2000 Lexus LS Reviews

The Lexus GS 350, expected in Australia by mid-2012, is a totally different car from the current model. The luxury performer has been totally re-engineered, restyled, comes with much more power and space, and sports the new 'spindle' grille that will grace all future Lexi. Under the banner of 'the future in motion' the elegant car made its world premiere at the world-famous Pebble Beach concours d'elegance at the weekend, where it got star billing. Even a former Miss Japan attended. The five-seater Lexus is slightly wider and longer than the GS 300, and interior space and cargo volume have been considerably improved. The boot is now 25per cent bigger and can easily take four golf bags, while rear seat passengers benefit from extra leg, shoulder and head room. The driver gets an 18-way power-adjustable seat and both front seats are lower, have adjustable squabs and are thickly bolstered for improved body support. The leather-and-wood dash is dominated by the clear white-on-black Optitron instruments and a multi-function display: and eight inch model or an optional mother of a display in a 12.3-inch split-screen model with the world's highest resolution. Both have a full suite of connectivity. The speedo reads in mph and km/h, the neat clock in digital and analog and there's a new energy-saving auto climate control system that uses seat sensors so airflow only goes to occupied seats. Also, a next-generation 'remote touch' system with one-push confirmation is standard on all models. It lets the user work the climate, audio, phone controls and navigation without having to reach out. The 3.0-litre motor has been replaced with a class-leading 233kW 3.5litre V6 mated to an advanced six-speed 'intelligent' sequential-shift automatic transmission with paddle shift, which can squirt the sieable saloon to 100km/h in 5.7seconds. The six-speeder can support up to four driving modes, selected by a rotary dial just aft of the gear selector. There's economy, normal, sport and on some models, sport-plus, each with its own throttle map. Some modes even give the twin exhausts a louder burble to keep the driver happy. Fuel economy figures have not yet been released, likewise prices. Under the car, the mainly aluminium suspension has a new-design double wishbone system in front and multi-links at the back, which, with the wider track 50mm in front, 40mm at the tail end  give the car extra stability and comfort. The car is built on a 14per cent stiffer platform and the body rigidity has been enhanced with extensive use of ultra hi-tensile steel, six times stronger than mild steel. Stopping power is by four big ventilated discs and other safety bits include the full gamut of acronyms, 10 airbags, a reversing camera, a strong passenger cell and an energy-absorbing body. There's also the option of a radar system that warns of objects in the car's path and an infra-red beam that monitor's the driver's eyes to make sure he or she hasn't fallen asleep. That's most unlikely in the GS 350, the first product of a new, small, hand-picked team of enthusiast engineers led by Australian-born Karl Schlicht. It has all the credentials to cause the dominant German trio in its sector a tough time when it hits the salesrooms, matching the luxury of one, the dynamics of the others and throwing in some appealing bits of its own. "GS represents the beginning of an all-new era in Lexus vehicle design and driving dynamics," Lexus Australia chief executive Tony Cramb said. Chief engineer Yoshihiko, who styled the super-successful Corolla, summed up the newness of the GS 350. Asked if there were any carry-over parts from previous models, he mused for a few seconds and said "only the name." About nine new or updated versions of Lexus will be launched in 2012, among them a hybrid and F Sport variant.

