I dont think you will see the full 306hp is the GS350. More like 268hp

 

I sure hope you are wrong Anyway, it sounds like you think it will have the 268HP engine that the Avelon and new V6 Rav 4 has. This is a posibility but those engines are not Direct Injection. The current GS300 already uses Direct Injection, so I would assume the new GS350 will also utilize this techology. Hopefully that is the case and if so, that probably is the IS350 engine. Even if they retune the engine with less HP and more torque to match the slightly heavier GS, I believe it will still be more powerful than the 268HP non DI Avelon engine. At the bare minimum I'd say it gets 280HP or more. Somewhere someone supposedly confirmed that the Japan GS350 is indeed using the IS350 engine, but I personally can't confirm that.

 

Going from this pic on the Japanese Lexus site:


The GS350 (already available in Japan) has 315ps. 1ps = 0.9863201 hp so 315ps = 311hp.

I cannot see why Lexus would detune this car for the US market.

 

Anyone hear what transmission will be available for the GS350. Will the GS350 and GS460 get the
8 speed automatic recently announced for the LS460?

 

Makes sense. With the ES350 and RX350 coming this year, it would have been weird for the GS V6 to have less power than them.

"GS350" has been trademarked by Toyota since 11/17/04, so it's time already.

I think it'll have the exact same 306/277 rating as the IS350.

It should be the fastest in class, at least until the others decide to boost their power.

 

When exactly will Lexus release official information ( features, photos, specs, etc. ) on the 2007 GS 350 and 460? I can't wait for this car.

 

Another question is, will the GS350 get VDIM like the IS350, or will it stick with VSC?

 

Will the GS350 have the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel like in the IS series? If it does, that will make me want to get one for sure.

 

Ditto here!

BTW, I am dreaming about a useful shifting feature: using the padel shifter to "hint" a downshift. This is how it will work: your shift into "D" and your car drives exactly like an automatic. But when you need extra power, instead of flooring the gas padel to force an down shift which might waste you a second or more, you hit the left padel to "hint" the car to downshift. And it downshifts immediately.

Wouldn't this "hinted-automatic" feature be kind of fun? Any car has it?

 

If there not on the Japanese GS350, I wouldn't expect this option in the States. Too bad, the paddle shifters on the 2nd gen GS were fun to use.

 

Now I'm happy that my lease on my 02 GS is over in June!! Good thing I waited and didnt bite the December to remember event. Now will they go below sticker on the 350????

 

The new GS450h will make the GS430 obsolete at a slightly higher price. It will have VDIM etc. I am hearing 335 HP with the new dual stage electronic continuously variable transmission. It should have great passing power whenever it's called upon. The GS350 in Japan is rated at a higher horsepower anyway so I wouldn't expect to see more than 306 that is available in the IS350 US Spec. The GS450h is a rear wheel drive and the GS350 will offer an AWD and RWD. It will use the 6 speed that is a direct descendant of the LS430 transmission. The big question now is whether or not there will be a need for the GS460 in the future. Lexus has paused production on all but special orders of the GS430 already. We are having difficulty filling orders. This of course creates a vacuum that the GS450h can fill in April. I would expect the GS350 to make it here by August or September. Lexus has stated that there will be 7 new model introductions in the next 15 months. RX350, GS450h, ES350, GS350, LS460 & LS460L would make six. The AWD LS600h could be the seventh or a new JX470 Sport Ute. The IS coupe convertible should be on deck and then of course the production version of the LF-A would garner a lot of press.....I am not seeing a GS460 clearly in my crystal ball....

Rock

 

I can see Lexus slowing production of the GS 430, they have done this with the last gen, smart move, instead of having tons of cars sitting on dealer lots, you just sell less of them.

If they DO NOT offer a V-8 GS, I will SWIM TO JAPAN AND SLAP THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF THOSE THAT MADE THAT RIDICULOUS DECISION!

Needless 2 say, after they read my post here, they will make a GS 460 with near 400hp as I have predicted.

Thanks for the help again Rockville!

 

I don't see how Lexus could bring the GS 350 to the states, and still think that they would sell any GS 430s. The people opting for the V8 are those that care about power, and when they look and see that the lighter, more fuel efficient V6 car makes MORE POWER, I've got a feeling that the 430s will be firmly planted on dealer lots. It simply doesn't make sense...they'd be better off to stop making it all together and just sell the GS 350 and GS 450h, and not having a V8 in this segment would be a very Acura-esque thing to do, read : FAILURE. They already have the "GS 460" name trademarked anyway.

So I guess the final lineup will be ~306HP GS 350, ~335HP GS 450h, ~380HP GS 460?

 

I will be disappointed if Lexus drops the V8 from it's "sport luxury" lineup. In all honesty, although the technology is cool, I'd gladly take a GS460 over the GS450H...there's just something intoxicating about the V8.