New GS Launch in Hong Kong
#18
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With that said, will Crown Motors allow you to change into something better or sportier???
this?
LOL Lexus HK loves Ocean Terminal TST (they must worship it like it's their mosque for their new car launches). The RX270 was launched there, same with LS600 hl and so on. Heck, back in 2009, my first personal encounter with a Lexus was there with the 3rd gen GS (GS300)
But on the other hand, you guys should be thankful that you don't have ERP like what is implemented in Singapore
Although
LegCo wanted to push through with it...........but it didn't get approved:
Electronic Road Pricing - Hong Kong (電子道路收費系統)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro...28Hong_Kong%29
Although
LegCo wanted to push through with it...........but it didn't get approved:
Electronic Road Pricing - Hong Kong (電子道路收費系統)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro...28Hong_Kong%29
Anyways, hope you get to try out the 4th gen Lexus GS soon. I think it's an improvement (at least 90%) over the 3GS imho so that's good at very least.
Oh and the GS350 imho is fast enough for Hong Kong streets. heck, maybe GS250 might do as well with more than enough power that is wasted during rush hour traffic over at Cross Harbour Tunnel (香港海底隧道)
Oh and the GS350 imho is fast enough for Hong Kong streets. heck, maybe GS250 might do as well with more than enough power that is wasted during rush hour traffic over at Cross Harbour Tunnel (香港海底隧道)
That said, I expect the 350 to be more than sufficient. Not so sure about the 250- I hear complaints about the IS250 (the only IS offered here) being underpowered even for HK roads and this a bigger and heavier car.
Lovely pics!
Hong Kong and Macau taxes lower than the ones applied in mainland China. Here in Shanghai LS600hL MSRP price tag is 2kk CNY which is almost 320k USD
Good news is that hybrid and electrical vehicles are getting free loans to reduce our local polution. I believe miandland China is getting the whole line-up as well, that's awesome!
Hong Kong and Macau taxes lower than the ones applied in mainland China. Here in Shanghai LS600hL MSRP price tag is 2kk CNY which is almost 320k USD
Good news is that hybrid and electrical vehicles are getting free loans to reduce our local polution. I believe miandland China is getting the whole line-up as well, that's awesome!
How much is the reduction in pricing for environmentally friendly vehicles? We have a similar scheme here although a $50,000 tax reduction isn't all that much when the car is forty times that.
#19
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I went by the dealer a few hours ago.
-Four models currently available: GS 250 'Luxury', GS 250 'Ultimate', GS 250 'F-Sport', GS 350 'F-Sport' and GS 350 'Ultimate'.
'Base' model (GS 250 Luxury) features:
.8" screen with Navigation & Remote Touch
.backup camera
.Intuitive Park Assist
.Bluetooth
.12-speaker stereo
.USB/AUX input
.multifunction steering wheel
.ventilated 10-way front seats with driver's seat memory
.dual zone climate control with S-Flow
.SmartAccess with push start
.LED DRLs, HID headlamps with washers and auto-leveling
.power sunroof
.LED interior lighting
.10 airbags, VDIM, HAC, cruise control, etc
.17" wheels
GS 250 / 350 'F-Sport' adds on top of Luxury:
.F-Sport bodywork
.16-way F-Sport heated/ventilated seats
.F-Sport aluminum trim
.F-Sport steering wheel with paddle shifters
.Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS)
.HUD
.AFS headlights with auto high beam
.power rear sunshade
.power folding mirrors
.19" wheels
Ultimate trim adds on top of Luxury (on both 250 & 350):
.12.3" screen
.HUD
.Mark Levinson 17-speaker audio system
.tri-zone climate control with Nano-e technology
.rear seat audio/climate controls (not a rear seat entertainment system as the brochure would suggest- it's just a little OLED screen with buttons in the rear center console a la LS)
.Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS)
.AFS headlights with auto high beam
.'premium analogue clock' with LED markings
.rear heated seats
.power trunk lid
.heated 18-way seats with semi-aniline leather
.power rear sunshade & manual rear side shades
.power folding mirrors
.18" wheels
You can't have your cake and eat it too it seems- there's no F-Sport model with the larger screen and other gadgets. Similar story with the CT and IS here- if you want F-Sport, you can't have nav, and vice-versa.
