GS Might Be Replaced With Upscale Mirai

Replace, don't Remove

Rumors surrounding the demise of Lexus' GS sedan have swirled for years now. And truthfully, they make a lot of sense. Passenger car sales are down across the board, and the redesigned ES is already eating into GS sales. But now, All Car News is reporting that the GS won't necessarily go away completely. Instead, it's slated be replaced by a Toyota Mirai-based fuel-cell electric car.

Photos: Toyota  

Making Sense

This news reportedly comes to us straight from a recent Lexus dealer conference and makes a good bit of sense. Toyota recently unveiled its swoopy, stylish new Mirai concept, which also is a hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle. This move would help Lexus inch closer toward electrifying its entire lineup, and would obviously save them a ton of money by sharing an existing platform with the Toyota model.

Photos: Toyota

>>Join the conversation about the GS becoming an upscale hydrogen sedan right here in Club Lexus.

Radical Departure

Heck, Lexus could even retain the GS nameplate for this new model, if they so desired. But the rest of the car would be a radical departure from the current model. The new Mirai uses three hydrogen tanks that provide a 404-mile range, which is 30% more than the outgoing Mirai. Toyota hasn't yet disclosed the output of the car's electric motors, however.

Photos: Toyota

>>Join the conversation about the GS becoming an upscale hydrogen sedan right here in Club Lexus.

Sporty Drive

There is some good news for traditional car enthusiasts, too. The new Mirai is rear-wheel-drive, unlike the outgoing front-wheel-drive model. The car is also longer, wider, and lower than the old one, which should make for a sportier driving experience. One thing's for sure - it certainly looks a lot better than the last Mirai.

Photos: Toyota

>>Join the conversation about the GS becoming an upscale hydrogen sedan right here in Club Lexus.

Lexus Like

One could even argue that the exterior of the Mirai looks far more like a Lexus than your typical Toyota product. All the front and rear end need are some L-shaped headlights and taillights, and we'd be in business. The interior is also quite driver-focused, which is another current Lexus hallmark.

Photos: Toyota

>>Join the conversation about the GS becoming an upscale hydrogen sedan right here in Club Lexus.

Coming Soon?

As of now, the newest Toyota Mirai is set to launch later this year in Japan, North America, and Europe. So if Lexus is going to make a move, you can imagine that it would happen shortly thereafter. And truthfully, unlike a lot of other rumors we've heard lately, this one seems pretty likely to happen.

Photos: Toyota

>>Join the conversation about the GS becoming an upscale hydrogen sedan right here in Club Lexus.

For help with your repair and maintenance projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.