Lexus GS 2012 review: snapshot

A near-death experience has finally breathed some heart and soul into the Lexus GS. The GS came very close to extermination after three unsuccessful attempts with cars that looked best at a retirement home, but now the mid-sized Lexus is genuinely worth considering against a BMW 5 Series or an E-Class Benz.

It has a more macho look, a cabin that's not just a cushy lounge room, and the sort of driving enjoyment that's likely to make the F Sport models a real hit. Lexus still has to overcome buyer resistance when the new GS lands in Australia in April, but provided it can undercut the Germans on price - which means a basic bottom line just below $80,000, well under the $95,000 of the current car. The lineup is based on the GS350 with V6 engine that produces 28 per cent more power in a mid-sized five-passenger cabin, and the GS450h hybrid that also uses a 3.5-litre V6 but with a continuously-variable transmission and Prius-style powertrain.

Value

No-one at Lexus is talking about prices yet, partly because the car is still more than four months from Australian roads and partly because the company does not want to alert its German rivals to its plans. But it's fair to expect a pricing spread from just below $70,000 - for the GS250 that's still to be confirmed for Australia - with $79,990 for the cooking-model GS350 and something around $115,000 for the GS450h.

Explore the 2012 Lexus GS range

• Lexus GS 2012 review: road test
• Lexus GS 2012 review: snapshot
• Lexus GS 2012 review

The bottom line means good value, as a $80,000 sticker will really stick it to BMW and Benz, and there is a lot to like in a list of standard equipment that includes great leather and aircon, brilliant Mark Levinson sound, the usual alloys, and a giant colour display screen in the dash. It's just a pity that the need to please Americans with the world's biggest display has cost the rest of the world an eight-speed automatic gearbox...

The price picture is still pretty muddled, as there is a lot of extra equipment on cars at the world press preview - including night vision, a drive-drowsiness alert, and the optional sports package with rear- wheel steering - but Lexus promises a big effort with the new GS. "We currently sell about seven GSs a month. We're aiming for 50," says Peter Evans, marketing boss at Lexus Australia. And there is room to move. "The two big guys do about 150 a month," Evans says reluctantly.

Technology

Work on the GS has produced a long list of innovations, including what Lexus claims as four world firsts. They are a variable driving mode system, a 3.5-litre V6 engine that uses an Atkinson combustion cycle in the hybrid, a 'stacked' battery pack in the hybrid, and a dynamic rear steering on the hybrid.

The air conditioning even uses 'nanoe' technology to clean, filter and add ions to the air. In Lexus style, the technology changes go on and on, covering everything from powertrain to safety and comfort. There is a lot to like, although it's not always easy to understand. DESIGN: All the noise about the GS is centred on the grille, which takes a new Lexus direction. It's a lot like Darth Vader's helmet and it gives the car a strong presence in traffic which is, sadly, not matched by a tail end that looks more like a Kia.

The cabin, though, is great. The look is upmarket but still a bit youthful, it's good to see an old-school analogue clock in the dash - always a favourite with one-time Ford boss Jac Nasser - and the colour display works a treat. Lexus has also upgraded the materials in the car and that's lifted it away from the so-what look and feel of the previous GS models.

Safety

The four-generation GS is certain to be a five-star ANCAP car and also has the usual suite of safety stuff you expect on an $80,000 car. There are no fewer than 10 airbags, including knee protection, as well as everything up to a blind-spot monitor, tyre pressure monitor, the drowsiness warning and pre-collision safety protection. It will be interesting to see how much of the safety stuff makes it too Australia, and how much is on the starter car, but the GS package includes a lot of Lexus firsts.

Driving

So, it's Strike Two for the Lexus GS. The difference this time - and it's a big one - is that I can see the car. The first time I flew to the USA for some early kilometres in the new Lexus luxurymobile it was like driving with a blindfold. The car was real and almost totally complete, but wrapped in a giant leather sausage to hide it from the world.

This time, I can see the bodywork and the clock in the centre of the dash is revealed. The clock looks pretty nice and the styling is pretty good, for a Lexus. The GS350 is a tidy drive that lifts the mid-sizer away from its tedious roots and up much closer to an E-Class Benz or a 5-Series from BMW. It's not as tasty as the Audi A6 I left behind in Australia, and it's not as tight as the Five, but it's pretty nice. Sliding across to the 450h, the car has plenty of punch and the right sort of green strengths for California. Sadly, although it goes like a V8 it sounds like a golf cart thanks to a CVT transmission that's tuned for efficiency and not much driving enjoyment.

But there is real enjoyment in the F Sport cars, with active rear steering. Lexus has done extra tweaking since my first drive and the result is a car that is surprisingly swift, yet very fluid and easy to drive. The end result, including some drifting fun at a deserted airfield, is one of the most surprising drives of 2011.

The new GS is way, way better than the previous models and a real tribute to the development team that broke it out of death row. It's one of the most impressive cars to wear a Lexus badge and is going to make BMW and Benz buyers think twice in 2012.

Verdict

Still a Lexus, but can be a surprisingly good drive and is loaded with goodies to make life enjoyable.