2008 Lexus GS460 Reviews

If Lexus is synonymous with anything it is refinement. Nobody to blame but themselves for that one. Ever since the first Lexus emerged from the back door of the Toyota garage, determined to make its own way in the world the key performance target is `how quiet can we be'.The measure of how good the NVH boys at Lexus really are is in the level of criticism the badge receives for isolating the driver from the rest of the environment. At the pinnacle of that refinement evolution is the super-smooth LS460. Drifting along in its own little cocoon of silence, the LS is the current ultimate expression of no-fuss motoring. A little pricey for the average buyer, but what price such peace and quiet.Trouble is, as Lexus has found, not everybody wants to experience the world from behind layers of laminated glass and sound-deadening foam.For those with only moderately large budgets, Lexus offers the rather more sporty IS range. But what about those who like the idea of luxury — and have the budget to indulge it — but also feel the need for just a little bit of the `rough'. For those particular few there is the GS range, or — to be more precise — the GS460.The range-topper in the latest generation of GS cars has picked up much of what makes the LS a segment-leader but in a guise that promises a more visceral experience.It snorts and snarls a little more than would be acceptable for an LS, hunkers down a little more and transmits a little more of what is going on outside the cabin. But don't be fooled. It's no sporting hero, rather it's a gentleman athlete, and paradoxically, not quite the athlete the LS is. It is what it misses out on in coming to market some $50,000 more affordable — cheaper doesn't seem the right expression — that defines the GS460's ultimate athleticism.While it gets the same 4.6-litre V8 coupled to the same breakthrough eight-speed gearbox packaging the engine into the different body has taken a toll. The need for a different manifold and exhaust has stripped the GS460 of a degree of punch. Power is down 25kW while the torque has been trimmed by 33Nm over the 493Nm in the LS. The upshot is that despite less weight and a more aggressive nature, the GS is a touch less “sporty” than big brother in the Savile Row suit.While the GS can put the 0-100km/h sprint behind in a none-too-tardy 5.8 seconds, the LS can get to the same mark in 5.7s with even less fuss.Punch the GS along and the impression belies the raw figures. The car feels a little more lively, a touch more engaging than the LS.On its variable suspension the GS rides with either a comfortable firmness or a broken-surface absorbing plushness. The sportier ride actually suits the feel of the car better but neither is unpleasant.As with the LS the steering is light and less communicative than a true sports car, yet the car turns in nicely and the suspension does a grand job in controlling the considerable weight shifts at play during enthusiastic pedaling. A switchable stability control takes care of those moments when ambition overtakes ability but such is the giving nature of the system that there is little reason to turn it off outside a track environment.The classy sportsman theme continues inside the cabin, with an oddly pleasing mix of brushed aluminium and wood trim. A soft blue glow from the instrument panel is both easy on the eyes and easy to read. Lexus claims the system to be unique, relying on variable-transparency glass to minimise reflections from the gauge faces and help optimise visibility in all lighting conditions.The GS shares the wonderful Mark Levinson 14-speaker sound system from the LS along with a new arrangement of audio and telephone controls on the steering wheel.The GS460 also features 10 airbags, dual-zone climate control with pollen filter, heated and ventilated front seats with 10-way power adjustment, one-touch power windows, smart entry and start (keyless), Bluetooth mobile phone capability, rear-view camera with eight parking sensors, power moonroof, and active cruise control.The GS460 is an interesting exercise in maximising pioneering and expensive engineering. It takes much of what makes the LS an impressive unit and repackages it to embrace a small but well-heeled segment not ready to shake off the last vestiges of youth — yet not young and foolish enough to want to spend more time than necessary being uncomfortable. 

