Live: Lexus GS revealed

New Lexus GS debuts at the Pebble Beach Concours and is more luxurious than ever

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Luke Madden

August 2011

Lexus has unveiled its all-new GS for the first time at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, and we were there to meet the car in the flesh.

The newcomer is the first Lexus to get a new, more aggressive design language that’s set to characterize future models from the Japanese brand, and it's zig-zag grille and handsome proportions were met with approval from the crowds. We sat in the back while a couple in their fifties – the target audience for the brand – praised the car's styling, interior quality, comfort of the 18-way adjustable seats and even the reassuring thud the door made as it swung shut.

Read our drive of the Lexus GS prototype

Interior quality has taken a huge leap. Running our hands over the materials revealed this is a car that's easily a match for the Mercedes E-Class, BMW 3 Series and Audi A6 when it comes to quality. It's more hi-tech than all three of them, too. Dominating the interior is a 12.3-inch split screen monitor that controls all the car's functions. A mouse-like joystick navigates you around the menus and was satisfying and easy to use.

Among the many functions – besides sat-nav, audio and phone connection, of course – is a new service that allows you to download 'apps' through a 3G connection.

Engineers have answered criticisms of the GS’s small boot by increasing capacity by 25 per cent. There’s as much safety equipment as on a Mercedes S-Class too. That means 10 airbags, collision detection, blind spot monitoring and lane keep assist.

Underneath the newly designed body is a fresh platform that is more rigid than the current chassis and has a track 40mm wider at the front and 50mm at the rear. Combined with the use of lightweight materials and revised suspension, Lexus claims to have improved agility, ride comfort and steering precision.

At launch in early 2012 Lexus will offer a GS450h hybrid model and a GS250. The former is mostly unchanged from the current model, meaning around 300bhp from a combination of a 3.5-litre V6 engine and electric motor. The GS250 uses a 2.5-litre V6. Insiders have hinted that a small diesel engine will be offered to rival punchy and efficient rivals from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

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3 Comments

Is this the new GT-Sports Executive Saloon Class? Really think this car is an 'in the metal' to form an opinion, because right now I'm wondering if they got it with the ugly stick.....on the nose, and on the bum. Those exhaust pipes......what are they about?? Tizz/pimp??

By barina47 on 20 August, 2011, 8:59am

Beautifull Lexus

New GS is absolutly perfect, stands out from the crowd. I like the looks very much, far mor ebalanced than the previous model, exceptional quality and hybrid engines. Look forward to test-drive the GS

By Netherlands on 20 August, 2011, 3:38pm