Lexus GS 400 luxury sports sedan geared for high performance
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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WILLOWS, Calif. -- On a closed-loop test track cast in wiggly asphalt over rolling hills of the Sacramento Valley at Willows, the GS 400 luxury sports sedan by Lexus ripped down the initial straightaway in a breathtaking display of raw acceleration.
The speedometer's mark of 60 mph flew by in only six seconds and climbed quickly to triple digits before the brake point for the first curve, an easy sweep to the left that led up and over the a slight rise. Little speed was scrubbed through the bend as the 17-inch Z-rated Potenza tires by Bridgestone, a racy performance option for this car, gripped hard on our tight line.
We braked again through several more kinks of increasing severity before running up a steep slope to encounter a dicy corkscrew that wound down and around a blind bend. The double wishbone suspension worked magically to maintain chassis poise through left-right-left challenges as the rack and pinion steering responded quickly to driver's input and directed front wheels precisely to the line where we aimed them.
But in the blind corner too much entry speed prompted a break in traction of the rear tires. No sweat, though, because an on-board stability control system took aggressive action to correct the situation. This noteworthy safety device, which integrates anti-lock brakes and traction control through multiple sensors and a computer processor, corrects oversteer or understeer when cornering and can actually pull the vehicle back into a proper path automatically without intervention from the driver.
On the backside of the track a long stretch allowed speed to rebuild and we soared around lesser ripples until slowing for a chicane etched into the course's highest hill.
Yet the view through the windshield looked more like the projected image on a movie screen than the reality of a race track flying past in a blur of scenery because our test car was able to insulate the passenger compartment so well that there was virtually no noise coming aboard from rushing wind, engine whine or tires protesting on pavement.
Punch the accelerator again down another straight, but rein it hard to set up for a tricky off-camber hairpin that leads to a final flat stretch before a last corner near the end of the circuit.
Then catch a breath because this run's over and the lap time looks impressively low, thanks to the inherent power and wily nature of a refined sports machine.
The irony comes a realization that with this GS sedan Lexus has not only developed a high-performance sports car of world-class stature, but also managed to equip it with such trappings of luxury that it easily out-classes the cushy comforts found in the nearest luxury competitors from Europe.
This particular iteration of the GS series debuted as a 1997 model following revisions of the original design from 1993, which proved too heavy in weight and too soft in suspension to match rivals in speed trials as well as turn-by-turn performance. The subsequent new design delivered much more, as well as the unusual: It combined world-class performance with incomparable Lexus-style luxury elements under the guise of a daringly unconventional exterior shape.
The external package, with wheels pushed outward to the extremities and radical sheetmetal panels of curves and flat faces worked around a form with blunt nose and stubby tail, presents an aggressive face with unusual oval headlamp clusters flanking a classy front grille modified off the Lexus LS 400 flagship sedan.
From every angle, the design impresses in a forceful statement that implies raw power and athletic performance.
Concealed behind the slick skin, sophisticated engines for the pair of GS models shape their sporty personalities.
The ultimate edition -- GS 400 -- packs the twin-cam Lexus 4.0-liter V8 with a charge of 300 hp.
A second version -- the GS 300 -- uses a dual-cam six-cylinder plant with in-line layout and displacement of 3.0 liters. This application produces 220 hp.
Both cars use a dazzling electronically-controlled Lexus automatic transmission, which provides five forward gears and intelligent shift logic.
A toggle switch mounted on each side of a cross brace in the steering wheel of the GS 400 allows an active driver to shift up and down one gear at a time with only a thumb's flick and without removing a hand from the wheel.
The toggles translate to a safety feature of the car, but there are so many safety systems, both conventional and rare. Dual frontal air bags are in place, along with seat-mounted side air bags, plus belt force limiters and pretensioners for front riders, with three-point belts for each of three positions on the rear bench.
Front and rear structural elements are rigged to absorb impact energy from a car crash and steel beams in each side door meet federal side-impact standards.
Mechanical assets for safety include daytime running lights, big disc brakes for all wheels and anti-lock and traction control devices.
Both GS editions also install the Lexus skid control system as part of the standard equipment, and the new models of 2000 go further by adding a brake assist feature. Under the stress of emergency braking, the brake assist mechanism automatically applies full brake force to activate the anti-lock system and decrease the distance required to stop.
The plush cabin, with front bucket seats divided by a center console and the three-place rear bench, contains glossy California walnut wood trimmings and power controls for virtually every function. There's a one-touch power down control button for each window, dual zones for the automatic climate system, and a premium 215-watt sound package with five amplifiers and seven speakers.
Driver's bucket moves ten ways for infinite positions as the front passenger seat has six-way controls. Also, soft leather covers all seats in the GS 400 but is an option for the GS 300.
The instrument cluster brings eye-popping novelties like electro-luminescent black-on-white analog gauges that seem to float in a three-dimensional glow.
These Lexus sedans also provide interesting optional gear, ranging from a Nakamichi 280-watt audio system with in-dash CD auto-changer for six discs to a computer-controlled navigation system with GPS satellite tracking and a data base drawn from compact discs.
Pricing for the Lexus sports sedans, while pitched to exotic reaches, undercuts European competitors.
Entry figure for the GS 300 runs to $38,000 with a delivery fee applied, and the GS 400 begins at $46,800. A package of deluxe options including the navigation system and a moonroof adds about $5,000 more.
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| 2000 LEXUS GS400 VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Mid-size luxury sedan
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size luxury sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
110.2 inches
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| Overall Length: |
189.0 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 3.0-L I6
DOHC 4.0-L V8
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| Transmission: |
Auto/5
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| Drive: |
Rear
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS/TRAC/VSC
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side)
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| Gas Mileage: |
I6: 19/25 mpg
V8: 17/24 mpg
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| MSRP Price: |
$ 38,000 to $ 52,000 |
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