Test Drive Lexus RX 1998 - 2003 SUV

RX300 / GS430

And Lexus is increasing its presence in the old world. In October, the presentation of European versions of the SUV RX300 and the GS430 business class sedan took place in Spain. HA stage representative LS430.
Everything has its time. When a little more than a year ago, the history of the LEXUS brand has just begun, the Japanese received prudently, refusing a large-scale invasion of the European continent and concentrating efforts to conquer the US and Canada's market. In the old world with his newly formed ideas about the automotive elite, a newcomer, daring to compete with historical brands, it was difficult to count on a favorable reception. Other business states. For local buyers expensive models, the lack of pedigree from the car is not the biggest sin. It would be, as Poles say, Luxoso, reliably and not so expensive, like these European tasks.
 
When it turned out that Lexus was able to provide both the first and second, and the third that it began! Most of the Toyota Special Special Film models were at all imaginable and unthinkable prizes from the most authoritative in the overseas car business of publications and organizations like Motor Trend and Car & Driver magazines, J.D. Associations Power and AAA (American Automobile Association). In 19981999 Such trophies went to the then debutants, RX300 models and the second generation of GS series sedans. The case has ended in what it is, according to a question, and should end in America, a million. Million car sold for 10 years. And after all, we note, we are not talking about utilitarian models, but about the machines of the average cost of 3545 thousand dollars!
 
What about Europe? No, the Japanese did not forget about her, but all these years held the inhabitants of the old world on a hungry soldering. The diet available to them models was hard limited. The calculation was before the brilliant simple: when your neighbor is drunk for both cheeks and praises, appetite sooner or later comes. We just need to be able to wait. And in the end, the patience of the Japanese was rewarded. In 1999, after the start of mass supply of compact IS200, LEXUS sales in Europe compared to 1997 grew in fire almost 5 times (from 3500 to 16308 cars)!
 
To continue torture hunger no longer make sense, and the Japanese removed the ten-year-old embargo from Europe. True, in relation to Russia, it has always been a very conditional nature. With all the truths and inconsisions, the latest models of Lexus, who did not have European regulations, were transported to our country. So in this case, it is more likely to recognize the de jure of the existing de facto situation. Nevertheless, the emergence of Lexus Event Event is significant. After all, it would seem that familiar cars changed noticeably.
 
The least of all this applies to their appearance. The idea of \u200b\u200bit (albeit in correspondence) from the European buyer has already developed, and therefore the Japanese is radically repainted. The Japanese considered inappropriate. The form of the radiator lattice and rear lights has changed from American versions of RX300 and GS430. You can distinguish Europeans from them only one sign: repeaters of rotation pointers moved from the bumper to the front wings.
 
In the cabin, the changes also do not catch the eye. Europeans, in contrast to Americans, can choose the embodiment of the interior of the RX300 with decorative inserts for aluminum. The GS430 salon does not imply even such minimum discrepancies. Already rich configuration of the sedan (in it, in particular, an automatic climate control system with separate temperature control in the left and right parts of the cabin) can be made simply luxurious, ordering the driver's seat equipped with memory, the steering column and external mirrors, as well as the hatch With electric drive and navigation system. In the latter, by the way, not ordinary CD-ROM, and the DVDs system discs with a larger amount of memory are 13 times. On one such carrier can accommodate roadmaps almost all of Europe!
The grafting of the Starlavetian manners more significantly expressed in the reconfiguration of the engines and the chassis of both Lexus. Motor power for bringing their characteristics in line with European environmental standards (by the degree of exhaust toxicity, the GS430 engine meets the requirements of the EURO IV standard) had to restrict several. But it was done with Japanese accuracy. EUNVICE RX300, even without receiving 20 horses and placing only a 4-range automaton, in the dynamics there will be no MERCEDES ML 320. In addition, the aluminum V-shaped six Lexus works exceptionally smoothly. The secret lies in a unique motor mounting system on pillows with built-in membranes. Their oscillations (for which the vacuum is used for the intake manifold) and the engine vibration is quenched. The new 4.3-liter V8 for the GS model is inferior in power to its 4-liter 1UZ-FE series predecessor 11 hp, but the best defense in the middle modes in most situations with interest compensates for this shortage. The Japanese is still equal to compete with the BMW 540 itself for the title of the fastest among the serial sedans of the business class.
 
Adherents of active driving style can not but please the Europeanization of the chassis. Thanks to the new springs, shock absorbers and transverse stability stabilizers of the RX300 (by the way, only the All-wheel drive version of the Japanese SUV) will be supplied to Europe) with high speeds is noticeably better than the road. Not at all the American, perceptibly increased reactive action on the steering wheel allows you to better control the machine in turn. GS430 received gas-filled shock absorbers. In addition, compared with the model of the 400th series, the characteristics of the elastic suspension elements were changed, as well as the form and degree of stiffness of the front stabilizer of transverse stability. As a result, the car on the move became more comfortable, and at the same time the transverse rins of the body were decreased in the turn.
The brake system was improved in the calculation of European speeds. Moreover, in the case of RX300, it was not limited to a banal increase in the diameter of the brake discs and the sizes of the pads. The amplifier itself was replaced with a more powerful. But this seemed little to the Japanese. The ENGUTH RX300 has appeared on the e-system of distribution of brake effort and emergency braking. In general, owners of cars of this class, as Lexus, it seems, it is time to say goodbye to the smug conviction that they are controlled by the machine. You have to come to terms with the invasion of smart electronics, all these controls of traction effort and dynamic stabilization, not to mention the ABS. Maybe this does not add sharpness of sensations, but increases the chances of getting out of the difficult situation on the road. The presence of three-point seat belts on all seats, frontal and lateral airbags (and on GS430 also descending from the ceiling of the curtains) even more strengthens the sense of security.
 
So, from what point of view, see, the Japanese thoroughly prepared for landing a new Lexus-landing on the European continent. And this is no accident. Five years later, in the old world, the company intends to sell at least 50 thousand cars per year, for which the number of exclusive dealers will be increased here from 60 to 225250. It will be enough to quench the European hunger on the LEXUS brand cars will show the future.
Word pragmatatic
Both Europeized LEXUS models can boast of excellent technical characteristics, high quality manufacturing (manufactured in Japan at Tahara Plant), a also rich in basic equipment with a slightly smaller than that of competitors, price (for official dealers in Russia, it will be installed in spring 2001. ). It remains to decide: is it enough good arguments to prefer to European classicism Japanese improvisation?
Some Technical Specifications Lexus RX300
(manufacturer data)
Dimensions, mm 4580x1815x1660
Base, mm 2615
Curb weight, kg 2615
Trunk volume, l 489 *
Pitch in front / rear, mm 1565/1550
Engine type gasoline V6 16-valve
with multipoint injection
Working volume, cube. CM 2995.
Max. Power, hp / rpm 201/5600
Max. Moment, nm / rpm 283/4400
Automatic 4-band transmission, permanent four-wheel drive, inter-axis
Differential with viscous coupling
Tires 215/70 R16 / 225/60 R17 **
Max. Speed, km / h 180
Acceleration time 0-100 km, from 9.2
Fuel consumption, l / 100 km
city / Route 17.7 / 10.3
Tank volume, l 75
* With a raised back of the rear sofa.
** Only in the LHD configuration.
Mikhail Yaroslavtsev
Photo of the manufacturer
 
   

 

A source: Magazine "Autopanoram"