And one could say the same about removing a $134,900 luxury car from the comfort of North Shore roads or the stretching highways in-between weekend getaways and relocating it to, of all places, a race track.But last week I hit Eastern Creek Raceway in the graceful new Lexus GS 460, as the first Australian journo to drive one.And I was pleasantly surprised to find it quickly adapted to what initially seemed to be a foreign setting. Underneath the cover of elegance and prestige, otherwise known as the body, sits a refined 4.6-litre V8. The 460 supersedes the previous GS 430, adding an extra 300 cubic centimetres to the mix. This means the face-lifted GS is able to extract an extra 47kW and 43Nm of torque from the engine, with a textbook impressive 255kW of power and 460Nm of torque.The figures alone are enough to get you reasonably excited meeting those V8 performance expectations. But with its quiet nature and more conservative appearance, I didn't expect it to be as poised and enjoyable as it proved to be.On arrival at the track, I quickly donned a helmet and jumped in the passenger seat as my instructor for the day, four-times Australian champion and racing veteran of 20 years, John Bowe, showed me the ins and outs of the track.From the passenger seat, it was a smooth ride all the way as Bowe threw it quickly into the corners and hit even quicker speeds on the straight. Then it came my turn to play. Planting my foot showed the acceleration was quick to react, its official zero to 100km/h time reading 5.8 seconds. Hitting the straight, and with some encouragement from my co-pilot, it wasn't long before I was up to 200km/h, the GS 460 reacting in a controlled but thrilling way.The well-mannered Lexus followed demands into each turn and came out of them without a hitch — very agile around the bends. Most of the power hits at 6400rpm and it doesn't take long for the revs to rise.Looking at the car, and even when gliding around the track, it's easy to imagine the soundtrack for this model would be something like Beethoven, with the occasional Metallica riff thrown in just to remind you it knows how to release its inner devil.After a few laps, I strangely noticed a cold breeze coming through my jeans from the seat.A little concerned, I quickly enquired as to what the problem was, only to be told that as well as the heating you expect in such cars, it also has a “cooling function.”So with my legs at a comfortable temperature, my back and rear-end cushioned with the sophisticated suspension and a new eight-speed auto transmission giving a wide spread of ratios, the luxury sedan did its best to show off its sporting character.With stability control switched on, it was put to work on some corners, although it was in no way intrusive, while quick to correct your line and keep you on the straight and narrow.There are paddles on the steering wheel for the real racing enthusiast but the auto mode worked just as well. The GS 460, along with the other models in the range, gets some new styling cues as well as the updated engine, giving it a more aggressive stance. It has a new grille, a lower air intake and the front and rear bumper bars have had some work. It's not a big change, but enough to give it some added style.The mirrors and door handles get the treatment, and the wheels are new five-spoke alloys. It's not all just for looks. All the changes provide an aerodynamic advantage and reduced wind noise.To round off my afternoon, it was back to the role of passenger as Bowe took me on a couple of last hot laps of the track. This time, there was no holding back as he quickly exceeded my 200km/h display. He pushed the car to the limit, showing what it was capable of in the hands of an expert. So if one does manage to give into squealing tyres and the need for speed away from the GS 460's comfort zone, it's nice to know that it's up to the challenge. SnapshotLexus GS 460 Price: $134,900Engine: 4.6L/V8, 255kW/460NmTransmission: 8-speed autoEconomy: 11L/100km 

Overshadowed by the volume-selling IS sedan and larger, lavishly equipped LS sibling, Lexus has turned its attention to the GS.A revised GS range has just been unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show and arrives here in time for the Melbourne Motor Show.The big changes are under the skin, though the car does get a mild cosmetic makeover.The big news is the flagship GS gets the same 4.6-litre V8 as the range-topping LS sedan. The GS460 develops 255kW at 6400 revs and 460Nm at 4100 revs. That's 47kW and 43Nm more than the 4.3-litre GS430, which it replaces.The GS300 and GS450h carry over.Lexus Australia chief executive John Roca says the power gains bring the range-topper in line with the performance of the GS450h.However, compared with the LS460, power and torque are down in the GS460 because it misses out on the LS's direct-injection system.The V8 does share its eight-speed automatic transmission with the LS, which is lighter and more compact in the GS than the six-speed automatic it replaces.Despite the reduced power, the 4.6-litre in the GS is no slouch, hitting 100km/h in 5.8 seconds and reaching a top speed of 240km/h.Roca says apart from improved engines, the sedan gets some small visual tweaks.On the outside there is a chrome grille surround, new integrated indicators in the door mirrors and new alloys.Both bumpers have been restyled.The GS 450h gains several styling cues from other Lexus hybrids, relating to badging and hybrid blue highlights.Inside, audio and telephone controls on the steering wheel have been revised and the boot and fuel filler releases have been moved outside the drop-down switch module.All models now have an input jack for portable music players.For added security, the doors have an automatic locking function triggered when the vehicle is on the move.Roca says GS sales stalled last year, in part because the car was in runout mode.“We will refocus on improving the GS's share this year,” he says.GS sales were down 21 per cent last year, compared with 2006, while overall Lexus sales were up 14.5 per cent.The IS250 remains the best seller in the range, accounting for about half of sales.GS pricing is expected to be decided next month.Roca hopes to hold prices at current levels. That means the entry GS300 Sports should stay close to $95,000 and the new 4.6-litre V8 GS460 about $138,000.