Road Test: Lexus GS430

By Damien Tomlinson - 9/12/05

The all-new Lexus GS range is the first of the company's L-Finesse range, a new series of luxury sports sedans rolling out across the globe.

The GS430 is the ball-tearer of the new line-up, sporting the silky 4.3-litre V8 mill from the flagship LS430. The launch of the GS here in Oz coincided with its world release, something of a boon for Australia - though probably only because we drive right-hook cars, and our proximity to Japan.

Still, this meant that Australia, where Lexus has kicked many goals in its relatively brief lifetime here, got to sample the latest and greatest from the car maker that's got all the big boys checking their blind spots.

The GS line comes in three variants - GS300 Sports, GS300 Sports Luxury and GS430 Sports Luxury. Both GS300s feature Lexus's all-new 3.0-litre direct-injection quad cam V6. GS300 Sports has leather, keyless entry, Vehicle Stability Control, rear-view camera, Bluetooth compatibility, 17-inch alloys, 10 airbags and adaptive front headlights, all for $95,000.

GS300 Sports Luxury adds satellite navigation, 14-speaker stereo, pre-crash safety system, radar cruise control, parking sonar and moonroof for $112,100. The GS430 Sports Luxury, at $137,000, adds 18-inch wheels, Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) - which enables intuitive counter-steering without driver input in an emergency - Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) and Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS).

The new GS430 luxury car from Lexus is a sight to behold, both from inside and outside the vehicle

Now that it's been a few months since the launch, it is easy to see that Lexus has, if nothing else, made the GS a lot more noticeable.

While the "old" one wasn't a horror to look at, it looks decidedly old compared to the new one. While you could definitely tell the two are related, the new GS is just that: completely new.

In an attempt to attract younger buyers to the brand, the boffins tried to give the 1695kg car a more aggressive look, and the engineers came to the party with the donk.

The GS430's 4293cc 3UZ-FE V8 delivers 208kW of power @ 5600rpm and 417Nm of torque @ 3500rpm, and is the quickest Lexus in the stable with a 0-100km/h sprint of 6.1 seconds and a standing quarter-mile of 14.4 seconds.

Younger buyers will and have been turned on by the inclusion of 17-inch wheels on the 300s, and fat 18s on the 430. The new five-spoke high-shine alloys provide plenty of the all-important "bling" factor for the buyers targeted.

But it's not just about sex appeal - the wheels set off what is a very aggressive look overall. A fat exhaust on either side of the rear end offers plenty of visual appeal too.

A muscular ripple extends from the protruding nose, down the "shoulders" of the car to the shapely, high-set rear quarter, helping to create a forward-motion or pouncing effect for the eye.

Before you get on the road, there is a raft of instruments and gadgets to familiarise yourself with. First up is getting into the thing, and this is achieved via Lexus's clever keyless entry system, which detects when the ignition key is close to the car and unlocks the door as you grasp the handle.

Inside the cabin, there are heaps of buttons and little screens and graphics to get used to, but on closer inspection, I realised that some of them were missing. The GS designers have answered my prayers by hiding away auxiliary switching under the centre armrest and behind a pull-down panel to the right of the steering wheel.

I really hate nothing more than seeing "blank" buttons on dashboards of cars, whether it be for the rear foglights you wouldn't pay the extra for, or the ride-height adjustment, these blanks serve as nothing but a reminder of what you could have had if you weren't such a tightwad.

So, while there will be blank buttons in some variants of the GS, they're not obvious because you won't notice them unless you reveal the two button consoles.

Thankfully, the functions contained within are simple things like traction control switching, dashboard illumination and so forth, i.e. not things you're going to need every day, so it's a good thing that they're tucked away.

The other purpose this serves is that it allows your eyes to drink in the expanse of the generous all-new dash.

This is completely dominated by the huge screen belonging to the onboard sat-nav, and this screen displays everything from your Bluetooth phone to climate control.

In front of the driver are plenty of buttons, but the first thing I noticed was the liberal use of brushed aluminium in the three circular dials behind the wheel. Some will hate them, others will love them, but personally I thought they were a bit over the top. The steering wheel is a beaut, with three thick spokes combining lashings of wood and leather around its circumference.

Most will easily recognise the instruments available on the wheel, with volume controls, cruise control and trip computer functions included, but there is also a funny looking little lever under the right spoke of the wheel. Of course, it's the distance regulator for the standard laser-guided cruise control system. Clever.

The GS also debuts Lexus's new "visual" parking sonar system. Adding to the rear-vision camera from the LS430 and RX330, the GS adds a graphical display of exactly where objects are and how close they are. The Lexus salesman at the dealership was kind enough to demonstrate just how accurate it was, performing in one move what would have been a five-point turn for me between two $150,000 cars. I would hope most people wouldn't need to get that close to anything in their new Lexus, but it's a nice touch, all the same.

The cabin provides ample room for four, I repeat four, passengers, and provides a comfortable, quiet and luxurious cabin for all occupants. Even behind six-foot me, there was plenty of room for an adult.

Despite its prestigious pretensions, the GS430 is a remarkably agile passenger car; adaptive variable suspension allows drivers to switch between 'normal' and 'sport' modes instantly

So with a thumb of the big "ENGINE START" button to the left of the wheel, the engine kicks into life. This is the same V8 as in the LS430, and considering this is meant to be a sporty car, I was disappointed that Lexus hadn't done more to tune up the exhaust note to match the looks of the car.

Still, it is a V8, and it reminds you, in case you'd forgotten, once under way. Power from this engine is effortless, and the car simply goes wherever you choose to squirt it.

I had occasion to take this car on quite a decent workout on country B-roads and four-lane freeways, and I can attest to its performance capabilities.

While the ride has been tuned to be a bit firmer than normal Lexus standards, it still struggled on some of the rougher undulations near the Glass House Mountains up here in the sunny state. Thankfully, firm bucket seats keep you glued inside.

Sweeping through a fast bend, the GS is a delight. It hunkers down, grimaces and pounds through your chosen line, the rear wheel drive dynamics giving it a predictable feel. On the freeway, it's like a panting puppy just waiting for you to throw a stick. Wonderfully obedient.

I think the best thing about this car is that it offers a complete package combining looks, muscles and character - sounds like a Miss World contender! But seriously, having the performance to match the aggressive styling, and the comfort to match the price tag is a very good thing. So many cars fail on one or both fronts.

Overall: 4/5

I really like the evolving range of Lexus luxury cars, and the new IS250 promises to really put the wind up BMW's 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz's C-Class and Audi's A4.

The GS430 is a smooth (and powerful) operator, and it looks every bit the high-end sports luxury vehicle on the road. Chock full of automotive gadgets and gizmos - all of which are useful in various situations - the car is technological tour-de-force, and the PCs, or Pre-Collision safety System, takes a leaf out of Mercedes' book of innovations.

It's hard to see a clear rival for the GS in the other luxury marques, but I would imagine this car will attract BMW 5-Series drivers, and definitely other Lexus owners. Oh, and us.