Lexus GS460 2011 Video Review

A top-secret Lexus in a burqa is not the sort of car you get to drive every day. When that Lexus drive time is also more than six months ahead of the car's showroom start, and even two months in advance of its first public appearance, things take on a very different slant.

That's because Lexus knows its all-new GS, the car you cannot actually see beneath the full-coverage black camouflage, has to work. The newcomer is aimed at the same sort of people who were expected to buy the current car - successful 30-40 year-olds who might usually favour a BMW 5 Series or E-Class Mercedes - but drove away in droves.

In fact, even Lexus now admits the GS is a failure at all levels - from driving enjoyment to sales. "Giving the new GS a more fun-to-drive character was the prime objective. We wanted a more fun and rewarding drive," Koji Sato, deputy chief engineer on the GS, tells Carsguide during an exclusive preview drive at Pasadena on the outskirts of Los Angeles. "We have created a sharp and responsive driving experience. There is a more connected driving experience," he promises.

Read the full Lexus GS 2012 review: road test.