oogster

One thing is for sure. The v8 that will go with the car is either gonna be a modest bump like the es 330 with another 25-30 or 40 HP or its gonna blow us all away! i chose the latter. And everyone who complains about the HP fanatics, keep in mind that having a car with excessive HP on tap is in itself a luxury (well to many, like me) and thats what a true lexus connoisseur is out for. And dont forget, this car was released many many months before the first production model will be on the market. This design will not be sitting around doing nothing for that time. It wasnt released early for no reason. Revisions will be made. No doubt

D2-AUTOSPORT

Lexmaster- I disagree because the GS has been the HP leader in the Lexus camp since 98! Even back then, it trumped the LS and SC (290hp) with its 300hp. Even today, I think the 04 is rated at 290 isn't it? Like I said before, you guys never know what tricks they may have up their proverbial sleeve. After all, they have a YEAR to figure it out!

JDZ25

Well, at least all the speculation over what the new GS will look like is over.

Anyone want to start a pool about when we will start seeing photoshops of the 4th generation GS?

Seriously though, I was watching the press conference live this morning and, at first, I was thinking, just like alot of others, that the next GS closely resembled the current Maxima.

But after looking at the pictures a few times, the new design is growing on me. Honestly, I think I was caught up in the lfs concept and thinking the new GS would look similar to it ,and when it didnt, well I was slighty disappointed.

I definitely want to see the car up close though before I make any final decision.

hawk

Of the design:
do this: think of the exterior without the headlights or taillights. Now, I see a design that is more and more and more prevalent on many cars out there. It's the trunk that is a tad higher with "shoulders" on the side of the car that come around to the back. I do NOT think this is copying the maxima/altima for 2 reasons: 1) the maxima/altima--from side view--copied 2nd gen GS. 2) you could look at the exterior (w/o headlights or taillights) and put in bmw or mercedes lights, and get VERY close to new mercedes/bmw/nissan/volvo designs. Why? because of technology around aerodynamics. There's a lot of convergence in teh evolution of cars as of late. Tubby butt syndrome is here to stay....7 series, CLS500, Nissans,

Taillights - i'm not sure if anyone has noted this yet, but i see a combination of 1st and 2nd generation taillights. The 1st gen is obvious, and the second gen is from the fact that the brake light patterns on each side rear lights are circular, and thus separated and non-contiguous, like our 2nd gen lights.

Words of Caution:
1. i don't think we've seen enough different pictures of the new one in order to make a GOOD judgement on whether or not it's a copy cat. Also, i'd say everyone would be better off to wait and see what it's looking like on the road.
2. We have very little as far as technical specs go. I'd say let's avoid assumptions for now and wait for the final tech lists to come out from Lexus.
3. The side profile of 2nd gen and 3rd gen seem similar to me. Short front overhang, bigger rear overhang....

Good news to me:
1. six speed tranny with manumatic
2. the IS430 had a manual. If they're going after bimmer, then they'd need that. who knows. it's probably just a pipe dream, but who knows
3. Electronic Suspension Settings!
4. It seems that there have been comments (can't remember specifics) that they're going straight after BMW 5 series. Let's wait and see this thing in teh real world.

bad news.
1. we don't know enough yet to make good conclusions.

reality check:
i sympathize with the disappointment of not having been told about a new bigger V8; however, it seems unlikely to me that they would "bump" the flagship (LS430) and give the GS a bigger engine first. Also, I'd have to say that maybe some of this disappointment is a wee-bit attributable to y'all's having hyped this up sooooooo much. not necessarily everyone, and i mean this only in the most respectful manner (after all, already one has been banned today)

That said: I think one thing that people have forgotten is that toyota is planning to introduce the Lexus line in 2005 in Japan. I've heard rumors that one thing they fear is not being able to convince people in Japan that it's not just toyota. Thus, I wouldn't be surprised if any delay can be attributed to their setting up Lexus in Japan....just a thought

-->Wait until ya see it in person and give it a go around the block. the references to maxima--a front wheeler "Ghosn-cheapified" rental car--is quite quite Uber Super unfair.

ps.....1sick made a helluva point in saying that the performance of a car depends a lot more on just HP and torque.....again, we just gotta wait to see this thing in person

LexFather

http://www.is300.net/modules.php?nam...r=asc&start=30

Side by sides of GS II and GS III together.

