Lexus LF Reviews

Ultimately, it fell short on cabin space, outright performance and a manual gearbox that was nowhere near good enough.Even so, it was good enough to outscore the all-new BMW 3-Series with our judges and picked up points for design, value, equipment and driving enjoyment.No matter how you score it, the new IS250 is the best thing yet with a Lexus badge.Its style and techno tweaks will give it showroom appeal to the thirtysomethings who are expected to dominate sales.The starting price of $53,890, just below the critical luxury tax cut-off that is essential with many leasing customers, makes sense.You can spend closer to $80,000 on a new IS, but the starter car is expected to dominate sales in Australia.The IS250 comes after Lexus first entered the compact prestige class in the 1990s with an IS200, which was too small and gutless to stand out in a field dominated by the 3-Series BMW.But this time around the brief was different.The IS was set for a best-in-class development. And that meant 500 individual targets for everything from safety to comfort and equipment."This car is brand new, and my child. The new IS is most like me," Sugayo Fukusato, one of the first Lexus-specific engineers, says proudly.And that's good news because he drives a Porsche 911, rides a one-off mountain bike and has a costly custom-made sound system in his home.The result is a V6 engine, rear-wheel drive chassis with big brakes and fully-independent suspension, 16-inch alloy wheels, tilt-and-slide steering adjustment, six airbags, anti-skid brakes with brake assist and "light sabre" pointers on the instruments.Lexus lists a total of 18 IS250 models, from the basic car to a Sports Luxury model with automatic transmission.The flagship comes with all the fruit: leather seats, a moonroof, 18-inch alloy wheels, six-speed auto gearbox and Mark Levinson sound system.But Lexus does not have the IS350 sold in America. It says the car cannot be certified for local sales, though that could be a stalling excuse to get the 250 out of the blocks and leave space for the 350 — and eventually the IS500 with V8 power — to slip in above the current car.The new IS has definitely killed the Camry-cloned GS300, which looks anything but special in the current Lexus family. The new baby Lexus is a top drive. It is much tighter, more together, and more rewarding than the earlier IS.It even felt good after the Audi S4, which is one of the best cars we have had through our test garage in a while.The IS is responsive and youthful, two things BMW has lost with the growth and extra refinement in the latest 3-Series.The German car is still very, very good but falls short of the Lexus when you want to play.Not that you have to flog the IS to enjoy yourself.Our test car, admittedly with all the gear and that $80,000-ish price, had almost everything you could want in a new car: great sound, top-drawer quality, plenty of luxury touches.But the basics are the best. The seats are comfortable and supportive, the touch-change paddles for the automatic gearbox are well placed and made, you can get the wheel where you want it, and the dash is clean and user-friendly.The car could still do with more rear-seat space, even though it's better than the original IS and there is room for two adults, but the cabin is an excellent place.The IS250 also gets along pretty well, though its V6 engine needs encouraging to give its best. It's not a stop-light star, and taxis can take it, which is a big failing.Lexus says 153kW is plenty for the car, but its the torque — only 252Nm in a heavy car — that lets it down, even with the six-speed gearboxes.The manual change is plain awful, with too much slop in all directions, and we would recommend the IS only as an auto.But it is easy to talk up its ride and handling, which is as good as anything in the class: more responsive than the 3-Series, more taut than an Audi A4, and more youthful than a Benz C-Class. And it makes a twisty road fun.The car is just about neutrally balanced, with great turn-in and feel through the steering, which makes it easy to push.It also has great brakes, and the paddle-change auto gives you plenty of options and a gear for every situation.Lexus set tight targets for the new IS and got a bullseye on most of them.It is a terrific car that will do a lot better than the original and make life much, much tougher for the Europeans and more enjoyable for owners.The best Lexus yet is a top car and a responsive drive, but only with an automatic gearbox.79/100

