Mr. Burns

Not in English but more great footage of the 4GS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNVKksfcPi0

B-roll for GS F sport:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZArELEsbfg

LexBob2

Here's a review of the 4GS from Motorweek. It was also on their TV show this week.

http://www.motorweek.org/reviews/roa...3_lexus_gs_350

Mr. Burns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TFcI7505UQ

I disagree with his assessment of the interior, he says it's above BMW and Mercedes but not quite up to par with Audi. Aside from perhaps the aesthetic design, I don't think the Audi interior is all that great.




Audi puts a lot of bright work accents around otherwise ho-hum trim pieces, and it seems to win over a lot of journalists. Even from a design standpoint, the view from the driver's seat in an A6 is not as good as this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B9xvhiSx3A

The shot below is also interesting, and I'd have to agree with the reviewer that the GS does seem like it's missing "something".



It all comes down the the presence this car has on the road in the real world.

Mr. Burns

Another review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNRLQseLTDU

energie8

That Audi interior is ugly as hell, especially the round steering wheel, I do like the pop up nav screen tho. Overall the GS has a way better looking interior.

Motor

http://youtu.be/7skByfBqFOc

It's sort of a review.

TerrySmith

I generally think that BMW has the best looking cars but, in this pix, I think the Lexus looks better than the BMW and a lot better than the MB.

So what's missing? The reviewer did not elaborate. Guess I don't understand the comment.

spwolf

In that video, all 3 cars coming together, GS F-Sport is a lot more agressive looking than both of competitors.

As to the reviewer comment as to "missing something"... different badge (according to his previous comments)? Plus he drove GS350 AWD, which is good car, but it is not F-Sport nor it is GSh, it doesnt have the "wow" factor compared to those two.

As to the Audi, i think everyone remembers Audi interiors a lot better than what they really are :-). Look at those door handles, or steering wheel. Or everything around HVAC... IMHO, it looks way worse on A6 than BMW or Lexus, in terms of quality of materials used.

Mr. Burns

From that pic, the side profile up to the A-pillars of the GS looks great, the paint quality is excellent, the door mounted mirrors are more befitting of a high performance car, the body sculpting is great, the red interior peeking out from the side glass is great, the wheels are excellent etc... It definitely looks like a high quality premium car with a performance edge.

But then you get past the A-pillars to the front of the car and even with the aggressive F-sport bumper to me it looks like something is missing. Maybe it's the lack of fog lights, maybe the headlight design is too bland, or maybe it just needs the tri-LED lights from the hybrid. Either way the Merc and BMW have a bit more bling in that area that I think the GS is missing. Generally I really hate the non-hybrid headlight design, it lets down the entire car.

Photoshop with foglights:

TerrySmith

The only thing I see missing is the front license plate. The fogs certainly help.

I really like the front-end look of the GS. The Mercedes grill design seems dated and boring to me and the BMW seems common.

All subjective-preference stuff, I guess, and I'm no expert on what looks good.

Much as I like the front end of the GS, this one has too much grill for me though others like it.

GS69

1st Test: 2013 Lexus GS 350GS F Sport

Ron Kiino and I were staring at the 2013 Lexus GS 350 F Sport's ferocious "spindle grille" snout prior to its test session at the track, and after a silence, he said in a James Earl Jones baritone: "Luke" -- followed by a heaving exhalation -- "I am your father." That sizzling sound you hear is the F Sport/Lord Vader association being branded onto my brain. No matter what else I might say about this car -- such that its recalibrated 3.5-liter engine offers better mileage, its suspension has been completely overhauled, and there's available active rear steering, adjustable shocks and 0.91 g's of grip -- it's all overshadowed by that menacing mug. Why didn't its grille remind Ron of elegantly folded origami?

The problem is that when a car starts out with a Darth Vader face, what follows it better be able to swing a pretty good lightsaber. And the density of visual misanthropy that follows in this case rapidly dwindles until, by the car's stern, it's as innocent-looking as a Camry. Dynamically, the F Sport -- a package of primarily handling and appearance enhancements -- is a lot more consistent, however.

While the fright mask suggests it's looking to quarrel with a BMW M5, its appropriate eye-to-eye opponent would be the duller-fanged, 300-hp 535i. The GS's upgraded 303-hp engine and paddle-shift six-speed transmission are carried into the F Sport largely unaltered, providing 0-60-mph dashes in 5.5 seconds and delivering 19 city mpg and 28 highway (the latter number is up from 26 mpg).

