Lexus GS 2012 Review
Designed for driving as much as passengering, the new GS is a 'less relaxed' LexusAlpine Shire, Victoria
What we liked
>> Growling engine note
>> Good cornering (in this market segment too)
>> Attractive interior, practical ergonomics
Not so much
>> 2.5-litre V6 no Pikes Peak champ — but who cares?
>> Jury's out on the styling
>> All the good chassis technology costs extra
OVERVIEW
-- New GS instantly grabs attention
According to the chief executive of Lexus Australia, the prestige brand is undergoing a change of image. "No longer are comfort, compliance and serenity enough," Tony Cramb told media at the local launch of the new GS sedan. ??Ordinarily hard-bitten motoring journalists would dismiss this as just more hype from an industry executive, but there are signs that things are changing at Lexus. So far those signs of change have been largely limited to the IS range, including the stove-hot IS F and the well priced IS 350, but it seems there's more to follow.
The new GS is also designed to shake up the accepted order of things in the Lexus world. It handles and steers neater, and puts a smile on the face of those who like driving. And cleverly, almost everything that makes the new GS better than the model it supersedes can be demonstrated in a five-minute test drive.
Perhaps not the handling, steering and braking, but the impressively vocal engine, the polarising frontal styling, the larger boot space, the pleasant interior design and the added standard equipment. ??All these elements of the new model can be singled out by a sales person to convert a customer to the Lexus cause. And maybe that's something to worry Benz and BMW dealers.
PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
-- Small six serves up a larger slice of the pie
Lexus applies a 'Y strategy' for its GS model range walk-up. The base-grade Luxury variants represent the trunk of the 'Y' and the F Sport and Sports Luxury denote the respective branches. ??Although the Sports Luxury variants are more expensive than F Sport models, that's simply a reflection of the extra equipment, rather than hero status. It's certainly the GS 350 F Sport, with two-piece brake rotors, variable-gear ratio steering (VGRS) and Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS), that is the hero model in this range. But that's all a bit premature.
Lexus claims the new GS is 20 per cent more affordable and 20 per cent better value than the model it replaces. At least some of that is due to the arrival of the GS 250 (the first GS model powered by an engine significantly below 3.0 litres' displacement). ??Leaving aside the GS 450h hybrid model not yet released in Australia, the range comprises GS 250 and GS 350 drivetrain variants. The former is powered by a smaller 2.5-litre V6 and starts from $77,900. That's the base Luxury grade model, which can be ordered with an enhancement pack — comprising moonroof and 18-inch alloy wheels — for an extra $4000 ($81,900). The GS 250 can also be specified in F Sport ($85,900) and Sports Luxury ($99,900) grades.
The GS 250 in F Sport trim can also be ordered with two different enhancement packs for $88,900 and $91,900 respectively. Enhancement Pack 1 simply adds a moonroof, while the more expensive pack also features the moonroof, as well as PCS (Pre-Collision System), ACC (Active Cruise Control), AHB (Automatic High Beam) and HUD (Head-Up Display).
The GS 350 starts at $89,900 for the Luxury variant, rising to $95,900 when equipped with the Enhancement Pack, which features woodgrain veneer, HUD and moonroof. ??The GS 350 F Sport ($99,900) is also available with an enhancement pack ($102,900), adding Mark Levinson audio system and 12.3-inch multimedia display. The GS 350 Sports Luxury is priced at $109,900.
Standard equipment for the GS 250 Luxury includes Blind Spot Monitor, Tyre Pressure Monitor, eight-sensor parking (acoustic) guidance, reversing camera and adaptive bi-xenon headlights, cruise control, leather trim, front fog lights, dual-zone climate control, ventilated/heated front seats, 10-way electrically-adjustable seats with three-position memory for driver's, and heated electrochromatic exterior mirrors. ??Other standard features comprise Drive Mode Select, rain-sensing wipers, DAB+ digital audio, hard-disk satellite navigation, keyless entry/starting and Bluetooth connectivity (with audio streaming). ??To that specification, the GS 250 F Sport adds sports suspension, sports pedals, Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), SPORT+ drive mode, 16-way adjustment for driver's seat, body kit, brushed aluminium trim and 19-inch alloy wheels.
The GS 250 Sports Luxury gains the 12.3-inch multimedia system, Driver Fatigue Monitor (with eye detection), PCS, ACC, 20-way seat adjustment, HUD, 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio, tri-zone climate control with rear controls/NANOE technology, AHB, semi-aniline leather trim, woodgrain trim and electric sunshades for side and rear windows.
