winsalem

Longjohn wrote: There is more to a car than just horsepower and 0 - 60 times. An Avalon is a nice car, but to suggest that it outshines the GS300 just because it has more horsepower is absolutely ludicrous to me. I enjoy every minute of my commute now. When I reach my destination I am reluctant to get out of the car. I doubt seriously, that an Avalon would give me the same feeling.

Longjohn is right on the money. I drove the new Avalon, and I don't care how much horsepower it has, it's a Buick. All this worry about horses reminds me of guys who compare (and sweat and fret about) things they possess based solely on its size or quantity; while numbers look important on paper, drive both the new GS and new Avalon and you'll FEEL the power of the GS. You'll also feel something in the Avalon but it ain't power...think senior citizenry, god bless 'em.

Consider the infamous John Holmes...he had all that gigantic horse-power but his women report that all he could do was limp to the finish line.

jrock65

We will get a better idea of the GS350's power when Lexus Japan releases the GS350 and IS350 in August.

Sam Khoury

One other comment about the Avalon which I forgot to make.

I went to a Road&Track / Car and Driver event at the Nassau Colliseum on Long Island about a month ago or so and they had us comparing the Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima and Chrysler 300. The Toyota Avalon really impressed me and when you look at the price of a loaded Avalon Limited , it becomes even more impressive. The one thing I didn't like about the car was the controls for the navigation system. On the Lexus cars, it's a touch screen. On the Toyota, it wasn't. It was controlled by a panel which flips open out of the dash, similar to the one on the new GS which controls the mirrors etc. After using the navigation system in my GS for almost 3 years and then trying to operate the one in the Toyota, operating it from the control panel was very unintuitive and cumbersome.

chuckb

my mouth waters for a Flint Mica GS460

theanimala

[QUOTE=1SICKLEX]Okay, here it is.
The reason isThe 2GS or 2nd gen 98-05 went all 8 years in GS 300 trim with no engine or power upgrade. The GS 400 did become the 430 after 3 years. The German competiton usually updates engines mid-cycle to keep people interested when sales go down some. So Lexus is following this same strategy. If the GS 350 debuted today, they would not have an engine to move up to and freshing the lineup for 7 or 8 years. So they kept it the GS 300 which still got a 25hp bump and is swifter than the previous GS 300 anyway. Which is fine, since sales are meeting sales goals, even with not the most HP in class. So in 3 years when sales fall some, they can introduce the GS 350 and GS 460 with updated engines.

Look at Benz, they have had the E320 for sometime now and after 3 years, they are bumping the E320 to the E350. The BMW 530 keeps the same name but it gets a new 6-cylinder after 2 years. It keeps things fresh.
[QUOTE]

I have to disagree. I firmly believe it was for one reason. Lexus did not want the GS4XX to have a larger/more powerful engine then it's flagship sedan, the LS430. Until the LS4X0 comes out, the GS will not have that engine. Next year when the new LS comes out, I firmly believe the GS4X0 will be out soon after. At the same time the GS350 will be released.

I personally believe Lexus should have waited 1 more year before coming out with the new GS. New cars depreciate enough, just wait to see what happens to your new GS when someone can buy a 1 year newer car with 20% or more horsepower... Just my opinion.

GS3rdwow

Hey chuckB...im thinking of getting a GS430 Flint with Black interior...ull go crazy if you see that combo especially when the sun hits the flint mica.. my jaw hit the floor.
lol

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

No, I think it was simpler than that even. The new V8 wasn't ready. They put a 3.0 version of the new direct injection engine instead of 3.5 because the 3.5 power output will be very close to the current GS430.

Unfortunately I agree. The GS350 will provide the power it needs, and a direct injection V8 will increase power and fuel economy which is needed to be competitive.

chuckb

I know-I've driven one. these are the pics I took....

Gojirra99

I thought that's the reason too, but they are launching both the GS350 & GS430 together in Japan in a couple of months from now . . .

I do believe the GS430 will still have significantly higher low end torque though & will be faster than the GS350.

Gojirra99

The current BMW 545 hadn't been out for that long(less than 2 years), & they're already upgrading to 550 (even shorter for the 645ci, which will be upgraded to 650), it's similar for other brands as well, the previous GS is actually an anamoly in this class. Don't know how that will affect the resale of the BMW 545i & 645ci, in automobiles, you cannot keep waiting for the best, but the early adopters gets to drive a fresh new style, whether it's worth it is individual preferences.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I doubt they'll sell very many 430's at all in Japan either way (given the traffic and taxes on cylinders/displacement, etc.) so the impact on sales there with a 350 won't be significant until they have the 450/460.

I agree the V8 will have better low end torque.

LEXTECH

This fall the GS get the new 3.5l and the much needed and anticipated 400hp 4.6l take that Infiniti!! along with the IS.

spwolf

agreed - but nothing was ready - 3.5l GR was first available on Avalon, 3.0L has been on sale in Japan for a year, so it was tested throughly.

I think correct answer was that 3.5L D4 wasnt ready, 4.6 V8 wasnt ready so you got 3.0L GR... which is actually fine engine itself with awesome fuel mileage...

And GS is selling like hot cakes, so apperantly, Lexus was thinking... well.