The LF-A high performance concept car will be accompanied by the the world?s first luxury hybrid sedan and the next generation of the best selling local Lexus ever.Leading the performance charge is the LF-A concept car, a two-seater supercar powered by a 373 kW-plus V10 engine. for an estimated top speed of more than 320 km/h.This performance is complemented by Lexus levels of luxury, comfort and equipment, and the styling is a clear indication of where Lexus is heading in the next few years.Lexus is leading the high performance hybrid charge with its GS450h, which combines a 218 kW direct-injection 3.5-litreV6 with a 148 kW electric motor for breakthrough levels of hybrid car performance.Due to go on sale in the first half of the year, the world?s first luxury hybrid is designed to deliver the performance of a 4.5 litre engine with the economy of a 2.0 litre engine, and extremely low emissions.Also making its Australian debut at Melbourne will be the next generation of the most successful local Lexus model ever, the soon-to be-released RX350 luxury SUV.The RX350 expands on the virtues of the RX330, three-time winner of Australia?s Best Luxury SUV award among other national and international accolades.With a new dual VVTi 3.5-litre V6, the RX350 offers improved power and torque over the RX330 and is due to go on sale in March.Melbourne International Motor Show runs from Thursday 9 February to Sunday 19 February at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, and is organised and promoted by the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce through its dealer division the Australian Automobile Dealers Association (Vic).

It's baby of the range, the IS250, is a gorgeous looking thing, cast in the current mould towards sedans that look like hatches.It gives the car a sportier, raked stance and more importantly some personality, which is no doubt part of the plan.With the release of the IS250, the range has been culled to just the one model with just the one engine, although it is available in three different trim levels.The engine is a 2.5-litre V6 as opposed to the previous 2.0 and 3.0-litre straight sixes that powered the IS200 and IS300.In other moves, the Camry-based, front- wheel drive ES300 has been axed.The changes signal a more aggressive marketing drive by the company and create some points of difference from the market leading BMW 3 Series.BMW is of course renowned for its straight sixes.As we have come to expect from Lexus build quality is first rate and the car comes jam packed with the latest technology.Lexus claims 13 world firsts in this department and reckons it's the best thing since sliced bread, in fact the best car to come out of Japan yet.Eight SRS airbags as standard equipment, including driver and front passengers knee airbags.Active safety features include Vehicle Swerve Control (VSC), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Lexus Brake Assist (BA) on all grades, and Adaptive Front Headlamp System (AFS) on IS250 Sports and IS250 Sports Luxury models.For our money, however, the best bit of gear in the car is the high-end Mark Levinson 5.1 sound system on our sports luxury test car which is one of the best we've heard.It comes with a grand total of 14-speakers including a subwoofer and has built in MP3/ WMA compatibility.IS250's V6 delivers 153kW of power at 6400rpm and 252Nm of torque at 4800rpm and is hooked up to either a six-speed manual or six-speed, sequential auto.That's significantly more power than the 2.0-litre engine but not as much as the 3.0-litre straight six that it replaces.It's a high revving engine and doesn't start to perform until about 4500rpm and can easily be caught napping.Our test car was the six-speed manual and we found for best results it is necessary to stick with a lower gear than usual.We suspect the auto would doing a better job of smoothing out the gaps better.The car employs a keyless ignition system with a button provided for stopping and starting.The key can remain in your pocket if you prefer.Sports suspension as fitted lowers the ride by 13mm and is combined with 18 inch wheels with 225/40R18 front tyres and 255/40R18 rear tyres.The steering is also more direct in the sports model, with a different ratio.As a package however the IS250 is more of a tourer than red light special.Lexus claims the engine is more fuel- efficient than the two engines it replaces.Fuel economy is a claimed 9.1 litres per 100km for the auto and 9.8 litres per 100km for the manual.The Lexus IS250 is priced from $53,890 which puts it well under the luxury car tax threshold.The Sports model with options as tested retails for $74,000. 