5-point-5seconds is brisk. But not sizzling. Trust me, though, that this is one of those rev-oriented mills that makes a much better impression on the road than at the dragstrip, despite the absence of a de rigueur seventh gear cog. However, where the GS 350 F Sport really, really clicks is when the asphalt bends. Turn-in is very precise (thank you, rear steer), its stance is firm (particularly in the 'Sport+' suspension setting, though its ride is a bit shaky on the straights), and there's a nice little drift available if you press matters exiting the corner.

Active rear-steering is a rare technological bird, and like its sporadically appearing predecessors, this vehicle aims its rear wheels oppositely than its fronts at lower speeds (here, 50 mph) for sharper cornering, while slightly mirroring the front wheels at higher speeds for increased stability. Lexus says the rear's maximum angle is 2 degrees; we say it's a well-implemented solution, offering noticeable agility without the handling fishiness these things can sometimes invoke. Yet, even without the system (it's an F Sport option), the GS' handling game has clearly been elevated. Both the front and rear tracks have been broadened by about 2 inches; the rear suspension is an all-new multilink affair; larger bushings are employed up front; and the entire suspension is aluminum, lowering unsprung weight. The F Sport package takes this goodness even further with fatter anti-roll bars, stiffer springs, variable-ratio steering, bigger brakes clamped by more aggressive pads, and staggered 19-inch tire sizes - 235/40s up front and 265/35s in back. There's also that variable damping (Sport+ being its apex of aggression), which locks down the car's body motions, though the jiggly ride that ensues is enough to reserve the switch for sporadic amusement only. Sport+ also dials up the throttle's response, but that's completely overwhelmed by its teeth-gritting chassis dynamics. (Have I mentioned the ride enough?)

Other GS 350 pleasantries include its thin, vision-enhancing A-pillars, its rich interior surfaces (ours was detailed with brush aluminum), and a giant, high-resolution 12.3-inch display screen. Because of the screen's extraordinary width, there's enough real estate to show multiple things at once. It typically displays a navigation map on a large portion, and either sound system or climate control info on a smaller one. It's awfully nice not having to flip between screens as is necessary with smaller, conventionally sized units, and its resolution is absolutely crystalline. Beautiful, in fact. Mark my words, in-dash car displays are heading the way of America's living room TVs -- they're going BIG SIZE and HI RES. Another gold star goes to the very supportive seats, which provide a mesmerizing 12 means of adjustment (heavens, a Porsche GT3's seatback can't be raked at all).

Is there a dark side, Luke? No. But maybe some shades of grey. While the F Sport's variable-rate steering enables X-Acto-knife handling sharpness, its light-effort weighting seems mismatched with the F Sport's seriousness and scale. Beefy, menacing car; light, delicate steering. It's like Claude Van Damme with Truman Capote's voice.

Climb into the backseat and you'll find plenty of headroom. Nevertheless, your knees wind up high and your butt low, and worse, the GS' tall, rear-wheel-drive center hump effectively renders it a four-seater, unless your fifth passenger is Yoda-sized. And although the trunk space theoretically has been expanded by 25 percent to a promising 14.3 cubic feet, don't image it as some simple, rectangular cavity. It's badly violated by that wonderful rear suspension, and most effectively filled with lots of smaller suitcases.

But let's walk back to the front end of in car. Behind the grille of the GS 350 F Sport -- after you remove the scary Darth Vader mask -- is a reality its wearer would prefer not to reveal. Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker's father. This F Sport is a large Lexus sedan claiming to burn up backroads like a 5 Series BMW. It does a remarkably good job of it. But it also asks buyers who are naturally in the BMW camp to write a Lexus check. That may not be so easy.

2013 Lexus GS 350 F-Sport
BASE PRICE $53,465
PRICE AS TESTED $56,600
VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
ENGINE 3.5L/306-hp/277-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6
TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3825 lb (52/48%)
WHEELBASE 112.2 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 190.7 x 72.4 x 57.3 in
0-60 MPH 5.5 sec
QUARTER MILE 14.0 sec @ 100.9 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 105 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.91 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.7 sec @ 0.70 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 19/28 mpg
ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY 177/120 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS 0.87 lb/mile

spwolf

pretty good numbers for F-Sport.

GS69

New 2013 Lexus GS

Wooing and winning over significant numbers of upscale-car buyers has been a successful venture for Toyota's premium brand and the latest GS series should literally accelerate this trend despite being down a couple of cylinders.

Why? Well, for one thing the 2013 GS, which is slated for a February debut, is leading Lexus out of the design doldrums where, along with many of its stable mates, the car has been. Nothing overly radical mind you, since the 2013 GS shares a number of physical and mechanical components with its 2012 counterpart, but at both ends the revisions are obvious. The reshaped nosepiece displays a large air intake below the grille with additional side intakes that also serve as fog-light housings. The confluence of shapes and angles at the business end might not rank as an artistic tour de force, but it's certainly character building and that will help you spot the GS in a parking lot.