The GS 350 Luxury is trimmed as for the GS 250 equivalent, and likewise, the GS 350 Sports Luxury features the same kit as the GS 250 counterpart. For the GS 350 F Sport however, Lexus specifies the Lexus Dynamic Handling System (LDHS), consisting of DRS, PCS, ACC, HUD and two-piece front rotor brake package with four-piston callipers and Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management step 5 (VDIM 5). These features are additional to the GS 250 F Sport specification.
Other than the 17-inch alloys fitted exclusively to the GS 250 Luxury (with Dunlop 225/50 R17 tyres), other variants feature 18-inch alloys (GS 350 Luxury, GS 250/350 Sports Luxury with Dunlop 235/45 tyres) or 19-inch alloys for the F Sport models (eight-inch at the front with Bridgestone 235/40 tyres and nine-inch at the rear with Bridgestone 265/35 tyres).
MECHANICAL
The two V6 powerplants are the 4GR-FSE 2.5-litre (GS 250) engine with direct injection and the 2GR-FSE 3.5-litre unit (GS 350) with both direct and port injection. Both engines feature DOHC and variable valve timing. ??The smaller of the two produces 154kW/253Nm and uses 9.3L/100km in combined-cycle testing, emitting 215g/km of CO in the same test. ??With peak outputs of 233kW/378Nm, Lexus claims the 3.5-litre V6 produces 27 per cent more power and 22 per cent more torque than the engine powering the superseded GS 300, admittedly from an engine that is about 17 per cent larger too. ??Officially, it consumes 9.7L/100km and emits 225g/km — both figures lower than the previous (smaller) GS 300. While both engines are new to the GS range, they’ve been seen in Australia before, powering the IS 250 and IS 350 models. ??Acceleration times to 100km/h are 8.6 seconds (GS 250) and 6.0 seconds (GS 350).
Transmissions for the two 'petrol' GS derivatives (as opposed to the GS 450h hybrid) are both six-speed units, with the A960E transmission slotted in behind the 2.5-litre V6 in the GS 250, and the A760E unit for the GS 350. Final drive ratios are 3.909:1 (GS 250) and 3.615:1 (GS 350). ??Shift paddles are fitted as standard for all variants and come with Sports Program Direct Shift (SPDS) from the Lexus IS F. In keeping with similar systems offered by marketplace rivals, SPDS and the shift paddles change gear manually for a brief time when the transmission mode remains in Drive, but will hold the selected gear for as long as the driver chooses if the transmission is operating in Sport M mode. In our experience, with the transmission left in Drive, the sequential shifting can be overruled by kick-down.
Double wishbones at the front are complemented by a multi-link system at the rear. In the case of the IRS, it's a development of the system in the previous GS, but features dampers shifted outboard to free up room in the boot. ??Steering is by an electrically-assisted rack-and-pinion setup with a turning circle that measures 11.2m (or 10.8m with the DRS of the GS 350 F Sport). The DRS and VGRS of the GS 350 F Sport are there to improve high-speed stability and low-speed manoeuvrability. ??At speeds below 80km/h, the rear wheels can steer up to two degrees in the direction opposing that of the front wheels, but above that speed the wheels turn in the same direction. Computer controlled based on different inputs, the DRS system works through a planetary reduction gear and an electric motor.
Brakes comprise ventilated front and rear disc rotors, measuring 334x30mm at the front and 310x18mm at the rear. Once again, only the GS 350 F Sport goes it alone, with a two-piece front rotor system measuring 356x30mm.
PACKAGING
-- Endless options for adjustment freaks
Lexus makes some big claims for the driving position of the GS — and those claims can be mostly backed up. The seats are firm in the cushioning, but remain comfortable over long distances. ??In the Sports Luxury variants, seats offer up to 20 positions but once this driver set up the usual length, height and recline settings, there was precious little need for anything else. ??From the driver's seat the view of the instruments is clear and easy to read at a glance. The head-up display takes little time or mucking around to adjust for the right line of sight and brightness, with all the controls for that facility clustered in the one location on the dash, to the lower right of the steering column.
All controls are typically easy to use and all adjustments (seat and steering wheel) can be quickly fixed in the right position. ??A minor gripe is that even in the premium centre fascia display of the GS 350 Sport Luxury — the largest display screen of its type in the world, according to Lexus — there are no speed limit zones or traffic camera warnings posted in the satnav map display. We're told by Lexus that the system will allow users to create memory points in the display for known traffic black spots or points of interest.
?The Lexus remains a paragon of build quality virtue, down to everything from the analogue clock that is machined from a solid billet of metal and stitched leather dash top to the heavy-but-soft door closure. ??Lexus hasn't given up entirely on eradicating noise, vibration and harshness in the GS, but conversely, there's still some road and wind noise in the car at open-road speeds. That's the noise that no one wants. It must be said however, the noise from the tyres over northern Victoria's coarse-chip roads was muted, but chief engineer Yoshihiko Kanamori himself admitted to being surprised by the moderately strong wind noise encountered at higher speeds.
