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:

    Performance
    Review-OnRoad You need to work the 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine hard to extract maximum performance, but it pulls cleanly from low revs and is punchy enough for assured overtaking. Similarly, the di ...

    Power windows
    The power windows can be opened and closed using the switches. Operating the switch moves the windows as follows: 1. Closing. 2. One-touch closing*. 3. Opening. 4. One-touch opening*. *:Pushin ...

    Headlight switch
    The headlights can be operated manually or automatically. The side marker, parking, tail, license plate and instrument panel lights turn on. The headlights and all lights listed above turn on ...