Pricing is not available for the F-Sport models, or at least it's not listed on the pricing sheet- I'll ask next week when I'm back for a test drive.
GS 250 Luxury : 559,900
GS 250 Ultimate: 679,900
GS 350 Ultimate: 796,800
(Hong Kong dollars)
Steep increase. For reference the (3) GS 350 Ultimate in 2010 was around $600,000 and the 450h was around $700,000.
Did not ask about custom order but it's probably not possible, though I'll ask next week.
Thoughts:
.The base model has no heated seats but ventilated seats are standard. Usually it's the other way around, but I guess it makes sense- more use for vented seats in humid & hot Hong Kong than for heated seats.
.Navigation is standard on all models, even with just the 8" screen
.Build quality is nothing short of outstanding, it felt much better inside compared to my 3GS
.Looks like we get power folding mirrors. Is it true that it's not available in the US, period?
.Why is the HUD still black and white... BMW had a color HUD back in 2005 fitted to the M5
.No radar cruise/PCS/blind spot options, though something called 'electric comfort cruise control' is standard on all models
.Useless LED interior lighting that was on the 3GS has been replaced with much brighter and much more useful LEDs. Not sure if it was just me and the black interior but the 3GS LEDs looked bluish and were extremely dim- I hated those. These lights are much more pleasant and way brighter.
.'Lexus Premium Sound System' (the stock stereo, not ML) that was fitted to my 3GS was awful. Based on my 5-minute listen to the ML stereo this is much better, on par with the LS's ML system
.Still don't like the weird rear door design. I know it's a design carryover from the 3GS and I was hoping it would look better in person, but it still looked like the designer sneezed when he got to that area and forgot his eraser at home
.No telematics (Enform) as no infrastructure for such a system
.No AWD, not that there's any use for that in Hong Kong
-Four models currently available: GS 250 'Luxury', GS 250 'Ultimate', GS 250 'F-Sport', GS 350 'F-Sport' and GS 350 'Ultimate'.
'Base' model (GS 250 Luxury) features:
.8" screen with Navigation & Remote Touch
.backup camera
.Intuitive Park Assist
.Bluetooth
.12-speaker stereo
.USB/AUX input
.multifunction steering wheel
.ventilated 10-way front seats with driver's seat memory
.dual zone climate control with S-Flow
.SmartAccess with push start
.LED DRLs, HID headlamps with washers and auto-leveling
.power sunroof
.LED interior lighting
.10 airbags, VDIM, HAC, cruise control, etc
.17" wheels
GS 250 / 350 'F-Sport' adds on top of Luxury:
.F-Sport bodywork
.16-way F-Sport heated/ventilated seats
.F-Sport aluminum trim
.F-Sport steering wheel with paddle shifters
.Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS)
.HUD
.AFS headlights with auto high beam
.power rear sunshade
.power folding mirrors
.19" wheels
Ultimate trim adds on top of Luxury (on both 250 & 350):
.12.3" screen
.HUD
.Mark Levinson 17-speaker audio system
.tri-zone climate control with Nano-e technology
.rear seat audio/climate controls (not a rear seat entertainment system as the brochure would suggest- it's just a little OLED screen with buttons in the rear center console a la LS)
.Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS)
.AFS headlights with auto high beam
.'premium analogue clock' with LED markings
.rear heated seats
.power trunk lid
.heated 18-way seats with semi-aniline leather
.power rear sunshade & manual rear side shades
.power folding mirrors
.18" wheels
You can't have your cake and eat it too it seems- there's no F-Sport model with the larger screen and other gadgets. Similar story with the CT and IS here- if you want F-Sport, you can't have nav, and vice-versa.
Pricing is not available for the F-Sport models, or at least it's not listed on the pricing sheet- I'll ask next week when I'm back for a test drive.
