The main difference is the engine. Instead of the 4.0L V-8, it comes with a 225 hp inline DOHC 6. It too has the trick VVT-i and will scoot from 0-60 in about 7.5 seconds with a reported top speed of about 144 mph. I had a chance to sample a GS 300 and thought it did about everything the 400 did except it did not quite make the same shock waves under hard acceleration. Only minor neighborhood window rattling. It too is a great car with the ride, luxury and handling of the 400 with slightly less superfluous performance. I could learn to love GS 300 just as easily. It would take about a nanno second.

SPECIFICATIONS

Price $45,505 to about $50,000

Layout

Front longitudinal engine
rear wheel drive

Engine

4.0L DOHC V-8 with VVT-i
32 valves 300 hp @ 6,000 rpm
310 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm

Transmission

5 speed electronically
controlled automatic with
manual button shifting

Dimensions

Wheelbase 110.2 inches
Length 189.2 inches
Width 70.9 inches
Height 56.7 inches
Weight 3693 pounds
Fuel Capacity 19.8 gallons


Performance

0-60 mph 6.0 seconds
50-70 3.5 seconds
50-70 uphill 4.3 seconds
Top Speed Not advisable to even try
Please trust me when I report
a governor limited 149 (because of
the standard V rated tires)
Fuel Economy EPA 17/24 city/highway. My estimate
is 20 in El Dorado County and 24-27
highway at legal speeds (65-70)