"Traumatic asphyxia with associated visceral injuries resulting from low-velocity compression of the torso," is the Medical Journal of Australia's summary of the typical driveway accident injury. That's surgical jargon for crushed lungs, ruptured internal organs and young lives in the balance.Last weekend's tragedy when Wallabies rugby legend Phil Kearns ran over his 19-month-old daughter, Andie, in the driveway of their Sydney home was almost a textbook case in its combination of unpredictable child and heavyweight vehicle.Each wheel in an average sized four-wheel drive carries a load of about 500kg. "It's effectively no different to a steamroller," says consulting engineer Michael Paine. But if it misses the child's head, their chance of recovery is surprisingly high.A study published by the MJA in 2000 found "final outcome was recorded as satisfactory or good for 34 of the 41 survivors, with a full return to normal activities and no significant physical or psychological sequelae (effects)". Head injuries killed 13 of the 14 children who died in driveway accidents in the 12 years of the study, from 1988 until 1999.The NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People found that between 1996 and 2003, 31 children died in driveways. Of these, 19 deaths involved 4WDs.The MJA study found driveway accidents are a significant hazard, accounting for 12 per cent of child pedestrian injuries and 8 per cent of child vehicle deaths. It concluded that 4WD vehicles are more likely than passenger cars to run over children."Both 4WDs and light commercial vehicles accounted for a much higher number of the fatalities in our study than would be expected from their prevalence on the roads," it found.At the time of publication 4WDs and light commercial vehicles accounted for about 30.4 per cent of registered motor vehicles in NSW but were involved in nearly two-thirds of the deaths in driveway accidents — giving them a 2.5 times greater risk of fatally running over a child compared with other vehicle types.In a 2002 paper, consultant engineer and safety expert Michael Paine pondered why, and suggested several possible factors. They included the increased danger to children posed by the large wheels of a 4WD as opposed to a car, and the poor side visibility of many 4WDs: "The relatively poor field of view to the side due to the height of the driver, (means) that small children can approach the danger zone at the back of the vehicle without detection by the driver," Paine wrote."The diameter and cross section of their tyres is bigger which might be leading to a greater risk of them crushing a child in these situations," he said yesterday. "And while recent visibility studies have found passenger cars can have worse rear visibility than many 4WDs there's been no attention to visibility out to the side."But engineer and road safety advocate John Cadogan says 4WDs are an easy target. "They've become the de facto family station wagon so they do tend to be found in driveways and around children. I think that's why they're over-represented," he says.Demonising types of vehicles and owners avoids the main issue, says Cadogan. "The only way to be safe is to be diligent. For example, getting in your car or 4WD or any vehicle and taking off backwards down the driveway because you're late is a negligent act." Paine and Cadogan agree technology such as reversing cameras can play a part in reducing the risk of a driveway accident.Lexus and Land Rover offer reversing cameras on their 4WDs and Ford offers one on the Territory crossover vehicle. But aftermarket systems can be fitted to many other vehicles."You can buy an aftermarket reversing camera to fit most vehicles for about $500 installed," says Cadogan. When you think of the horror of running over your own child — because most drivers who run over kids are their parents — it would be money well spent.Cadogan says even devices as simple as extra mirrors are worthwhile — so long as the driver gets into the habit of using them."It really comes down to diligence."Other technologies, such as ultrasonic parking aids, are directed more towards protecting vehicle bumpers than detecting children. "They can be set up to be more sensitive but then they go off so often that drivers end up ignoring them. If you are in your own driveway the temptation is to think it's a false alarm rather than someone behind you," says Cadogan.Paine agrees."Vehicle devices can help but they're no substitute for adult awareness and supervision," he says. "You just can't leave a child near a vehicle that's likely to move."Awareness is the key, says Paine, citing a public education campaign conducted by state roads bodies that appears to be cutting the driveway accident rate."The number of cases has dropped dramatically in the last two years," he says.Cadogan says there are three steps parents can take to make their driveways safer."Firstly identify where your kids are and don't even move the car if you're unsure," he says. Secondly, he advises fitting a reversing camera or extra mirrors but cautions devices alone don't save lives. "And finally, write to your local federal MP and ask why there's no rear visibility standard for vehicles in the Australian design rules, because believe it or not, there's none."