GS 250 Luxury : 559,900
GS 250 Ultimate: 679,900
GS 350 Ultimate: 796,800
(Hong Kong dollars)
Steep increase. For reference the (3) GS 350 Ultimate in 2010 was around $600,000 and the 450h was around $700,000.
Did not ask about custom order but it's probably not possible, though I'll ask next week.
Thoughts:
.The base model has no heated seats but ventilated seats are standard. Usually it's the other way around, but I guess it makes sense- more use for vented seats in humid & hot Hong Kong than for heated seats.
.Navigation is standard on all models, even with just the 8" screen
.Build quality is nothing short of outstanding, it felt much better inside compared to my 3GS
.Looks like we get power folding mirrors. Is it true that it's not available in the US, period?
.Why is the HUD still black and white... BMW had a color HUD back in 2005 fitted to the M5
.No radar cruise/PCS/blind spot options, though something called 'electric comfort cruise control' is standard on all models
.Useless LED interior lighting that was on the 3GS has been replaced with much brighter and much more useful LEDs. Not sure if it was just me and the black interior but the 3GS LEDs looked bluish and were extremely dim- I hated those. These lights are much more pleasant and way brighter.
.'Lexus Premium Sound System' (the stock stereo, not ML) that was fitted to my 3GS was awful. Based on my 5-minute listen to the ML stereo this is much better, on par with the LS's ML system
.Still don't like the weird rear door design. I know it's a design carryover from the 3GS and I was hoping it would look better in person, but it still looked like the designer sneezed when he got to that area and forgot his eraser at home
.No telematics (Enform) as no infrastructure for such a system
.No AWD, not that there's any use for that in Hong Kong
#20
did you have same options included into ultimate before? That all looks like more equipment than both base and top spec in Europe, our top spec always had optional navigation/ml and sunroof, which basically added almost 10% to the price :-)
#21
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In the last year of 3GS production there were two models- 'Luxury' and 'Ultimate'.
Luxury had basically every feature available fitted (except for nav, ML & radar cruise/PCS), and Ultimate added navigation.
Not too sure about previous years since I was only interested in the IS prior to 2010.
Forgot to add- delivery begins mid-March with plenty of in-stock (or arriving soon) models.
The 535i costs the same as the GS 350.
528 and 530 are both more powerful than the GS 250 yet cost the same as the Luxury model.
WAY more features on the Lexus though- even heated seats are optional here.
BMW is seen here as a more premium marque than Lexus though, so it remains to be seen how sales will be.
Luxury had basically every feature available fitted (except for nav, ML & radar cruise/PCS), and Ultimate added navigation.
Not too sure about previous years since I was only interested in the IS prior to 2010.
Forgot to add- delivery begins mid-March with plenty of in-stock (or arriving soon) models.
The 535i costs the same as the GS 350.
528 and 530 are both more powerful than the GS 250 yet cost the same as the Luxury model.
WAY more features on the Lexus though- even heated seats are optional here.
BMW is seen here as a more premium marque than Lexus though, so it remains to be seen how sales will be.
#22
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Pictures.
Ultimate.
Luxury.
Ultimate model wheels. Looked slightly better in person, but still terrible.
Luxury model wheels. They're a bit small, but I'd still take these over the ones above- they look slightly better and probably ride better.
Not sure if anyone's seen nav on the 8" screen (it seems that the 12.3" screen is linked to nav in other markets?) but here you go. They should have had a different dash piece for the 8" equipped models though- this looked awful with all the plastic shrouds around it.
I still don't know what type of wheels come on F-Sport models. Hopefully it's this:
Ultimate.
Luxury.
Ultimate model wheels. Looked slightly better in person, but still terrible.
Luxury model wheels. They're a bit small, but I'd still take these over the ones above- they look slightly better and probably ride better.
Not sure if anyone's seen nav on the 8" screen (it seems that the 12.3" screen is linked to nav in other markets?) but here you go. They should have had a different dash piece for the 8" equipped models though- this looked awful with all the plastic shrouds around it.
