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:

    2011 Lexus RX 350
    After a week test-driving the 2011 Lexus RX 350, a headline in the Wall Street Journal's April 18, 2011, edition caught my eye: "Lexus Falls Behind Rivals." The timing of this article wa ...

    Hybrid system
    Your vehicle is a hybrid vehicle. It has characteristics different from conventional vehicles. Be sure you are closely familiar with the characteristics of your vehicle, and operate with care. Th ...

    If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds...
    Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights comes on or flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, but then goes off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the sy ...