After driving cars like the new GS430, the answer to that question has to be a resounding "yes".Yet despite the car's impressive credentials, the company still has a ways to go, particularly when it comes to us cynical Aussies.There's the issue of resale value to consider which as history has shown has not been kind to the luxury brand.For instance, last year's mind bogglingly good LS430 cost a whacking $178,000 off the showroom floor.The same car 12 months later has dropped in value to as little as $110,000, a fall of $68,000 or 38 per cent.In comparison, a Mercedes E500 priced at $157,000 new is now worth $119,000 or more – a lesser drop of 24 per cent.You can see what we're getting at?That's to take nothing away from the cars themselves which for the most part are technically brilliant.The latest offering from Lexus is the sporty new GS rear-wheel drive sports sedans, available with a choice of six or eight cylinder engines.Today we're going to take a closer look at the top of the line 4.3-litre V8.At a recommended retail price of $137,000 the GS430 is a fair old ask, especially in the company of similarly priced Benzs and BMWs.The finish is first rate and the styling owes nothing in passing to any Toyota.With its big swoopy back the GS430 builds on the distinctive styling queues of the previous model, following the current trend towards four-door "not quite hatch" coupes.We like the general concept because most of us have a couple of kids that we need to stick in the back.Inside, it's library quiet, with smart titanium finish dials and dark cherry coloured wood trim.What would a luxury car be without the wood?Firstly we should point out you don't need to stick a key in the ignition with this car.The key stays in your pocket and the car starts and stops at the press of a button.The centre console is dominated by a large computer screen that caters for the satnav system.While the touch screen is easy to read and operate, the cartoon-like graphics do not quite have the same classy feel as the rest of the setup.Power comes from a 4.3-litre V8 with 208kW of power at 5600rpm and 417Nm of torque at 3500rpm.It's the same engine that is in the LS430 and SC430 sports car and is hooked up to a six- speed sequential auto. The 0-100km/h sprint takes 6.1 seconds.Fuel economy is a claimed 11.4L/100km.Missing is the characteristic V8 burble. and this must have led to some backroom consternation, bearing in mind the sporty pretensions of the car.However, it's quick and it's quiet and it turns heads and that is what most people are looking for.The GS430 is crammed full of technological aids and debuts breakthrough Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) that en- ables intuitive counter-steering without driver input in an emergency.This car's got the lot with leather, active cruise, parking sensor, satellite navigation, rear view camera, Bluetooth mobile compatibility, 10 airbags and adaptive front headlights, as well as heated and cooled front seats and a 14-speaker premium Mark Levinson stereo system.