What will likely go unnoticed is the lack of a V8 option, leaving the GS 350 and the gasoline-electric hybrid GS 450h as the only models. The V8 GS 460 cost an additional $11,400 over and above the GS 350 when it last appeared in Canada for the 2010 model year and was never a big seller. Its relatively poor fuel economy also didn't help.

Replacing the GS 460 is the V6 F Sport that has its own front clip, mesh grille, body trim, 19-inch wheels and variable suspension and steering systems that continuously adjust to road conditions and driver inputs.

The F Sport uses the same carryover 306-horsepower 3.5-litre V6 as the standard GS 350. It's connected to a 6-speed automatic transmission that "blips" the throttle for smoother downshifts (called rev matching). Compared to the GS 350, the F Sport adds a level to the standard driverselectable operating mode that firms up the suspension and sharpens the steering.

It might have a V6, but the GS 350 is hardly slow. It can scoot to 100 km-h from zero in a Lexus-reported 6.3 seconds, which is a tick more than the 2nd-generation GS 450h that arrives later in the 2012 model year. That model should be the undisputed hot rod in the bunch. What V8?

On the surface it appears that the hybrid's 3.5-litre V6 with 338 net combined horsepower is also a carryover, but Lexus claims the powertrain's overall fuel-consumption, previously pegged at 8.7 l/100 km city and 7.8 highway, will be reduced by about 30 per cent.

Among other technologies, the V6 has been updated with direct fuel injection whereby gasoline is more accurately metered directly into the combustion chambers. This allows for a very lean mixture during highway driving and coasting. Premium fuel is required for all models, hybrid or otherwise.

The electric motor, which operates in tandem with the gas engine or all by itself depending on the load, speed and available battery power, has reduced friction and updated electronics. It puts out as much as 200 horsepower. The transmission is a continuously variable unit.

The battery pack has also been reconfigured to take up less room behind the rear seat. Lexus claims truck space has increased by 25 per cent. Interestingly, the batteries are not of the newstyle lithium-ion type but rather the standard nickel-metal-hydride design.

More trunk space is good news for luggage-toting GS 450h travelers who, along with their GS 350 counterparts will also appreciate the newly redecorated and more spacious cabin. There's also an improved climate-control system and greater occupant protection with 10 standard airbags.

The GS 350 clocks in at about 1,725 kilograms with the hybrid toting around another 180 kilograms of tech and it's important to note that both the F Sport and the GS 450h are only offered as rear-wheel-drivers. It's optional for the GS 350.

The starting-point GS 350 rings in at stout $54,000, including destination costs, which is about the same as the outgoing model, while the F Sport will likely sticker in the vicinity of $61,500, while he hybrid is estimated in the mid-$70,000 range to start.

That's a lot of cabbage, but this is still life in the fast lane with the GS well within sight of other luxury competitors and their 6-cylinder offerings.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW 2013 LEXUS GS

Type 4-door,rear-/all-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Engines (hp) 3.5-litre DOHC V6 (306); 3.5-litre DOHC V6/electric motor (338, net)

Transmissions 6-speed automatic; continuously variable (GS 450h)

Market position As with its German counterparts, the GS is staking is future on V6 engine development as it moves away from what was its bread-and-butter V8. This should not be problematic as V6 performance continues to increase.

Points - Pinched front styling is distinctive; awfully large lower grille opening. - F Sport model a timely idea, but a power upgrade is expected for the extra tariff. - Upgraded interior marred only by too-tiny audio controls. - Suspension improvements should make GS more appealing, but they were great before.- City economy for the GS 450h hybrid is a giant leap over outgoing model.

Safety Front airbags; front-and rear-side-impact airbags; side-curtain airbags; front knee airbags; anti-lock brakes; traction control; stability control.

L/100 km (city/hwy): 11.3/7.8 (RWD, est.) Base price (incl. destination): $53,850 (GS 350)

BY COMPARISON

Audi S4

Base price: $54,500 Sporty AWD four-door with supercharged 333-hp V6 is quick to 100 km-h

Hyundai Genesis

Base price: $41,800 For an extra $13,500, this sassy sedan can be had with a 429-horse V8.

Infiniti M37

Base price: $54,350 Roomy rear-or all-wheeldrive sedan also offers. 360-hp hybrid option.

gcam77

I think the fact that the MB and BMW are black it makes the chrome accents and headlights pop out a bit more at you than the grey GS.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

LA Times: 2013 Lexus GS 350's passion found in its performance, not looks

The luxury sedan moves the emotion needle from a driving standpoint, but its new design falls short of the car maker's ambitions.

Whole review here: http://www.latimes.com/business/auto...tory?track=rss