From a packaging standpoint Lexus claims the GS is roomier inside and the boot space is larger (up 23 per cent to 530 litres), but this has been achieved without any significant change to the wheelbase. ??The new car has a shorter overhang at the front and a longer overhang behind, explaining the improved luggage space but not so much the rear-seat legroom. Seated in the rear an adult of average size should find headroom adequate and there's plenty of kneeroom, but the only opportunity to stretch out is afforded by toe wiggle room under the front seat.
The boot runs forward a reasonable length and Lexus has separated the rear dampers from the springs, to free up some width in the boot, but the suspension towers still intrude in the forward/outboard corners of the boot.
Just a quick word about the GS model's comfort technology. Instrument lighting changes with the different selectable drive modes — blue backlighting for Eco and Normal, red for Sport and Sport+. ??Steering (VGRS) firms up when Sport+ is selected, but the VDIM system runs in 'relaxed' mode, meaning it's not about to kill oversteer in a hurry if it thinks you're having fun. Throttle, transmission and manual blipping are all aggressively enabled in both Sport+ and Sport modes, but revert to Normal or even Mild in Normal or Eco modes.
The air conditioning, which runs in a managed state in Eco mode, also features energy-saving S-Flow to deliver air to just those seats that are occupied. Sports Luxury variants also offer NANOE, which moisturises the air directed at the driver through relevant vents in the centre fascia. The driver can elect to enable NANOE, which was developed by Panasonic.
SAFETY
-- Germanic approach to safety
There's no NCAP rating for the new GS at present, but the previous model was judged to be a five-star car. Lexus says crash safety for the new GS has been enhanced, through the choice of ultra high-tensile strength steel, leading to a 14 per cent gain in torsional rigidity for the body. Increased use of forged aluminium also helps. ??Keeping the passengers safe in the event of an impact are 10 airbags (dual front, dual kneebags, side curtains and side-impact airbags front and rear).
To reduce the risk of a collision in the first place, the new GS features emergency flashing brake lights that operate once the system detects deceleration forces above 0.7g and above 55km/h. ??Other active safety devices include VDIM 5 stability control system (with traction control, electronic brake-force distribution) and — in the case of the F Sport models — DRS and VGRS. These models and the Sports Luxury variants also come with PCS (optional for the GS 250 F Sport) and ACC. ??All vehicles come equipped with tyre pressure monitoring, Blind Spot Monitor and Hill-start Assist Control.
COMPETITORS
-- Lexus ready to kick some heads
Lexus Oz boss Tony Cramb admits the previous GS was "outgunned" in the market against its principal German rivals — BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. In response the new model has been priced and specified very carefully, to compete against the respective BMW and Benz counterparts at a considerable cost saving to the consumer. ??According to Cramb, Lexus conducted a real-world product comparison between the GS 350 F Sport and a BMW 535i optioned up to the same level of equipment. By the time the company had ordered its 535i with M Pack 19-inch alloys, metallic paint, professional navigation, moonroof and internet total price, according to Cramb the price exceeded $157,000 on the road. The GS equivalent was not quite $108,000 on road.
The E350 Mercedes measured against the GS 350 Sports Luxury to the same specification needed Vision pack and rear blinds for a total on-road price of about $149,000, including Lane Keep Assist, which Lexus doesn't offer. In contrast, the GS 350 totalled $118,486 on road.
It's clear Lexus Australia has done its sums and means business. There'll also be some collateral damage, we suspect, for Audi and possibly even Jaguar. And while it may not see Infiniti as a direct competitor, and Infiniti doesn't reckon Lexus poses much of a threat either, all bets are off now that the GS is here.
ON THE ROAD
-- Motorkhana madness highlights improved dynamics
Lexus provided two different ways to assess the new GS at the Australian launch. There was a conventional drive program from Lexus Wodonga to Falls Creek as well as a short 'autocross' course set up in a closed test environment.
For the autocross we were able to pit the previous generation GS 300 against the GS 350 Luxury with steel suspension, GS 350 Sport Luxury with electronically variable suspension and a GS 350 F Sport with the whole box and dice, including dynamic rear steering. The course mapped out was a straight slalom followed by a short straight, wide hairpin and two swerve-and-avoid exercises.
It's plainly not the sort of motor sport event to which most Lexus GS owners will subject their cars, but it was instructive. The old GS 300 was imprecise and understeered at lower speeds in the slalom. Changing to the steel-sprung GS 350 produced an immediate gain, with the newer car skating around in a much more lively and precise way. It even seemed to offer better traction accelerating out of a turn. The migration to the variable damper setup produced better results again and the rear-steer-equipped car was dynamite.
