Look out, Mr. and Mrs. Jones
There’s been plenty of talk about changing technology over the last few years. Automotive pundits have predicted that designers and engineers (particularly the latter) would need to be incorporating new technology into new products at a breakneck pace, if they want to keep up with the ultra-competitive new car market.
When it comes to walking the walk in this regard, one need look no further than Lexus. Not only does the premium division of Toyota remain at the top of the heap when it comes to many quality and customer satisfaction polls, it also manages to improve upon products that, even a year ago, one might consider a top-drawer vehicle.
A mid-life upgrade?
Case in point is the 2007 Lexus GS 350, a sport sedan that steps in to replace the outgoing GS 300. Not even close to being a fossil, the GS 300 impressed me when I reviewed it a bare two years ago with its power, poise and ergonomics.
But the GS 300 is, as mentioned, a sports sedan, and one of Lexus’s main competitors in the market recently came out with a little number called the G35 sedan. Funnily enough, Infiniti’s updated sedan pushed the performance envelope to 306 hp in a sporty package that’s very close to the GS in size and weight.
The new Lexus GS 350 has closed the gap between the two to a mere three ponies: The car’s new 3.5-litre engine now incorporates direct fuel-injection along with variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust for an extremely robust 303 hp (versus 306 in the competition) and 274 lb-ft of torque - six lb-ft higher than Infiniti’s G.
These comparative figures don’t mean I’m about to dissect both vehicles (I’ll leave that to the illustrious Barry Hanson in a future Wheel2Wheel column), but it does illustrate that manufacturers – like the savvy businesspeople who often drive them – follow the product offerings of every major player as they strive to stay on top.
Which explains why Lexus felt it necessary to take a perfectly good car and drive it under a bigger, more powerful powerplant that beats its own previous model by almost 50 ponies. Company figures have the GS 350 hitting 96 km/h in about 5.7 seconds.
The extra power will come in handy for those who select the AWD powertrain option – a setup that keeps power flowing to the rear wheels until traction or throttle inputs indicate a power transfer forward.
While they were at it, Lexus engineers threw in a full complement of acronyms to help bring this powerful beast back to earth. Brake Assist (BA) and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) join the now-standard ABS on the car’s excellent all-disk braking system to produce a smooth, controlled stop from virtually any speed.
The double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear setup provides a supple, yet confident ride that responds well to an aggressive touch.
Nothing too shifty
The six-speed automatic transmission still has a manual shift selection option, but – as in the previous GS – there’s little need to use it, thanks to its intuitive programming.
There are also some more techno goody options that should keep those business-types multitasking happily. Available is a DVD navigation system that includes an impressive five million points of interest. The map can display in two separate layouts on the same screen, to help with cross-referencing, and it can talk you to your destination using multiple route calculations and route previews.
Bluetooth wireless technology integrates with the navigation system to allow the transfer of personal phone books to the navigation system. The driver can also make hands-free phone calls via its touch-screen control panel.
Although it doesn’t park itself like the flagship LS 460, the GS 350 can help you determine how you’re doing with its available Intuitive Park Assist (IPA) system, which uses ultrasonic sensors to detect objects close to the car’s front and rear bumpers and alert the driver accordingly.
A rear back-up camera is available in conjunction with the optional navigation system, utilizing the navigation screen when the vehicle is in reverse gear.
The interior is arranged in a calming, clean style that’s less ostentatious than the previous model; perhaps the colour combination in my tester – cashmere with brown birds-eye maple – had something to do with the overall effect. It’s all polished metal, leather and a few well-placed wood inserts, and it’s nice without being intimidating.
Size considerations
The only issue drivers might have with the GS is one of size – in which case, there are bigger options in the Lexus lineup. Personally, I found the driver’s position, with its 10-way power seat, very comfortable – but the seats barely got me low enough to keep my coif clear of the ceiling liner. Legroom was fine, but don’t expect wads of extra elbow room.
It’s spacious enough, but the sport factor in the equation keeps the car from being a bona fide highway cruiser.
The typical user of this zippy sedan isn’t likely to log many multiple-hour stints in the GS 350 anyhow: Time spent in this car is as much about fun and an overall "quality" experience as it is about sheer comfort.
The rest of the time the typical driver will, like their Lexus counterparts, be keeping up with the Joneses. And parking a new GS 350 can go a long way in that regard.
– Rob Daly is the editor of Edmonton Sun’s Autonet.ca section and a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada.
|
2007 LEXUS GS 350 |
|
MSRP: $59,750 |
|
Fuel test: 11.0L/100km city & 7.5L/100km highway |
|
Fuel required: Premium |
|
Layout: RWD four-passenger sport sedan |
|
Engine: 3.5-litre V-6; 303 hp, 274 lb-ft torque |
|
Transmission: Six-speed sequential multi-mode Super ECT |
|
REPORT CARD Performance: A Ride: A Handling: B+ Brakes: A Front seat: A- Back seat: B |
Latest News
-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.