But there's no doubting the GS430's technological credibility – the engineers have crammed more into the GS than any Lexus.A touch of the door handle opens the car and as the cabin is entered there's a sense of either snugness or claustrophobia.But it's a quiet ambience that is barely disturbed as the engine start button is hit.The dulcet tones of the creamy V8 are only a distant reminder the engine is idling; the cabin is so well insulated it is a little eerie.The electrically adjustable leather seats, which are also heated or cooled, are comfortable for long hauls but taller occupants may require more range of movement away from the roofline.Getting under way at anything from regal/sedate to bank-robbery-departure pace is nonchalantly completed. The V8 is hooked up to a super-smooth six-speed auto, but only at full revs is there anything other than minimal engine noise within the cabin.Which is a shame as the motor makes such sweet music – the 4.3-litre 90-degree V8 generates 208kW of power at 5600rpm and 417Nm of torque at 3500rpm, outputs which Lexus claims gets the 1695kg sedan from zero to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds, on the way to a 14.4 second 400m sprint and an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.The company also claims an average fuel consumption figure of 11.4 litres/100km. My time in the GS yielded 13.3 litres/100km, which included plenty of open road work as well as more than a touch of harder work to enjoy the engine note.Using the manual shift will allow more V8 music to be heard – if you want to bounce it off the limiter, the gearbox will comply as there's no override.Cruising on country roads offered the chance to play with the adaptive damping system, which offers normal and sport modes.Most Lexus owners will rarely flick the switch to sport as the standard setting is firmly damped anyway, but the brand's younger target audience might prefer it.In sport mode, the GS430 tightens up, with more body control immediately noticeable, allowing the GS to be hunted through corners with enthusiasm. Although it still feels like a big car, the variable-ratio power-assisted steering system makes life easier in terms of lock-to-lock movement.Bringing the cruise to a halt in a hurry is easily achieved with the large brakes and clever electronics, but smooth day-to-day braking requires some practice, as the brake-by-wire system provides little pedal feel.The steering system is part of the cutting-edge stability and traction control systems – Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) in Lexus terminology – which assists the driver in emergency situations by increasing or decreasing steering assistance as well as influencing braking and power delivery.The safety technology list also includes a pre-collision system that prepares the seat belt pre-tensioners and has 10 airbags, including dual front-seat knee airbags.The GS430 radar-controlled active cruise control system works behind other vehicles but lacks the ability to hold a speed when there is no other traffic on a downhill grade.Night driving showed one of the car's strengths – the adaptive front headlights work unobtrusively but are effective.The 14-speaker Mark Levinson sound system provides crystal-clear, rich and loud sounds.The GS430 equipment list is extensive, as you would expect – a fully trimmed leather interior, the smart keyless entry system, stability control, a handy rear-view camera, Bluetooth mobile phone system, 10 airbags and adaptive front headlights.There are also 18in alloys, satellite navigation, the Mark Levinson sound system, pre-crash safety system, radar-controlled active cruise control, parking sonar and the sunroof.The VDIM safety system, the adaptive suspension system and the variable ratio steering round out the features highlights.The GS430 is a keenly priced competitor in its segment, undercutting its German V8 competition by more than $20,000 and the V8-powered Jaguar representative by more than $35,000.

Like its predecessor, the GS300 is something different in the Lexus lineup. Not only does it look good but there's more of a European flavour than other Lexus models, some of which seem almost clinical in the way the drive, feel and look.The new GS300 boasts a direct injection engine with an impressive output from a relatively modest 3.0-litre capacity – 183kW/ 310Nm.The engine is a new entrant in the Lexus range which will soon swing over to all Vee engines. Next in line is the IS250 with a 2.5-litre V6.The GS300 is available in two grades, Sport and Sport Luxury, both scoring extensive standard equipment.Safety is more than adequately addressed by the 10 air bags (including for the rear seats) and various electronic dynamic controls that go so far as counter-steering the car independent of driver input in the event of emergency.The Sport Luxury on test gains satellite navigation, 14-speaker premium Mark Levinson stereo system, pre-crash safety system, radar-controlled active cruise control, parking sonar and moonroof and has a retail price of $112,100.Performance is fully realised through the new six speed automatic transmission that has a sequential selection mode.The tranny is so good, it's better to leave it in D.Ride from the double wishbone suspension is sporty but comfortable. The GS can run hard and maintain its poise thanks to sound engineering, design and plenty of electronic wizardry.It's rewarding to drive with vigour or kick back and cruise. Commuting's a breeze – literally, especially with the in-seat fans activated.The styling is impressive, arguably the best looking Lexus currently available. It's a bit like a large hatchback with curved rear quarters creating a ready-to-pounce look.Inside is similarly innovative melding style with function. It's a great car to be in.The boot is huge and there's a full size spare on an alloy wheel.Premium petrol is needed but on-test consumption averaged a creditable 10.0L/100km.Top marks for this one if you don't worry about the the price.

