Cars Comp

15 years as a professional TireKicker (automotive journalist) and there are still things to learn.

When I got the Lexus GX460 for a week, I thought it was a spectacularly dumb design for one thing...the tailgate. The window would open upward, but the whole assembly didnt swing up and the gate below the window wouldnt swing down. Drove me nuts. Why would Lexus build a $60,000 SUV and make you load the cargo compartment from the rear seat?

A few hours later, my teenage son walked up to the GX for the first time, and opened the door out to the side.

Duh.

I could cut myself some slack and say its an unusual, if not unique design for a rear door on a big SUV, but for many years I owned a Suburban with barn doors, so I really have no excuse.

Why am I telling you this? Because its the only thing I could find wrong with the GX460...and it wasnt.




Oh, on some level I could argue that its too big, too heavy, too thirsty....but big and heavy are as big and heavy do and the GX460 doesnt drive big and heavy. Its nowhere near as ponderous as a Nissan Armada or Infiniti QX56. Thirsty I could probably make stick. The EPA says 15 city, 20 highway, and cracking 17 in a mix of the two was a chore.

But as with most vehicles with the big stylized "L" on the grille, its about what you get for your money...and for the base price of $58,240, the GX is very well equipped.

Its certainly not wanting for power, with a 301 horsepower 4.6 liter V8, the 6-speed automatic makes the fuel economy as good (relatively) as it is (cmon, 8-speed), it is more than capable off road and in bad weather, with full-time four-wheel drive and a Torsen limited-slip center differential, and its civilized on pavement thanks to a kinetic dynamic suspension system.




And then there are the niceties. Every safety technology known to man. 10-way power heated/ventilated front seats, wood interior trim, memory for the seats, steering wheel and mirrors, a reclining, sliding 60/40 second-row seat and a power fold-flat 50/50 third row seat. Theres a moonroof, a nine-speaker audio system, with 6-disc CD changer, USB, Bluetooth and satellite radio, privacy glass and as David Bowie once said, "leather, leather, everywhere."

But wait...theres more, if youre willing to pay for it. The options on our tester included a nav system with upgraded Mark Levinson audio system including 17-speaker 7.1 surround with audio and video ($3,930), Intuitive Parking Assist ($500) and wide-view front and side monitor, pre-collision system with driver attention monitor, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, intelligent high beam headlamps and crawl control ($3,170). Oh, and $64 for a cargo net.

With $895 destination, it came to $66,799.

Cheap? Hardly.

Overpriced? Um....no. Not when you look at the competition and the level of equipment and capability. And the back door opens!

Lexus will unveil the all-new 2012 Lexus GS at the upcoming Concours d’Elegance event at Pebble Beach on August 18. The new Lexus GS will be the production version of the recently unveiled Lexus LF Gh Concept that was shown at the 2011 Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne earlier this month.







Press Release

Automotive journalists test the all-new GS ahead of its official launch.

Swathed in detail-obscuring covers to protect its identity, pre-production versions of the next generation GS were test-driven by a select group of top European journalists - no fanfare, no publicity, just the drive and the experience. Inspired by the dynamic LF-Gh concept, this car is poised to be the new face of Lexus.

Participants drove the new GS in testing conditions at an exclusive proving-ground. Chief Engineer, Yoshihiko Kanamori was in attendance from Japan to gather valuable feedback. The journalists enjoyed the luxurious and spacious interior and were able to test the dynamic and engaging handling characteristics to the full. Although disguised, these trusted correspondents were able to get a taste for the soon-to-be-unveiled styling. This new chapter in the history of Lexus will be revealed at Pebble Beach, California on 18th August 2011.

By now we have all the details of the 2014 Lexus IS 350 F-Sport, but well know on January 15, when Lexus officially unveil new sports.

For now, just know that the F-Sport package will be available in the IS250, IS350, IS300h equipped with Lexus Hybrid Drive.

The presentation of Lexus models during the NAIAS 2013 will be broadcast live through their official Facebook group and for manual get here

The new Lexus GS F Sport Line, but that is too meager for Wald International. This is how the Japanese luxury sports sedan in uniform in their view should look like.

That the Lexus GS F Sports Line Wald goes a step further than the factory version is beyond dispute, though the tuner shows surprisingly modest in comparison to their previous creations. The GS up by his knees and lowering a set of subtle spoilers around the bottom of the bumpers are the only aerodynamic modifications. What we find a higher rear-and roof spoiler and of course the rest Wald GS-large, 20 inch alloy from home.

Standard
Under the body, everything in the known remaining, so the propulsion is affected by a 3.5 liter V6 with the help of electric motor generates 343 hp and the Lexus GS within six seconds to 100 km / h acceleration.