I've been studying this car all day and I agree with hawk, it is looking less like a Maxima. The GS clearly is more shapely and refined while the Max is slab-sided. Look at how the front fender on the GS behind the wheel contours inward. Look at the crease leading from the hood to the rear. The new hood crease goes into the A-pillar ala SC 300/400 where GS I and GS II had the hood crease go into the center of the hood.

You can see the rounded sides. I think this car is going to be very very HARD in black. I wonder if it will have yellow fogs?????

Now with AWD and extra gadgets, the GS may actually NEED more power, to tackle any extra weight. Unless they went to aluminum to save weight. We do know the 6-speed in the LS 430 is ultra efficient making it a sub 6 second car with THE SAME 290hp rating.

I think the car is almost freaking perfect until they got to the rear. They continued the high deck and curved C-pillar (GS tradition) which may have hurt this cars looks and balance.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I put the old and new sizes side by side and came up with this:

Current (2nd gen):

Wheelbase: 110.2 in
Length: 189.2 in
Width: 70.9 in
Height: 55.9 in

New:

Wheelbase: 112.2 in.
Length: 189.8 in.
Width: 71.7 in.
Height: 56.1 in.

So the wheelbase is 2" more, it's .6" longer, .8" wider, and .2" taller. I guess I really didn't want the car to be bigger. It just looks big to me, I guess the 'fast back' style is what does it more than actual dimensions, but I can't imagine driving it through a crazy twisty road. It seems more of a sleek cruiser now.

Interestingly the new 5 series is even bigger in all dimensions:

Wheelbase: 113.7 in.
Length: 190.6 in.
Width: 72.7 in.
Height: 58 in.

I think this new GS is definitely competitive with the 5 series (just see how much better the GS interior is for example!), and the E500 (not bad I must admit), but while BrianW's posts were ridiculous I agree those pics of that new M45 did have me going 'wow' whereas these pics have me thinking 'nice, but not a home run'.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I agree. I think the *** is just too big. It they'd kept it about an inch shorter, it would have been much better IMHO.

LS4fun

Is it a definite at this time that the 2005 GS430 Model V8 will not be available with an AWD option?

XenonES3

check out this link:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1179819


to gauge the opinions of other car enthusiasts regarding the new GS.

So far, there are some dissenters, but overall they give it a

lexmaster

Here we go. We are already making excuses as to how this car does not resemble the Maxima. This is what Lexus fans have endured for a long hard decade. Always having to defend how Lexus does not resemble MB. The bottom line is it does look like a Maxima and we as demanding luxury owners who want the best (Lexus is the best) want our Lexuses to get better and we don't want to defend our cars b/c it looks like a Maxima. As much as you guys are optimistic about some minor design changes for its launch in one year, I am not. The overall shape will be the same, and if they shaped up the front however, maybe this car would do something for me. However, I am going to the auto show this weekend and I will see this car in person and hopefully change my mind somewhat about its design. Pictures have done nothing for me so far. Except bring tears to my eyes for looking like a Maxima. The overall shape is no doubt a Maxima.

SCHEME

Yeah, it's so sloped it almost looks like a hatchback.

XenonES3

engine compartment looks interesting:

Technics

I agree, I see some SC 3/4 in the headlight design but remember the twin headlight theme is also in the 2nd gen GS.

Thanks Seriously though I didn't realize these cars were biting off of the SC. Good point.

I was parked next to one today and I could only see the roof and some of the windows partially, I just knew it was an RX. Switch the badges and you have an RX. A blatant copy.

I agree with many when they say we can't make any final decisions on how the car looks until we actually SEE it. Pictures rarely do any car justice. I can't recall how many cars I've criticized before from looking at pictures and then when I actually saw it I had a change of heart. I'd love to see a six-speed manual offered with this car though.

Frankly, if I could afford the new GS I wouldn't hesitate to put a down payment on one and that's the truth.

Tranman

iTrader: (1)

yeah, it seems from what I've read on other message boards, people do like it...but they still see the Maxima cues......and I'm actually starting to like it more and more as I look at the pictures. But I still think I made the right decision for myself to have bought an '03 GS last year instead of waiting.

LexFather

Bub, ONLY the LS has ever resembled any Mercedes. No other Lexus has ever looked like any Benz. The Maxima resembles the GS but as I stated maybe 4 or 5 pages ago, when u look at design details, this is why one costs 55k and one costs 25k. "God is in the details".......

Again, the Maxima is an obvious GS II copy, if that car came out in 1998 and the 2004 Maxima looks like it, well, if the 2006 GS III is an evolution of the GS II, the Maxima therefore still resembles the GS, not the other way around.