The CT200h is unchartered territory for the Toyota's luxury car arm. It's both a hatch and smaller than anything that Lexus has produced so far. The drive train is also skewed towards economy rather than performance, in contrast ot its other hybrid offerings. But the larger 2.4-litre based hybrid system from Camry may find its way into the car, if the recent appearance of a concept with this power train at the famous Nurburgring is any indication.The Lexus CT is turning heads and could easily become the biggest selling car in its segment, as well as the biggest selling Lexus based on price alone. The main focus of the CT, it's raison d'etre is to lure younger buyers to the brand. Being a hybrid, it offers an important point of difference between it and its European rivals. Until now, the only Lexus that has been vaguely attractive to the Gen-Ys has been secondhand examples of the sporty IS sedan.Priced from $39,990, the five-seat hatch comes in four grades, Prestige, Luxury, F Sport and Sports Luxury.  Our test vehicle, the flashy $49,990 1.8-litre F Sport model is not surprisingly proving to be most popular. Climate and leather with heated front seats are standard. Driver's seat is power adjustable and the F-Sport adds 17-inch wheels and sports suspension. Also gets satnav, Bluetooth and killer 10-speaker audio.It's all about the tech. Lots of LEDs used to reduce power consumption. Gets 5 stars from the Government's Green Vehicle Guide, same as a Prius with a C02 output figure of just 95g/km. One of the most interesting aspects of the car is the drive mode system that alters throttle response, electric-drive voltage and steering feedback, as well as the stability control parameters when switched to sport mode. Just so you won't have any doubts about which mode you're in, the ambient lighting changes from blue to red when the driver selects sport mode and the eco meter magically changes to a rev counter, unless cruised is activated.CT stands for compact technology. The car sits on an all-new platform but employs the same hybrid powertrain as Prius, with a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine along with an electric motor to give it some extra oomph when needed. Unlike other Lexus models, drive is through the front wheels with a continuously variable style CVT transmission.The combined output of the two motors is a conservative 100kW but it performs better than the figures might suggest. The car's biggest selling point is, of course, its fuel economy, officially rated at 4.1 litres/100km (less than a Prius). We got 554km from our first tank at a rate of 5.8 litres/100km.Electronically controlled anti-lock brakes, with brake assist and electronic brake force distribution. Also gets stability, traction and hill-start assist control. Comes with a total of eight airbags, including knee bags for both the driver and front passenger. Also the first Lexus with a rear seatbelt monitor system. This model comes with a reversing camera for added safety.Hasn't received a rating from Australian NCAP yet, but has achieved 5 stars for safety in European crash tests.Here's a chassis that's crying out for something more. Tackles corners with confidence and composure, but you have to put the boot in to get the best out of it. Has a small 45-litre fuel tank and prefers premium unleaded which gives it a range of over 1000km.The switch to performance mode makes a significant to throttle response, releasing more power to the electric motor. In sport mode, the stability system allows some slide to fully exploit the vehicle's dynamic abilities.Not bad. Quiet and comfortable. More likeable than we anticipated. Certainly stands out in electric blue with black alloys. Rides and handles well but a little more power would be lovely — you can't argue with the economy though.

But his decision to enter the Carsguide Car of the Motor Show competition certainly paid off.The Victorian man is now driving a new Lexus CT200h hybrid valued at more than $47,000 and admits he is quickly settling in to the leather-trimmed luxury.“We were at the show on the last day and we were leaving as they were closing up when my wife noticed a poster for the competition,” he saidI’m not the type of person to enter competitions but she convinced me to and I filled out the form and promptly forgot about it until I got the call saying we’d won.“I thought it was a practical joke at first … it wasn’t until I saw it published on CarsGuide.com.au that I knew it was for real.He picked up his CT200h from Lexus of Blackburn in Melbourne last week and expects to spend plenty of time in the car.“I drive about two hours a day for work so I’m sure I’ll come to appreciate just how good the Lexus is,” he said.

...even hot-lapping the mid-sized luxury contender at the Nurburgring.Carsguide knows the Lexus GS is a lot sharper after a drive in the US and is waiting for the disguise to be stripped away so we can see how close the car is to the Lexus LF-Gh.

