Compact sporty executive maps out blueprint for future; in association with fish4cars Val Jessop drives the ultra-quiet Lexus GS460 sports saloon.Byline: Val Jessop LEXUS has adopted a new bold ethos for its top luxury GS range. And it shows. Earlier models were impressive enough with their beautiful, traditional but slightly old-fashioned image, but the Japanese design gurus have been more courageous with the Mk 3 version. The car is just as poised and elegant, and there's still a sense of convention - but this is now embraced by a more contemporary feel. The company moved its design thinking into a new dimension, called L-finesse, and this is the blueprint for the new generation of Lexus models. It is a refreshing shift, and one necessary to successfully launch a new breed of compact limousines and stay ahead of its rivals, though it will have its work cut out with the stunning Jaguar XF This article contains information about a scheduled or anticipated . It may contain preliminary or speculative information, and may not reflect the final version of the vehicle. . Inspired in part by Japanese cultural heritage, it remains unmistakably Lexus, a philosophy which has earned the company handsome returns in the past and is likely to reap even bigger rewards in the future. The third generation GS range is being sold in its established territories of Europe and North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. , but Toyota's luxury arm is now pioneering new markets in Russia, China - and, for the first time, Japan. Top of the range - and the test car here - is the GS 460, which comes with a new 342bhp 4.6-litre power plant. The V8 is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission - a version of the world's first and only eightspeed unit, which made its debut in the LS 460 limousine - which has to be the quietest, smoothest, slickest system on the planet. Lexus claim that a new, hydraulic control system produces significantly quicker gear changes - and the changes did seem instant. Engine performance and fuel consumption is enhanced, and the new torque converter helps make gear changes even less noticeable. Built on an all-new platform, the flagship GS 460's mighty powerhouse reaches 0-62mph in a breathtakingly rapid and smooth 5.8 seconds and top speed is limited to 155mph. The compact limo has an engine stop/start button on the fascia fascia (făsh`ēə), fibrous tissue network located between the skin and the underlying structure of muscle and bone. Fascia is composed of two layers, a superficial layer and a deep layer. and instantly purrs into action. After the first second or two, the engine becomes more hushed, even when building up speed to top legal limits. The luxury sports saloon provides thrilling acceleration and progress is amazingly quiet, while the suspension on "normal" setting allows the car to float over decent surfaces. However, it soon became ruffled ruf·fle 1 n. 1. A strip of frilled or closely pleated fabric used for trimming or decoration. 2. A ruff on a bird. 3. a. A ruckus or fray. b. Annoyance; vexation. 4. on less smooth roads, where depressions and indents transmitted a thud into the cabin. On "sport" setting, things toughen up, but the ride doesn't suffer. The high-rigidity platform on this slightly longer wheelbase wheel·base n. The distance from the center of the front wheel to that of the rear wheel in a motor vehicle, usually expressed in inches. wheelbase Noun model made for exceptional road-holding - even on C-roads in the depths of Wasdale, in the western Lake District. There were lots of single-track roads, humped-backed bridges and sneaky bends to contend with as it made towards its resting place in the shadows of Scafell Pike Sca·fell Pike A mountain in the Cumbrian Mountains of northwest England. At 979.1 m (3,210 ft), it is the highest peak in the range and the highest elevation in England. . An unfair test, perhaps, for a luxury performance car, which is supremely at home on the motorway and likely to behave well on the race track, but it didn't disgrace itself, by any means. A seven-hour return drive in a 17-hour day to climb the "Roof of England" was, for the most, well cosseted, though extra support in the lower back would have improved the experience. The two tall hikers sat in the back enthused at the ample leg and headroom available. Nursing creaking knee-caps and ankles, the 460 ensured an effortless and comfortable 300-mile journey for driver and passengers which easily returned its official combined fuel figure of 26mpg. Lexus GS The Lexus GS is a series of mid-size luxury sports sedans / executive cars sold by Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. The first GS, based on the platform and running gear of the Toyota Crown, was introduced in 1991 in Japan and two years later in the United States, Europe and 460 THE FACTS ENGINE: 4,608cc DOHC DOHC Department of Health and Children (Ireland) DOHC Double Overhead Camshaft (engine valve train architecture) DOHC Double over Head Camshaft 32V 342bhp@5,600rpm 460Nm@4,100rpm PERFORMANCE: Top speed: 155mph 0-62mph: 5.8secs ECONOMY: Town: 17.3/open road: 35.8/combined: 25.7mpg CO2 EMISSIONS: 258g/km INSURANCE: Group 19 PRICE: pounds 50,655 VERDICT IT MAY not be the ultimate sports saloon Lexus claims it to be, but it's comfortable, sophisticated, and high quality, with some unique touches Inspired in part by Japanese cultural heritage CAPTION(S): Poised and elegant, the Lexus GS now embraces a more contemporary feel; The GS sports saloon is most at home on the motorway |
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