Rockville

allocation arriving into port on August 24th and 27th. It's only a couple of cars but it means the long wait is over. I don't expect to see any real time traffic except if tuning in to XM Radio in those cities that are covered. The first LS460's are due on October 21st and our Taste of Luxury tour will be in town at FEDEX field on Oct. 9th,10th, and 11th. I can't wait for that.

That's all for now...

Rock

Trexus

Thanks for letting us know Rock. I look forward to the new GS 350...

rominl

iTrader: (4)

so the ls460 will be at taste of luxury? this is confusing

Rockville

will focus on the LS460 and LS460L with the GS450h also making an appearance. The tour begins in Chicago then visits DC and then goes to NYC. The dates I mentioned are for the dealership associates so I'm not sure when or if there will be weekend dates for consumers but that is usually how they set it up. The guys in Chicago will have first crack at the LS460's but I'll try to post a review Oct 10th anyway. The Taste of Luxury tour will go to California in November.

The West coast should be getting the GS350's in before we do so work your factory sources to alert you to the new arrivals. They may synchronize the first deliveries also but ours make the longest trip and they start coming into port on August 24th. If the performance of the GS350 in any way resembles the IS350 this car will make many of you smile. For those in the North the AWD will be a bonus too.

Rock

rominl

iTrader: (4)

interesting. but it's weird coz' it seems like taste of luxury is going to start in socal in the middle of sept, and all the way till nov? that's why i was wondering coz' if the ls460 doesn't come until oct (which seems to be the case), then that means half the tour will have ls460 and half don't?! that sux

XeroK00L

Not necessarily, rominl. Relax. Remember the TOL last year featuring the New IS when it hadn't even gone on sale? The same could very well happen to the New LS this year. After all, Lexus will need only a few samples of the New LS for people to test drive at the event. They don't need to prepare hundreds of them so that people can buy and drive them home right from the event.

Rockville

starts before the release date of the LS460 which is October 20th here in the Eastern. The tour may be the only venue to see the GS450h. I hope it will be included in the driving course. The tour has its own set of cars to maintain and drive. Five days of driving by eager associates and possibly consumers in Chicago will put some track time on the LS460's before we get to play with them.

The pricing of the 2007 GS350's has been restructured. The base price has increased $1,250. The MV option which is the Mark Levinson/Navigation has been reduced by $400 to $3,630. Some GS350's will be built with a stand alone Navigation option at $1,850. Lexus Link will be offerred for $900. The moonroof is missing from the pricelist so that may account for $1,000 of the baseprice increase by making it standard. For areas that get RWD GS350's there will be an 18" upgrade for $1,270 with all-season runflats and no spare. For $1,350 you can have the spare included. A Summer conventional tire w/spare in 18's and spare will option for $950. Overall pricing is similar or less than the GS300's. Builds will vary by region and availability of option components. Pre-Collision with Radar adaptive cruise is $2,850. Adaptive front lighting and rain sensing wipers and headlamp washers are $525. Power rear sunshade is $210. Ventilated Seats are $200. Park assist is $500. These are identical to the GS300's pricing.

A favorite subject is Colors. Chardonnay and Quartz Shadow are Special order only here in the Eastern region until they run out of remaining paint I guess. The perennial Black Onyx will be replaced by Obsidian Black across the model line soon. Smokey Granite replaces Flint Mica in '07. Starfire Pearl replaces Crystal White. Verdigris Mica should be a dark green. Black Sapphire replaces Blue Onyx. Most of the new colors were previously announced for the LS460. The ES350 will be getting the new Starfire Pearl, Obsidian Black, and Black Sapphire also. I have noticed a trend towards offering White exterior with Black leather. In the Eastern region about half of the initial build will have a Black interior. Cashmere will be next and Ash just a little over 10% on the first production order.