DRS (Dynamic Rear-wheel Steering) helped turn the car in sooner and minimised understeer. Since the speed through the slalom was below 80km/h the car's rear wheels were counter-steering, turning the car through a tighter radius. ??If it provoked oversteer at any point, the VDIM 5 stability control stepped in and corrected the car's line. In all, the top-spec chassis of the GS 350 F Sport made the steel-sprung GS 350 look out of its depth in the same way that car showed up the old GS 300. ??In fairness to the basic GS 350, it didn't have the 19-inch alloys, the two-piece rotor brake upgrade, the Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) — or of course the DRS.
During the drive to Falls Creek, the two different flavours of GS, the 250 and 350, impressed with their relaxed touring ability, but then countered that with a sporty drive through the mountains.
The small, direct-injection V6 in the GS 250 is a hard worker and sounds amazingly bellicose at wide-open throttle — sort of like a lion and a bear duking it out in a cage. ??It will rev high and deliver decent power in the upper reaches of the rev range, but it's not an especially torquey engine down low, which is to be expected. You won't notice that most of the time, but when it's being pushed to its limits it does struggle — on exiting bends fast, for example, or pushing up a long hill.
In fact, the way the engine's lower performance below 4000rpm manifests itself by feeling like the transmission ratios are too far apart or the ratio being used is too high. The car won't let you select a lower gear ahead of a corner if the road speed is too high, but you know you're going to need it. ??That said, and stressing once more that most GS 250s will never be driven this way in real life, it's a likeable engine. No way would you call it sterile or thrashy. Instead it’s rather refined when driven gently and surprisingly muscular given a good whipping. Fuel consumption for the open-road run was 12.2L/100km.
The larger engine in the GS 350 is more of the same, but better still. It combines port injection with direct injection to deliver a flat torque curve of muscle right across the rev range. ??Importantly, there's much more torque lower in the rev range than in the case of the GS 250, and the car requires less effort to drive with more verve. If not for the fact that at least $10,000 separates any variant of the GS 250 from its GS 350 counterpart, you would never consider the smaller engine, good as it is. ??Fuel consumption for the GS 350 was 15.0L/100km given a thrashing, but on a more sedate run (in Eco mode) it averaged 10.8L/100km. Mostly cruising on country roads the GS 350 Sport Luxury was using between about six and nine litres of fuel, according to the fuel consumption history, which is a bar graph presented in the right side of the 12.3-inch multimedia infotainment screen.
Both engines run through six-speed automatics that can be operated sequentially through shift paddles. No complaints with the operation of either transmission, other than extracting the best performance can only be accomplished by dragging the lever across to the manual plane and using that or the paddles to shift up or down. Changes are more aggressive and more immediate that way.
Hounding the GS 250, in particular, is not that satisfying with the box left in Drive. It really gives of its best used manually. The peaky nature of the GS 250 engine would be better complemented by an eight-speed transmission, such as the German brands (and even Jaguar) are offering in their luxury sedans, but there was no word from GS chief engineer, Yoshihiko Kanamori, that such a transmission would be offered as a running change for the GS 250 down the track.
Ride comfort is commendable. Even in the car's Sport+ mode the GS stepped gently over uneven bitumen without transmitting impact to the cabin. The Sport mode in models equipped with AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspension) rides the same as the default setting; only the Sport+ setting adjusts the dampers for a firmer ride. Sport mode merely adjusts powertrain shift points and power delivery.
Just as the GS rides well enough in Sport mode, it also handles well enough in Sport mode. There's little to be gained by using Sport+ on the road. The only occasion we observed significant benefit over the Sport mode was during the closed autocross event set up by Lexus. ??On the road the steering feels heavier at speed in this mode and imparts a quicker response to input from the driver, thanks also to the DRS (for the GS 350 F Sport variant equipped with it). Left in any mode other than Sport+, the steering is light and slightly vague at the straight-ahead, but provides good feedback in corners. In Sport+ mode its stability and feel at the straight-ahead are improved significantly.
We're left with a very positive feeling about the new Lexus GS. It remains comfortable and practical, but has been given a bit of engineering defibrillation to bring it to life. We love the engine note and the ride/handling balance. ??The interior is stylish and well finished, but functional too. There's almost as much high-tech kit as in the German rivals, but it's easier to access and use, being quite intuitive to operate.
The hurdle Lexus must overcome with the new GS is ensuring people don't judge by the old car. It's a recommendation we would make too. If you think the new GS is anything like the previous car, go on, take one for a test drive and be pleasantly surprised.
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