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.So the new GS is intended to deliver for people who want more than just a pair of automotive slippers for their retirement years, and Lexus is calling 11 journalists from around the world for an early taste test. It has fingers crossed for ticks in boxes.The plan is simple: a background briefing and then a fling around a carpark test course before several hours of on-road driving that varies from typical California freeways to give-and-take canyon roads which are fun driving and expose the weaknesses in most cars. But first - time in the current GS. The reminder driver is a refresher on a car that's a Camry in a formal suit.It drives more like a boat than a car, is quiet but not particularly comfortable, and ticks all the expected luxury boxes without having any personality. To sum up, today's Lexus GS is a yawn. And then I catch sight of the two burqua-wrapped prototypes promising the biggest change at Lexus since the arrival of the original compact IS.It's hard to rate a car so far from showrooms, but Lexus promises a sharper price than today's GS. The current lineup starts with the GS300 Sports from $97,814 but Carsguide is expecting the newcomer - even with a larger 3.5-litre V6 engine - to drop into the eighty-something price bracket.Value will also be boosted by everything from an 18-way electric adjustable driver's seat to what is claimed as the biggest full-colour display screen in the car business today. The California drive points to an extension of the current two-model run with the GS300 - sports and luxury, with the sports model getting a bunch of new stuff including active rear-wheel steering - with a run of other models to come including a new 450h hybrid and an F-Sport sports hero.The remake of the GS goes right down to the chassis, which is more rigid in the new model for improved safety and a better suspension platform. Lexus is keeping quiet on the finer details, but the California cars come with new suspension, upgraded 3.5-litre V6 engines - most likely with around 233 kiloWatts - and everything from adaptive variable suspension to dynamic handling with rear-wheel steering, and a stability control system that can be turned off.There is also a new exhaust system that's claimed to be noisier and a slipperier body. But the biggest driver benefit is Drive Mode Select - a bit like the switchable chassis-engine control we've seen from Subaru - that has three settings from maximum comfort through to maximum grip and feedback.We've seen the Lexus GS concept, which is Carsguide Car of the Show from the Australian International Motor Show at the start of the month, which gives a close pointer to how the production car will look. But the California burqa, and a bunch of other cabin camouflage, means we cannot give any sort of on-the-spot assessment. When I try to zip back part of the burqa body panels, briefly catching a glimpse of a dark-blue guard, a Japanese security guard rushes in to stop me.I know the car has a clock in the centre of the dash, with a new-age sound system, but everything that's remotely interesting is covered in thick black tape. Still, the boot is now a giant and handles four golf bags - up from two - and even the driver's footrest has been enlarged. The security measures on the GS run deep, and we cannot even begin driving until flaps over the door handles are locked down. When an inquisitive Californian stops to ask what movie we're filming, he is nearly mobbed by the over-eager protection team.The new GS is certain to be a five-star car, but there are none of the high-tech safety systems promised by Toyota in the past week. So the GS gets past with things like cabin airbags, ABS and ESP and brake assist, and probably with active cruise control, but not the radar or laser-guided pedestrian protection and anti-crash systems first seen at Volvo and Mercedes-Benz and coming soon in the EyeSight package at Subaru.The back-to-back comparison between the current and future GS cars shows the difference between how the car is, and how it was supposed to be. And will be. The newcomer is sharper in every way, from the driving position - which finally gets you down lower into the car with more support for corners - to the steering response and even the ride.There is more control, more feedback and - consequently - more enjoyment. Is the GS a real rival for the 5 Series, our current class benchmark? We will not know until a Carsguide drive on familiar roads, but the signs are good.The new GS sprints around the handling course at Pasadena and can even be pushed into a full-on drift through corners. That's new for any Lexus short of the IS-F hotrod. The car with rear steering goes even further, with BMW-style response to the steering, great balance under brakes, and a can-do attitude that makes driving fun. It definitely can handle more punch than I'm getting from the 3.5-litre V6.Out on canyon roads, the rear-steer car is really sporty and quicker than I expect after earlier GS experiences. It's a car with surprise and delight. The 'standard' car, most likely the Luxury model for Australia, is less enthusiastic but better than today's Sports model. It needs to be eased along, but is nice enough.There are lots of things to really like in the new GS - from the chassis balance to the giant colour display screen and a huge boot - although the seats could still be better and Lexus has failed to deliver the claimed exhaust rort. If Lexus Australia can hit the right price then the GS will be back from the dead.Even without seeing the final styling - or the cabin finish, for that matter - the new GS is impressive. It has hit almost every target set by Lexus for potential buyers, and gets a Carsguide tick. But it's only a three-star car until we can get it home for a real drive, and some comparison work against BMW and Benz. It could improve and it's very unlikely to slide. What's best is that Koji Sato is passionate about the GS and building a car that is rewarding to drive, not just another automotive appliance that keeps you cool but leaves you cold.

KEEN drivers considering a luxury car will soon have a new reason to put a Lexus on their shopping list. An F-Sport version of the upcoming mid-sized Lexus GS is about to be revealed as the Japanese maker looks to duplicate the success of its IS F-Sport cars in a bigger body. The GS-F is part of a progressive rollout of the new model that will also include a new hybrid and, eventually, a genuine hotrod GS with a V8 engine under the bonnet. Details of the program are confirmed by Koji Sato, deputy chief engineer of the GS, during an exclusive preview drive of the new car in Pasadena, on the outskirts of Los Angeles. He says the regular V6-powered GS comes first, followed by the hybrid at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, then the F-Sport car at America's biggest hotrod and accessories convention in Las Vegas in the first week of November. "It will be revealed at the SEMA show," Sato says of the GS-F. He also confirms that the youthful approach for the new GS is creating potential for more body styles, most likely a coupe. "We have made no decisions but we have many feasibility studies. Yes, a coupe is one. It might work better with this new GS." The latest GS - which Carsguide drove in Los Angeles - is intended to slash the current age of owners by more than 15 years. "Current model is bought mostly by people who are in retirement. We want to have professionals from 30 to 40," says Sato. "This must be a conquest model. We must compete with BMW and Mercedes- Benz." Sato says the progressive rollout of GS models is typical of the brand but intended to give more focus to the performance cars. The V6 sets the basic benchmark, with the hybrid focussed more on extra performance than electric city driving, with the GS-F to transform the car into an M5 rival. But he refuses to discuss the potential for a V8 engine in the GS, despite the relative success of the IS-F - which still fails to match a BMW M3 or Benz C63 - with an eight in the engine bay. "We have no V8. Not yet," Sato says, with a smile.

