Lexus GS: 3rd Generation

Edmunds has went ahead and pitted the Lexus GS 350 against the brand new Hyundai Genesis, resulting in a mismatch that places far too much emphasis on the pricetag:

So the Genesis is a large, rear-drive luxury sedan that's priced like a smaller front-drive one — at 195.6 inches long it's just 2.4 inches shorter overall than Lexus' flagship LS 460, but the $33,000 base price for the V6-powered Genesis is more than a grand cheaper than the base price of the entry-level ES 350. There isn't really anything directly comparable to the Genesis at Lexus or, for that matter, at any other manufacturer.

As tested, the GS 350 came fully equipped at $49,670. The Genesis showed up with a $4,000 Technology package and a $42,000 sticker. That's a thick $7,670 price difference, in case you haven't already made the calculation yourself. Yet the Genesis essentially matched the Lexus luxury for luxury, gizmo for gizmo.

Basing a vehicle's value entirely on the MSRP is faulty for so many reasons -- consider the residual value, which will favor the Lexus heavily. If the Lexus maintains 50% of its value over three years, and the Hyundai only 40%, the initial price difference will be reduced by more than half.

Now factor in Lexus' superior customer service, Hyundai's unfamiliarity with luxury customers, and the better fuel efficiency of the GS 350's V6 (5.3 mpg better). What's left?

Mostly due to their similar exterior, I've been very curious to see how the new Jaguar XF would compare to the Lexus GS on the road, and Motor Trend has done just that, pitting the XF and GS up against the BMW 550i and the Mercedes E550.

With the Jaguar being the only truly new model of the bunch, and considering how much is riding on its tires, a first place finish was expected from the XF, and that's how it played out. How did the Lexus GS perform? Fourth place:

Paddle shifters? "Too bad there are none as in the Jag and Benz," observes Reynolds, while Mortara takes it one step further: "Paddles would transform this car," adding, "as would 19-inch wheels with more aggressive tires." Unfortunately, our GS has come with 18s wearing run-flats, stiff shoes that do little to offset the already firm suspension.

Our connoisseurs judge its interior as the most user-friendly, its back seat the most comfortable for two, and its EPA fuel economy and as-tested price the most appealing. With the votes in, though, the Lexus is akin to bringing sake to a cabernet competition. Sure, it's technically wine, but it doesn't really match up, lacking the requisite flavor, color, and vivacity to stir the judges.

Even with the fourth place finish, it seems that the GS excelled in Lexus' usual areas, with the interior, fuel economy and price being the best of test. Still, it's about time for a redesign of the GS, though I think the introduction of a GS-F might significantly push Lexus up the rankings.

(Be sure to check out the videos of the comparison, they're quite enjoyable and buried in a sidebar within the content.)

I read about the Jaguar XF's passing resemblance to the Lexus GS 460 in Motor Trend, but I didn't realize the extent of it until I saw this Le Blog Auto visual comparison:

Mind you, this is only a side profile comparison, the front and rears are entirely different, but the similarity in the photos is undeniable. It almost seems possible, were these made from clay, to start with a GS and with a tuck here and a nip there, end up with a XF.

Autoweek has picked up a 2007 Lexus GS 350 for their fleet, and their first impressions are decidedly mixed:

Some of our drivers loved the exterior styling of the GS, while others found it amorphous. The interior also divided drivers; they called it either comfortable or eerily numbing.

I have to agree with any criticism of the GS's new styling. While the front end is a satisfying amalgamation of the standard GS cues & the new L-finesse design language that's shared among all new Lexus models, the backend of the vehicle is exactly as Autoweek says, "amorphous." Far too large in proportion, the expansive derrière is no doubt a result of trying to differentiate the GS from the latest ES (which, in my opinion, is a much better looker of the two).

One interesting fact in Autoweek's first impression regards the V6 of the GS 350 as compared to the GS 430's V8:

Lexus says the GS 350 awd gives up 0.6 second to the [GS 450h] hybrid from 0 to 60 mph (5.8 seconds versus 5.2), and — for now, at least — this new direct-injected six actually outpowers the 290-hp V8 in the GS 430.