Lexus GS300H News

Lexus has unveiled the new GS F sports sedan at the 2015 Detroit motor show overnight.The GS F is Lexus’ third F-badged V8 performance car and the first to be based on the larger GS luxury sedan, which is otherwise only offered with V6 and hybrid powertrains.Featuring a much more aggressive stance than the standard GS models, the F sits lower and wider with flared wheel arches at both ends and completely redesigned front and rear bumpers.The front takes on Lexus’ big spindle grille with aggressive air intakes as well as redesigned slim headlights with signature tick-shaped daytime-running LEDs.At the rear the GS F features tweaked taillights, and a new rear diffuser housing quad stacked exhaust tips in typical F fashion.A large vent behind the front wheel has also been added along with a subtle carbon fibre rear lip spoiler and sportier side-skirts.On the inside, the GS F gains a sports steering wheel, digital configurable instrument cluster, sports seats and carbon fibre and Alcantara trimmings.Under the GS F's bonnet is the same 348kW/527Nm 5.0-litre V8 as the impending RC F coupe, with the same eight-speed torque converter automatic handling shifting duties.Three different transmission settings can be selected to give faster and more visceral gear shifts for spirited driving, or smooth changes for comfier cruising. Compared to its key rivals like the BMW M5 and Mercedes E63 AMG, the Lexus produces significantly less power than the 400kW plus Germans but at 1830kg is lighter thanks to its aluminium-intensive structure – though a 0-100km/h figure hasn't been revealed. Drive goes through the rear wheels via a torque vectoring differential – also borrowed from the RC F – that features three different modes including Standard, Slalom and Track. The latter two settings give the GS F improved stability and cornering agility over the default Standard setting. Compared to the standard GS sedan the F model features structural reinforcements, redesigned suspension and larger 19-inch wheels and tyres which cover bigger brakes with bright orange calipers.Tyres are 255/35 at the front with fat 275/35s in the rear provided by Michelin.The GS F is yet to be confirmed for Australia, but an early 2016 arrival is on the cards. 

Everyone has heard the story about the tourist whose motorhome crashed after he set the cruise control and then strolled into the back to make a cuppa. It may be an urban myth, but technology marches on and you get the feeling the driverless car may be just around the corner, or certainly a lot closer than anyone thinks.This week Lexus demonstrated a further development of the active cruise control system fitted to its cars that steers and brakes the car without any need for intervention from the driver. It is still under development but Lexus hopes to bring the system to market within two years.THE SYSTEMDescribed as the next-generation advanced driving support system, Automated Highway Driving Assist (AHDA) links two automated driving technologies. At this stage its use is confined purely to the open road because city streets present too many variables such as pedestrians, motorcycles and in some cases an absence of line markings.DOES IT WORK?We received a first-hand demonstration of the system in Tokyo. Although we were not permitted to actually drive the Lexus GS fitted with the technology, neither in effect was the driver whose hands remained off the steering wheel, although they hovered close by.It works, and Lexus has data to show it does a better job of keeping the car on a straight course than your average driver. Spin-off effects include a reduction in traffic congestion as well as lower fuel bills.Curiously, the further back you are in a line of cars using the system, the greater the reduction in fuel consumption because of the 'drafting' effect (the reason cyclists ride in a peloton).In a column of four vehicles, consumption was down 5.3 per cent in the first vehicle, 17.7 per cent in the second and 26.8 per cent in the third - with an overall reduction of 11.1 per cent.Mind you the figures were derived over a period of four minutes and a distance of just a couple of kilometres.HOW IT WORKSThe system brings together Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control, which wirelessly communicates with the vehicles in front to maintain a safe distance plus Lane Trace Control, which aids steering to keep the vehicle on course within the lane.Key to its success are a camera which monitors lane markings, together with GPS mapping of the route ahead and sensors in participating cars that enable them to talk to each other.In contrast to standard radar, Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control uses 700-MHz band vehicle-to-vehicle ITS communications to transmit acceleration and deceleration data which allows vehicles following behind to adjust their speeds accordingly to better maintain their distance. Lane Trace Control draws on high-performance cameras, millimetre-wave radar and control software to enable an optimal and smooth driving line at all speeds. The system adjusts the vehicle’s steering angle, driving torque and braking force where necessary to maintain the optimal line within the lane. By reducing unnecessary acceleration and deceleration, the advanced driving system improves fuel efficiency and helps reduce traffic congestion.It's only a hop, skip and a jump from here to driverless cars, but the engineer who demonstrated the system to us said Lexus has no plans to introduce full automation.

...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.