| Lexus GS430 |
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By Terry Jackson, Men.com Automotive Editor
While it might seem a little incongruous to talk about a high-performance sports coupe that gets as little as 18 mpg in these days of $3 a gallon gasoline, the Lexus GS430 is just too good to ignore.
After several revisions, the GS model from Lexus has finally hit its stride when it comes to styling and performance.
Gone is the somewhat awkward styling that has plagued this Lexus since its inception, replaced by a slick, almost fastback look that doesn’t go as far as Mercedes-Benz does with its CL.
While the shape will never cause heads to swivel, the GS finally looks like the performance sedan it’s intended to be.
When the subject of performance sedans comes up, the name BMW is usually front and center. So the comparison that’s natural with the GS430 is the BMW 5 Series, and the Lexus stacks up well in most areas.
Both are about the same overall size – 190.1 inches for the Lexus and 191.1 for the BMW. The wheelbase difference between the two differs by only about an inch and a half, with the BMW being slightly longer.
When you put them on the scales, the BMW weighs in about 55 pounds heavier than the 3,745-pound Lexus.
And in terms of interior space, most dimensions are within an inch or so of each other, making the cockpit roomy for four adults and even comfortable for short trips with five.
Where the biggest difference between the two shows up is under the hood, where the 4.3-liter Lexus V8 delivers 300 horsepower, compared to 360 horsepower for the 4.8-liter V8 in the BMW 550i.
Understandably, the BMW 550i gets worse gas mileage than the Lexus – 16-23 mpg as rated by the federal government, compared to 18-25 mpg for the GS430.
Neither figure is impressive, but for buyers who can afford the $51,000-plus price of either car, the sticker shock at the pump should have little affect on their finances.
What the GS430 does so well is take the attributes of a powerful, comfortable performance luxury sedan and put them together in a package that does everything well. It may not hit all the highs of the BMW 550i when it comes to acceleration and at-the-edge handling, but the GS430 will likely please 95 percent of buyers in this category.
Drive the GS430 and you get a feeling that this is a machine carved from a single piece of steel. Its weight is felt, but never in a way that undermines confidence in its handling.
Hit the accelerator and the V8 revs smoothly through the six-speed automatic gearbox, which also offers a manual shift mode with steering wheel controls for those inclined to play Grand Prix driver.
The massive disc brakes can stop the car aggressively – maybe too aggressively. If you’re the sort of driver who’s used to jumping on the brake pedal, the GS430 brakes will seem quite grabby. Learn to use the brakes in a steady, easy motion, and the grabbiness goes away.
The cockpit of the GS is pure Lexus luxury.
Some noteworthy features include the electro-chromatic glass over the instruments that automatically adjusts depending on outside lighting levels. At night, the leather interior is bathed in soft light from tiny spotlights that illuminate crucial parts of the console.
One feature that’s particularly useful with optional navigation system is a backup camera. Working with the rear camera is a sonar Intuitive Parking Assist system that detects an obstacle at close range.
Elsewhere, the GS430 comes with a keyless ignition – just keep the key fob in your pocket and press the starter button.
It’s a lot of car for the money, but if the price is too much, there’s the six-cylinder version, the GS300, which offers less power but has better fuel economy, costs about $8,000 less, and is available in an all-wheel-drive version.
For those who want to go green and not sacrifice the power, check out the Men.com review of the Lexus GS450h.
Copyright © 2006 Men.Com
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