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:
Chassis/Body/Suspension/Tires/Brakes
The Lexus ES 350 owes its smooth, quiet ride in large part to a rigid unibody
structure that allows the four-wheel independent suspension to be tuned to
provide responsive handling agility and ult ...
Most recent Lexus GS 300
Last redesigned for 2006, the third-generation Lexus GS 300 lasted only one
year, as Lexus installed a powerful new 3.5-liter V6 in its rear-drive midsize
sedan the following year, prompting a nam ...
Lateral Performance Damper System
Because any high rigidity body has a tendency to transmit vibrations, the
Lexus CT 200h also features a premium compact segment-unique, front and rear
lateral performance damping system designed t ...