What is it?
Now nearing the end of its third generation, the GS slots in above the sporty IS and below the luxury-laden LS. It’s sized about like the tremendously popular ES 350, but the GS offers rear-wheel-drive and a much higher price tag – not to mention the optional V8 seen in our tester.
Its basic style is derivative of the original Giugiaro-penned 1991 GS300 (a rebadged Toyota Aristo), but the latest car was introduced for 2006. Smoother and suaver than the second-generation GS – notable for its Shakespearean “Something wicked this way comes” ad campaign – the S190-platform car retains the two-engine configuration of its predecessor.
As enthusiasts, we jumped at the range-topping GS 460 with its 342-horsepower 4.6-liter V8. A hybrid – dubbed GS 450h – was briefly on offer before sluggish sales forced its removal from the North American market.
See also:
High Body Rigidity
Particular attention has been paid to promoting superior handling stability
through the structural rigidity of the bodyshell. The Lexus CT 200h's torsional
stiffness has been enhanced and vibratio ...
Hill-start assist control
Hill-start assist control helps to prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards
when starting on an incline or slippery slope.
To engage hill-start assist control,
further depress the brake
peda ...
Luxury/Comfort/Convenience
The standard Regency leather-trimmed, heated, 10-way power front seats
(perforated leather trim on Lexus GS 460) are comfortably contoured for support
on long trips. Ventilated front seats are sta ...