Rock

rominl

iTrader: (4)

nice info there rock. i am glad to see that the price isn't changed much at all (especially if sunroof is now "standard"), and the fact that ml / nav option gets a bit cheaper, that's only going to help more!!!

and last yr the taste of luxury started before the launch of 2is? can't remember that, mostly coz' the events in cali were in the end and the 2is were everywhere already.

oh well we will see how it goes. it's almost mid aug already (3 - 4 weeks from the taste of luxury start) and still no email or anything about it....

GStateOM

Will be interesting how fast the GS460 is. Will it be faster (1/4 wise) than GS450h? Whether it is faster than the 450h or not, how far apart will they in performance?

If it is faster than the 450h, then it could be the fastest sedan in it's class again, and that hasn't happened since what, 1998? If the heavier LS460 can get 0-60 in "less than 5.5 seconds" and if the GS460 is faster than the 450h (5.3 sec), then it may very well be the fastest in it's class, meaning against the E550, 550i, M45. And most of those cars have been tested for around mid 13 1/4 mile runs. Exciting times indeed for Lexus. Maybe we'll celebrate like it's 1998 again

One thing I am concern about is the pricing on the GS460. If it is within the range of a base LS460, I might just go for that because the LS looks great. But I hope it isn't too close because I want to stay in the GS family.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

my guess is it will be faster than a IS350, it may weigh more but nothing another 80 hp and 100 ft lbs cant take care of. I'm guessing 5.0 or possibly lower, with the GS350 being around 5.6-5.7

jrock65

I think it'll be neck and neck with the E550. Edmunds tested the E550 at 5.2s, which means that C&D can probably get it to like 4.9s.

We all know that Edmunds tests are always on the slow side. I mean, they clocked the IS350 at 6.0s.

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpconta...6/pageNumber=2

Rockville

will go zero-60 for best in class time of 5.7 seconds ( a full second improvement from the GS300). Good guess. They have already listed the 600hL at 4.9 so the GS460 should be close to 5 seconds or less. I think it has to better the GS450h at 5.2 seconds inorder to justify its existence, right? The GS430 is a lame duck special order only for '07.

Rock

CrazyMPG

iTrader: (4)

well to justify a GS460 if it is about the same as a GS450h is probably going to be that some ppl will like the roar of a V8 and some don't really seem confident of a hybrid...plus since it is going to be a n/a car...most likely a lot more opportunities of tinkering the car instead of a gs450h cuz of the hybrid warranty and all that...since a LS600hl gets 4.9...which is crazy...but isn't the LS600hl supposed to be equivalent to a V12 car?...so how could a GS460 that has the same engine minus the hybrid engine get faster than that?...but also just wondering...do ppl actually feel the difference in driving a car that can go 0-60 in 5.0 sec or 5.2 or 5.3?...heh...

gaspowered

Here is what I was sent by a Dallas dealer
I wanted you to be the first person to know about the GS 350.
We just received preliminary information about the changes for '07.
The 350 motor is going to make it to where Lexus has to do something with the V8.
Here are the updates.

GS 430/350

. 3.5L V6 engine adopted
306hp
. 18�h wheels optional on GS 350 (RWD model)
. High-mu brakes (same as GS 430)
. Shark fin antenna
. Occupant sensor for front passenger seat
. Gen 5 navigation (optional)
. Active Stabilizer (optional on V8)
. Lexus Link (optional)
. VDIM cutoff switch for V8 model
. Rear seat side airbags
. Exterior Color Changes
(077) Starfire Pearl replaces (062) Crystal White
(212) Obsidian replaces (202) Black Onyx
(8U0) Black Sapphire replaces (8P4) Indigo Ink Pearl
(1GO) Smoky Granite Mica replaces (1E0) Flint Mica
(6V0) Verdigris Mica replaces (6T7) Cypress Pearl
I have a Black with Black and I believe a Silver and Black scheduled to be here at the end of the month.
Let me know if you are interested.

Rockville

Indigo Ink wasn't offerred in the '06 but the Blue Onyx is being shelved for the Black Sapphire.