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.
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Under the Hood
For 2006, the 4.7-liter V-8 produces 263 hp and 323 pounds-feet of torque.
Those numbers are down slightly from the 2005 model's 270 hp and 330 pounds-feet
of torque due to new SAE testing procedu ...
Trailer towing (AWD models with towing package)
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger-and-load carrying
vehicle.
Towing a trailer will have an adverse effect on handling, performance,
braking, durability, and fuel consumption. For y ...
Operating an iPod® player
Connecting an iPod® player enables you to enjoy music from the vehicle speakers.
Connecting an iPod® player
Slide the armrest while pulling up the lever, and lift t ...