Remarkable because I remember that at the point when the engine, rebuilt just a month before by people professing to be professionals and with a banner which pronounced that quality comes first, decided to weld its internals together thanks to a bad part, I was building great trust in German engineering.Years later, I would continue to place great trust in products from Germany to the point where a price premium was apparently deserved. That was based on my grandmother's philosophy that: "You get what you pay for."Last month, when Mercedes-Benz admitted that quality was an area on which it aimed to improve, I had a long drive in a Lexus.I am not picking on Mercedes because its product is sensational.A dynamic mould of metal that is as holy as the motor car, itself, with a history that goes literally to the beginning of plausible motoring, there is, and never will be, anything quite like a Mercedes.But the Lexus could change my mind.The GS430 is its latest mid-sized saloon, sitting just beneath the LS430 that is inspired by the Mercedes S-Class, and just above the Lexus IS200 that is also poised for rejuvenation.Buy it and you will get a four-year warranty. Take it for a service and you get a fresh loan car. Break down and there's 24-hour service.Drive it and the GS430, the more powerful of the two-engined range which borrows its V8 from the $170,000-plus LS430, rewards with luxury motoring and a sense that there is an element of wishing for more sporting pursuits.It's quick, relatively quiet, roomy and has a swagful of goodies that, unlike some other German brands, are included in the purchase price.The GS430 also comes with a proper spare tyre, so you can whisk down to the holiday escape in Busselton knowing that a small 5cm nail won't keep you at the side of the road all night.To be blunt, I loved this car. It was logical, easy to drive, soft in a way that made driving easy and without any of the firmness for which the Germans are noted and, unlike BMW and Audi, it didn't confuse me with an onboard mouse-pad computer system.Switches are on the dashboard or steering wheel, not locked away beneath a convoluted Microsoft program, with the exception of some minor controls that have switches behind a fold-downpanel on the right of the dash. It even has cruise control that senses the distance to the car in front.Everything else is all there in front of the driver, including a central touch-sensitive screen giving quick access to more finicky aspects such as ventilation and navigation.Aside from the tangible features of the GS430, the car has a healthy 208kW of power that is uses through a six-speed auto box that has semi-manual gear selection.Off the mark it's one of the quickest saloons on the block.Aside from being fast, it's relaxingly comfortable. There's adecent boot, though the rear seats don't fold flat, and lots of selfish features such as airconditioned and heated front seats, an electrically operated rear screen, a central rear armrest and a first-aid kit in the boot.Though it's a bit porky, it handles well thanks to an electronic steering system that gauges the car's speed and the ability of the driver to select the right suspension firmness to suit driving style and road conditions.Above all, the GS430 is a nice ride. It's also not perfect.The foot-operated park brake screams America and is disappointing given the available space on the console for a hand-brake lever.The steering is so light it transmits nothing back to the driver, and despite the electronic suspension, it's not a sure-footed car. It displays a wishy-washy attitude to corners. It is, in short, very American.The lack of a fold-down rear seat is annoying, the shape of the car makes it awkward to park, but this top-line GS430 model comes with front and rear park assist alerts. If you can't handle these idiosyncrasies, then get a life.This is one of the best cars on the market.Yes, it feels soft to drive, in a manner successfully cloned by the Japanese. But it's so easy to drive, it rewards its occupants without fuss and looks distinctive without being presumptuous.