I still don't know what type of wheels come on F-Sport models. Hopefully it's this:
#23
Pole Position
So there were no F-sport on display? And is there an option for RWS(Rear Wheel Steering)?
#24
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The brochure shows the Ultimate model wheels in a gunmetal color- that is probably the F-Sport wheel unfortunately.
No rear wheel steering available.
Anyone know what 'electric comfort cruise control' is? It isn't radar cruise- the button for that isn't on the steering wheel - I'm guessing it's regular cruise control that can brake for you when going downhill to maintain your set speed?
#25
Lead Lap
Ultimate wheels look like a carry-over from the 2008 Avalon that we used to have.
#27
No F-Sport on display (there was a GS 250 Luxury, an Ultimate and a GS 350 Ultimate). I have one booked for a test drive next week though.
The brochure shows the Ultimate model wheels in a gunmetal color- that is probably the F-Sport wheel unfortunately.
No rear wheel steering available.
Anyone know what 'electric comfort cruise control' is? It isn't radar cruise- the button for that isn't on the steering wheel - I'm guessing it's regular cruise control that can brake for you when going downhill to maintain your set speed?
The brochure shows the Ultimate model wheels in a gunmetal color- that is probably the F-Sport wheel unfortunately.
No rear wheel steering available.
Anyone know what 'electric comfort cruise control' is? It isn't radar cruise- the button for that isn't on the steering wheel - I'm guessing it's regular cruise control that can brake for you when going downhill to maintain your set speed?
#28
Lexus Champion
Agreed
I'd rather pick this
Instead of
Those tuning fork wheels are disgusting eyesores.
Anyways
Not sure if anyone's seen nav on the 8" screen (it seems that the 12.3" screen is linked to nav in other markets?) but here you go. They should have had a different dash piece for the 8" equipped models though- this looked awful with all the plastic shrouds around it.
Ah so that's how the 8 inch screen looks like. It looks quite good. granted, it's still a notch below the awesomeness of the 12 inch screen.................but nevertheless, this should be fine imho.
I hope so............but it might be unlikely. In the event of such though, dealership must have the obligation to at least carry those 19 inchers that other countries get (if not for free, then at least as a cost option).
I'd rather pick this
Instead of
Anyways
Not sure if anyone's seen nav on the 8" screen (it seems that the 12.3" screen is linked to nav in other markets?) but here you go. They should have had a different dash piece for the 8" equipped models though- this looked awful with all the plastic shrouds around it.
I still don't know what type of wheels come on F-Sport models. Hopefully it's this:
#29
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Thanks guys- if anyone has any specific questions about options or features on Hong Kong spec models fire away and I'll be sure to ask next week
Same size as in my LS but it felt smaller... probably because of the horrible black plastic shrouds surrounding the display. It's not that clear in the images but it looks out of place. They should have had a different dash design with a smaller hump for the 8" equipped models.
At least it's a color screen- did not buy the RX back in 2010 because it had no color screen available with no clear option to fit an aftermarket screen. Went for the GS instead Not sure why nav was available on the GS but not the RX back then. Nowadays nav is standard on all models with the exception of the IS and CT.
Yeah, the F-sport probably has the 'tuning fork' wheels (haha) but finished in gunmetal gray.
Not sure what you mean by the dealer having the obligation to carry the other wheels?
At least it's a color screen- did not buy the RX back in 2010 because it had no color screen available with no clear option to fit an aftermarket screen. Went for the GS instead Not sure why nav was available on the GS but not the RX back then. Nowadays nav is standard on all models with the exception of the IS and CT.
I hope so............but it might be unlikely. In the event of such though, dealership must have the obligation to at least carry those 19 inchers that other countries get (if not for free, then at least as a cost option).
Not sure what you mean by the dealer having the obligation to carry the other wheels?
Last edited by yamanote; 02-27-12 at 08:35 AM.
#30
i am sure his dealer will be happy to order him those 19" wheel, at some gigantic price, as usual :-).
Our Lexus upgrade wheel prices here in Europe are 5x more expensive than in US.
Our Lexus upgrade wheel prices here in Europe are 5x more expensive than in US.