Finally, some respect!

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/11/2005 (7436 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IN another time, in possibly another Elmore Leonard novel, the likes of a Chili Palmer-type shylock would have emerged from an airport shuttle to find a 1990-ish Lexus LS 400 parked where a Caddy should have been. To which, the parking lot attendant would utter (all together now) “Its the Cadillac of Toyotas.”

Even the likes of Bobby DeNiro have slagged the Lexus heritage, in the mob/shrink escapade Analyze That. ( “Lexus… that’s like a Toyota.”)

Does Lexus have an image problem? Sure, a little more than 15 years have elapsed since its arrival on these shores. And to be fair, early product offerings were sometimes an emblem or piece of cladding away from a Camry or a Land Cruiser.

Quality has never been an issue. Neither has safety, engineering, even the stitching on the leather seats. And Lexus hasn’t exactly been taking it on the chin with sales, either.

When one starts dabbling in the $60K to $80K bracket for their A to B, my five-cent psychological analysis would dictate that the subject would desire refinement, dynamics, with a dash of hey, look me over. As one scans the available brochures, the common thread is that these dollars can buy image. Image that the uninformed may perceive as costing thousands more.

Previous GS offerings never seemed to exude such wonderment. Early examples seemed to have more in common with the defunct Cressida, soldiering on with the inline 6. V8 versions added scat, however the GS styling was never going to upstage the likes of a 5 Series or Mercedes. Ahh, the Toyota Syndrome.

As Lexus has continued to evolve, a new GS has finally emerged from the primordial design soup. While sharing subtle hints of the outgoing ’05, the 2006 GS has found the all-important look it most desperately requires. Kind of a Konichi-wa-wa. (My apologies to the Japanese language. And the English one for that matter.)

The GS 300 AWD provided for evaluation tips the scale of this spectrum at $77,000. (Base MSRP is $64,300 for RWD, $66,700 for the AWD.) A V8 430 version is available, though only in rear-drive form. (Starting from $74,700.)

The venerable inline six is gone, replaced by a 3.0 litre DOHC 24-valve V6 of some 245 horses. The techno-savvy have much to drool over here. There is Variable Valve Timing, naturally, with Intelligence. The kicker is that it controls both intake and exhaust valves. The Acoustic Control Induction System mimics a supercharger, taking a bigger bite of an air/fuel mixture based on throttle inputs, without the extra weight and belt whine. The 6-speed Super Electronically Controlled Transmission (Super ECT) is anything but slushbox, learning a driver’s throttle inputs over time to devise the best shift program.

Steering is electric-power assist, speed-sensitive for parking ease. The suspension sports fully independent double wishbones fore and aft, with beefy stabilizer bars and multi-link control arms in the rear. The AWD system maintains a constant 50:50 torque split. In the event of slippage, the Traction Control system transfers automatic braking power to the wheel at issue. Coupled with standard VSC, the GS is hard to get bent out of shape. Even with the snow tire-shod test vehicle. (Attention auto PR types: we eventually do get warm temperatures here. Really, check the Weather Channel.)

The mechanicals were the easy part. As for inside, the Premium Package has everything you could possibly ask for, plus a few things you didn’t even know existed. Even before you get in, you know that you are welcome. When equipped with the keyless SmartAccess transponder, the Premium Illuminated Entry System lights up the vehicle as you approach, reminiscent of the slow upward slide of a dimmer switch. No key is required with SmartAccess: just push the Engine Start button and go. The wood trim is real. The leather seating is both heated and cooled for front passenger and driver. Wow. The DVD-based Navi system actually recognizes that Winnipeg exists, including streets. The screen also doubles as the portal for the rearview camera. Controls are exactly where you need them to be. Grab a few DVD audio discs at your local music concern. You’ll be glad you did, with the Premium’s Mark Levinson 14-speaker soundapalooza. I heard things on the Doobie’s Long Train Runnin’ I’ve never heard before. Let’s see, what was I doing? Oh right, I should take it out for a drive.

In today’s inexplicable horsepower wars, there seems to be far less emphasis placed on the equation of balance between chassis and powerplant. The GS 300 V6 may only state 245 horses of output, though it seems to be a delicious fabrication, much like the dumbed-down muscle car figures of yore. The six is never logey, the power delivery instant, thanks to Electronic Throttle Control with Intelligence. Cornering characteristics belie the GS dimensions. It seemed more akin to the IS 300, which is more fun than a bathtub full of sea otters. If only it had the paddle up/down shifts of the IS.

My only annoyance is the continued Toyota/Lexus concept of having to pay for extra safety. Standard airbags include driver and passenger frontal, knee, driver and passenger seat-mounted side bags, and front/rear curtains. Rear-seat side airbags are available, in the Touring Package or the Premium, though not on the base. I’d rather have fake wood or carbon fibre appliques than sacrifice the little ones.

The feather in the Lexus GS 300 cap is that people are finally starting to give the prerequisite number of jawdrops upon its arrival. It belongs. Perhaps not quite the dumbfoundedness of an Escalade. (which we will explore at a later date). No, more like respect. Respect that is long overdue.

The specs

2006 Lexus GS 300 AWD

Price, base MSRP: $66,700.

Price, as tested: $77,000.

Engine: 3.0-litre, aluminum, DOHC V6 with dual variable valve timing.

Power: 245 hp @ 6,200 rpm.

Torque: 230 lb.-ft. @ 3,600 rpm.

Transmission: six-speed automatic with sequential multi-mode shifter, transmission fluid cooler, lock-up torque convertor.

Drivetrain: front-engine, all-wheel drive.

Length: 4,825 mm (190 in.).

Width: 1,820 mm (71.7 in.).

Height: 1,435 mm (56.5 in.).

Wheelbase: 2,850 mm (112.2 in.).

Curb weight: 1,705 kg. (3,759 lb.).

Options on test car: Premium package, includes: AM/FM cassette six-CD autochanger Mark Levinson 14-speaker audio system, clearance and back-up sensors, rear-window sunshade, coloured rear spoiler, DVD-based navigation system (yes, includes Winnipeg), adaptive front lighting system, rear seat side air bags, heated and ventilated driver and passenger seats, wood- and leather-wrapped steering wheel, wood- and leather-wrapped shift knob, rain sensing wipers, automatic wipers.