24 Oct 2003 Lexus LS 430: Good car gets better|http://search.carsguide.news.com.au/news/research/specifications/search-results.do?pageSize=&clearCompare=true&make=LEXUS&model=LS430&year=2003 |http://search.carsguide.news.com.au/news/research/specifications/search-results.do?pageSize=&clearCompare=true&make=LEXUS&model=LS430&year=2003

It hasn't found the mother lode yet and there are people who believe that Lexus will never produce a serious threat to the stonking BMW M5, but there are signs of change in planning and design at the company.Typically, the Lexus people have had to wrap their ideas in a philosophy – one they are calling L-Finesse – but the bottom line is simple.They know they must produce cars which look good, drive well, and go well beyond badge-engineered Toyotas if they are to finally translate the promise of the original Lexus LS400 in 1989 into a successful, aspirational brand in the 21st century.Lexus showed the new direction at the Tokyo Motor Show two years ago with a pair of great-looking concept cars, then set up stand-alone engineering operations and has now delivered the first showroom contender.The all-new Lexus GS is much better looking than the bland model which first drove into action against rivals led by the luxury Mercedes E-Class and the BMW 5-Series.The mechanical package also promises a lot more excitement and involvement for the driver.It is a four-passenger sporty sedan with a choice of six-cylinder and V8 engines, with the sort of all-round refinement you expect from Lexus.The six-cylinder is new, a direct-injection 3.0-litre V6 which replaces the previous in-line six.It is good for 183kW of power and 310Nm of torque.This is the engine that powers the GS300, which hits showrooms with a ticket price of $95,000.It comes with plenty of standard gear plus luxuries such as heated leather seats, a rear-mounted camera, adaptive headlights and Blue Tooth phone capability.A Sports Luxury version of the GS300 adds a beefier sound system, adaptive cruise control, touch-screen satellite navigation and a sunroof for $112,100.Both these cars come with 10 airbags, stability control and traction control as standard, but miss out on the more advanced stability control system called Vehicle Dynamics Integration Management (VDIM), which can alter the steering in an emergency. That's standard with the GS430.It is powered by a smooth 4.3-litre V8 that pumps out 208kW and 417Nm.The GS430 has all the gear of the GS300 Sports Luxury, but adds 18-inch wheels, adjustable suspension, variable-assistance power steering and VDIM.THE GS430 is almost exactly opposite to the MG ZT we drove last week. The British car was all thump and grumble, promising far more than it delivered and costing far more than it deserved, while the Lexus is so smooth you can easily overlook its real powers.It can get up and really go, but you have to ask the questions – and then listen really hard for the answer.Even the grunty V8 engine in the GS430 test car was so quiet that the tachometer had to be twisting beyond 5000 revs before you heard the signature roar from the tailpipes.Yes, it is really getting along, but nobody knows – not even the passengers – that the GS is a car which can stand up and sprint from the traffic lights.It's the same with the chassis. It had good grip and a huge safety margin going around most corners, but the driver always feels remote from the action.You turn the wheel and it does the job, mostly, but the steering is luxury vague and there is no real feedback on the road surface or what the tyres are doing at either end. Lexus says that is good, because the car does all the worrying and it has electronics to avoid any nasty stuff.But few people will be won over to a GS if they are already driving one of the sportier BMWs or Benzes.Even the cabin quality, which used to be an easy win for Lexus against any rivals, now comes up short against the latest Audis.It has all the right gear and is beautifully finished, but it just doesn't have enough personality to communicate anything beyond super-Toyota luxury.The four seats in the GS are nicely supportive and there is plenty of space inside, with a good boot and nice stuff including bright headlights and sensible wipers.But we wonder about the rear-view camera on the test car. Some people say they are essential on four-wheel drives, to stop people backing over their children in the driveway. But a gimmick is still a gimmick. And will people actually rely on the camera for reversing and bump-free parking once they have shown it off to their friends?At the end of our time with the Lexus we still weren't believers.The GS is quick, sporty and nicely built and priced, but it is not the breakthrough car for a brand which wants to put some taste and colour into its vanilla cars.Perhaps the compact Lexus IS, coming later in the year, will do the job.THE latest Lexus looks good and the numbers are great, but it still doesn't add up to a serious sports sedan. Despite all the promises and commitment to the new L-Finesse plan at Lexus headquarters in Japan, the company still has not produced a car which is going to rock the world.