All new Lexus GS finally revealed!

Are you reading this from an iPad provided by Mercedes-Benz in one of their showrooms, while you wait for the salesman to prepare the paperwork needed to sign for your newly purchased E-Class? If so, do please hold on to your pen right there as there is a new and possibly more better choice for you. The all-new Lexus GS!

The Lexus GS? What car is that you may wonder. Well, nobody can blame you for not remembering the previous generation GS. In fact, we should all blame the designers who made the previous gen GS look so bland. As comfortable and luxury it may be, the GS still could not beat the Germans for nailing both great looks and great comfort. The GS’s poor sales confirms that.

An all new model is obviously needed, and needed right now. So is about time Lexus revealed their all-new GS recently at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California. Let’s start of with the looks. This new GS is based on the looks of the LF-Gh hybrid concept shown at the New York International Auto Show earlier this year. And what can I say after comparing it with the production model?

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I have both bad and good news. Good news is that the basic shape of the car just like the lights and bumpers remains closely the same. Bad news? Lexus had left out all the details the concept car has. To give you a better visual understanding of their difference, I posted both the concept and the production model for you to compare.

As you can see, the production model had kept that sharp and edgy design of the front bumper from the concept but with less of the fancy detailing. Lexus also said that this front bumper design will be applied to all future Lexus model. As for the side profile, Lexus decided to keep it simple. There is zero styling lines whatsoever which gives it a cleaner look. And when I say ‘cleaner look’, I meant that it looks very bland which makes the side profile view of the GS the least impressive view to be seen in.

As for the rear, it is a bit disappointing. And after you compare it with the concept, it is all the more disappointing. The rear lights of the concept may be a little too extreme and complex for production, and I fully expect Lexus to tone it down. However, little did I know that the rear lights would end up looking like a combination of a Hyundai Sonata and a Mitsubishi ASX. Don’t believe me? Just see it for yourself right below! 

Fortunately for us, we spend most of our time inside the car and I have many good news for you. The interior is totally redesigned and was inspired by Lexus’s flagship model, the LFA supercar. Instead of the old center stack full of confusing buttons, the new GS feature a more simplified and attractive design with significantly less buttons.

Lexus could take away all these buttons because most of the controls for the entertainment and comfort can be controlled from the standard LCD screen. Tick the sat-nav from the options list and the screen will be enlarged to a class-leading 12.3 inch display. All these are controlled from a computer-mouse-like controller which should be easier than using a rotary dial.

The new GS is also almost identical in dimension compared to the previous model. However, Lexus claimed that there will be more interior space and also 25% more boot space. Just like all Lexus interior, the inside will be generously wrapped in quality leather, aluminium trim, and also genuine wood trims.

Lexus also chose to ditch the cheap-looking digital clock with a classy analogue clock which is pretty pointless while driving as it does not have any labels. Most importantly, it looks great and most people could just have a look at their wrist watch or perhaps even the sat-nav screen.

The models available at launch would be the base GS 250, followed by the GS 350, and a hybrid GS 450h. All three engines will be available throughout Europe, but the more power-hungry Americans will only get the GS 350 and the hybrid GS. The GS 350 is powered by a 3.5 liter V6 petrol engine which produces 306hp and could drive this car all the way to 60mph in 5.7 seconds and will reach a electronically limited top speed of 142mph (228 km/h).

All GS 350 model are available in both rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel drive which could send equal 50/50 of torque to all four wheels and even up to 30/70 when necessary. Besides that, we are also able to choose from a variety of options which includes the aforementioned sat-nav with a huge 12.3 inch screen, 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, and even night vision. 

10 airbags and also a radar cruise control will come as standard. There is also what Lexus calls the S-Flow which is actually just air-conditioning which could detect the presence of rear passengers and adjust the air flow in the cabin accordingly.

No prices nor further details have been released yet but all we know now is that the production of the all new GS will begin this December, and we will be able to see it in showrooms by February next year. Can’t wait for so long? You might as well just sign that dotted line for that Mercedes-Benz E-Class.