The millionaire heiress received the banana-coloured car as a 30th birthday present earlier this year from her then boyfriend Cy Waits.She has since broken up with Waits and decided she wanted a white LFA.It is not known whether the original LFA went back to the old boyfriend or was traded in for the new one.

... at the recent Australian International Motor Show, held in Melbourne.The concept, which debuts the latest iteration of Lexus' "L finesse" design philosophy, took out top honours from a list of 30-odd contenders, including rare supercars.Of the 28,000 public votes, 12.6 per cent were for the Lexus sports touring concept, ahead of the second-placed BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept with 9 per cent and the Lamborghini Aventador in third place with 8.8 per cent.Lexus Australia chief executive Tony Cramb says the award recognises a turning point in Lexus design."With LF-Gh, the Lexus design team wanted to captivate people's imagination with a vehicle that was bold and innovative, yet functional in true sports touring style - and they've certainly achieved that," Cramb says."With its bold spindle grille, flowing lines and unique hybrid driveline, the LF-Gh is definitely a Lexus of the future that customers of today want."The Car of the Show award also reinforces Lexus' long-held belief that hybrids can be more than just efficient. They can be stylish, powerful and, most of all, desirable," Cramb says.The Lexus LF-Gh was a result of a 'clean sheet of paper' design exercise, which aimed to explore what the future of Lexus vehicle design could represent while still holding true to Lexus' unique "L finesse" design philosophy - first debuted on the current model GS sedan.The team aimed to blend functionality, style, performance, efficiency and environmental compatibility in a premium, luxury sports sedan while leveraging advanced new technologies.Careful attention to form and function was paid to every part of the vehicle's design, ensuring that design does not impede function - particularly in relation to aerodynamic efficiency.The result is the LF-Gh concept, a hybrid-powered, rear-wheel drive vehicle that has a bold, wide stance and aggressive styling, combined with a unique new face for Lexus.

Even at a time when fuel economy is top-of-mind with a growing number of Australian drivers there is plenty of space on the roads for Commodores and Falcons with old-fashioned V8 muscle under the bonnet. They burble menacingly at idle. They are the backbone of V8 Supercar racing.Yet V8s in the 21st century are not what they were in the days when they first conquered Mount Panorama and a GTHO Falcon or a Monaro - or even a Valiant V8 - was a dream machine for a generation of Aussie youngsters.Since 1970 the crude oil price has exploded from $20 a barrel to double that amount during the Iran revolution, over $70 during the first Gulf War, broke through the $100 barrier ahead of the Global Financial Crisis and has now settled at just below $100.In Australia, petrol prices have correspondingly risen from about 8c a litre in 1970 to about 50c in 1984 and almost $1.50 today.Despite all this, and despite one attempt at a death sentence by Ford in the 1980s, the V8 has not been wiped from Australian showrooms. Holden and Ford have continued to produce large cars with a V8 alternative and continue to slog it out at Bathurst.But Australian cars, even the ones that now have American V8s imported for local use, are not the only bent-eight blasters on the road.Germans are prolific builders of V8s and produce some of the most powerful engines in the world thanks to AMG-Mercedes, BMW and Audi. English V8s are built by Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar, while the Americans provide V8s in the Chrysler 300C sold here. Even the Japanese luxury brand Lexus has a V8 in its IS F hero and its luxury saloon LS460, as well as the LandCruiser-cloned LX470.Most V8s are powerful enough breathing ordinary air, but there are many forced-induction models with either turbo or supercharging to liberate even more power. Walkinshaw Performance does the job in Australia for Holden, BMW is going down the turbo V8 road for its latest M cars and Benz had a time with a supercharged AMG V8.But V8s are not just about unrestricted power. The push for greater fuel economy has also reached V8 land and so Chrysler and Holden have V8s with multiple displacement technology which shuts down half the cylinders when the car is just cruising to improve fuel economy. Formula One racing engines now do the same thing when they are idling on a grand prix starting grid.Holden's Active Fuel Management (AFM) was introduced on the V8 Commodore and Caprice in 2008 and the red lion brand is committed to the engine - with future technology updates - despite near-record fuel prices."It is incumbent on us to keep it relevant and continue introducing new technology that delivers on our customers' needs," says Holden's Shayna Welsh.Holden has the biggest stake in V8s with more models than any other company selling in Australia. It has a total of 12 models with V8 engines across four nameplates and four body styles, including Commodore SS, SS V, Calais V, Caprice V and the recently introduced Redline range. V8s account for about one quarter of Commodore sedan sales and almost half of Ute sales."We see it as being more than just the V8 engine - it's about the entire car. It's the whole performance package that appeals to people and we want to continue making cars that people are proud to own," Welsh says."The combination of features and technology, great handling and braking and outstanding value is consistent across our V8 model range."Ford fans are also committed to V8s, according to company spokesperson Sinead McAlary, who says a recent Facebook survey was overwhelmingly positive."We asked whether they worry about petrol prices and they say 'No, it's the sound of the V8 we love and we are prepared to pay the price'," she says.Both Ford and Holden also have performance divisions where the V8 was, and still is, king. Ford's is Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and Holden's is Holden Special Vehicles (HSV).HSV marketing manager Tim Jackson says their sales are "on par" with last year."That's despite the fact that last year we had the limited edition GX-P which is an entry level product for us," he says. "We don't have that model in our range at all this year and you would expect numbers to come off, but we've been able to maintain sales volume."All of HSV's range are powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine (6200cc 317kW-325kW), while the opposition at FPV has gained the kilowatt advantage with forced induction (supercharged 5000cc 315kW-335kW).Jackson says their LS3 V8 has been "validated" by customers."We're not getting guys screaming at us to go turbocharging. The LS3 is an extraordinary unit. It's a light engine with a good power-to-weight figure. There is not a turbo engine that would do it for us at the right development cost. But I wouldn't rule it (turbo) out or rule it in."Jackson says there have been no repercussions from the rise in petrol prices."Our customers don't have other choices in their repertoire," he says. "A small car doesn't suit them and they're not into an SUV. They're of a certain level where the whole cost of running the car is easy for them to absorb."The top-selling HSV is the ClubSport R8, followed by the Maloo R8, then GTS.However, the greatest HSV in history is debatable, Jackson says.HSV engineering boss Joel Stoddart prefers the all-wheel-drive Coupe4 and sales boss Darren Bowler the SV5000."The Coupe4 is special because of its engineering but I like the W427 because it's the fastest," Jackson says.FPV boss Rod Barrett says they are also experiencing strong sales growth. He says they sold about 500 cars in the first quarter, which is up 32 per cent on the previous year. He also says sales of the F6 have slowed since the launch of the supercharged V8 engine variants late last year, as customers "opt for power". Ford no longer offers a V8 with the demise of the XR8 sedan and ute last year."Our middle name is performance so we have all the V8s," Barrett says. "When we were launching this new supercharged car all the V8s came across here."Barrett says their supercharged engine has changed people's minds about "dinosaur V8s"."The turbocharged F6 was a cult hero car in its day and people thought a V8 was a low-tech dinosaur," he says. "But when we produced a high-tech all-alloy five-litre supercharged V8 built in Australia people started to think that V8s aren't all that bad after all. I'm not seeing the demise of the V8 just yet, but for us, the future is hi-tech."The supercharged 5.0Litre V8 335kW FPV GT continues to be FPV's top-selling vehicle followed closely by the supercharged V8 5.0 litre 315kW GS sedan and GS ute.Barrett believes the current GT is the best FPV car yet with its segment-leading power, light weight and improved fuel economy."However, I think our most iconic car was the 2007 BF Mk II 302kW Cobra in white with blue stripes. That car brought back the passion of '78 with the original Cobra. If you have a look at the second-hand prices, they are still holding up very well" he says.

It's up to you to decide which car is the best of the contenders from the Australian International Motor Show. And you could win one of the best cars to arrive this year - just by voting.