Test drive Lexus GS 2005 - 2008 sedan

Elegant than a piano

Lexus GS430: style, reliability and prestige
 
There are a lot of Lexus cars in our city. It is understandable - the car is not only expensive and prestigious, but also differs in high reliability. Lexus has become so popular in Russia that the Japanese even had to open the official division of the company in Moscow in order to stop the monstrous expansion in the market with gray dealers. And the paradox - the car is extremely popular, but it was impossible to buy it from an official dealer. But various car dealerships imported this American Mercedes just in packs.
 
Despite the fact that the Lexus brand (RX300 - for girls, LX470 for boys) is most popular in our country, the GS series sedans are also not deprived of the attention of potential buyers. Not having time to appear on sale, Moscow streets instantly began to fill new sedans, which many use and as a service car with a driver, because you can drive on this car with no less comfort and on the back sofa.
 
The new Lexus GS series is available in two versions - GS300 and GS430. The V-shaped six weighs only 174 kg and develops a power of 259 hp. at 6200 rpm. Twisting at 310 Nm at 3500 rpm. Provides the car from a place up to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds. Despite greater accessibility and popularity, our choice fell on the top version of the car - Lexus GS430. Here it is already a V8 with a working volume of 4.3 liters and a capacity of 283 horses at 5600 rpm. With an adaptive electronic control system of throttle. A little more than 6 seconds are required to accelerate from a place to the coveted hundreds. Later, the GS450H hybrid with a hydrogen installation in appendage to the main motor will also go on sale. Inside, of course, full stuffing.
 
Outwardly, the new GS makes a really strong impression. Weighty feed does not push away at all, but, on the contrary, rather attracts. The rapid silhouette of the body is very elegant and looks highly stylish. This was noted by absolutely everyone who saw the car. To reduce the mass of the machine, the hood and some parts of the suspension are made of aluminum. Hefty 18-inch wheels on funnced disks with elegant knitting needles open a wonderful overview of the entire brake system. And you will definitely need brakes, because Lexus GS is primarily a sports sedan, so disk ventilated brakes on all wheels are necessary as air. And the new front suspension with two transverse levers and multi -link rear provide excellent characteristics and excellent controllability. GS is great and acute.
 
Inside, the new Lexus fully meets its solid status. The skin and wood, absolutely all adjustments are electrical. A large liquid crystal display is interactive, it is even called Touchscreen: he pressed a finger - a corresponding task and is performed. There are large and convenient round buttons around the display, on which it is clearly and clearly written what will happen if you press them. Devices in the sports are drowned in deep wells in the Alfa Romeo style, which has its own unconditional advantages, because even with the bright sun, the speedometer indicators and all the sensors are well read. In general, the interior of the car is chic, but not oversaturated with electronics. In addition, a large sliding buttons block is hidden to the left of the steering wheel. On it are the control buttons of side mirrors, rear curtain, parking sensors, a gas tank hatch, trunk drive, etc. I really liked the soft bluish neon illumination, and the couple of lamps are mounted in the lower part of the side mirrors. They illuminate the ground near the doors of the car, so that the owner in expensive boots does not inadvertently come into the mud
 
Despite the fact that the new GS is not much more than its predecessor, the salon has become much more spacious. Useful ergonomics is a very competent thing. It is spacious and convenient to sit behind, but it is not for nothing that many owners use this sedan and as an official personal car for every day with the driver. As befits a new -fiber car, there is no ignition lock or there is a standard key there at all. A new Lexus is started with a large round button to the right of the steering wheel. The idea is not entirely new, but stylish. With the keyponder key, the situation is generally interesting. It can not be removed from the pocket in principle. When the key is at a distance of a meter from the locked door, it lies with the transmitter built into the door handle and compares the codes, after which the locks are unlocking when touching the handle of the handle. When the driver is inside the machine, the code is automatic and the system allows you to start the engine by pressing the above button.
 
In expensive trim levels, including in a test machine, a 350-vat Mark Levinson audio system with 14 speakers is installed. He plays quite himself, even with dignity.
 
As for the smoothness of the stroke, the two -leaf front and multi -link rear suspensions are combined with an adaptive stiffening system that allows you to choose one of the two stiffness modes of shock absorbers - Sport and Comfort. This design provides a smooth move and good handling. Thanks to the installation of the rear shock absorbers on one axis lowered below, the luggage volume was increased. In addition, the GS430 is equipped with a new EPS steering electrical power with a variable gear ratio. The transfer number of the steering mechanism changes depending on the speed of the car. At low speeds, the force on the steering wheel is minimal, and with an increase in speed, it increases, improving the information content of the steering.
 
The adaptive system for regulating the rigidity of the suspension (AVS), installed on the GS430 model, allows you to change the smoothness of the Lexus stroke. There are two modes - Normal (for comfortable daily movement) and Sport (for more rigid sports piloting). AVS automatically regulates the suspension of each wheel separately in accordance with the data coming from numerous sensors. Information from the sensors of the engine speed, the speed of rotation of the front wheels, the angle of rotation of the steering wheel, from the switch of the stop line and from the three sensors of vertical acceleration is processed by the electronic control unit, which includes the corresponding regulator in each of the shock absorbers. In Sport mode, when passing turns, the difference in the stiffness of internal and external shock absorbers automatically increases. This provides the car body with a flat position without pronounced rolls.
 
On an uneven road surface, when the tires have different clutch coefficients, a sharp braking can lead to car to the side. Lexus as if it foresees this and automatically changes the angle of rotation of the wheels in order to compensate for the difference in brake efforts on the left and right, providing straightforward braking. In approximately the same scheme, acceleration from the place occurs - the angle of rotation of the wheels is adjusted automatically, maintaining the terminal stability of the car with minimal intervention of the driver. GS also provides for the function of touching the rise. The system recognizes the car back and automatically increases the braking force on all four wheels, providing the driver with enough time to transfer the leg from the brake pedal to the coveted trigger.
 
In general, the Japanese are approaching the issues of active and passive security, as they say, with all seriousness. In the new Lexus GS there are 10 airbags, and the degree of filling in the case of an accident depends on the strength of the collision. The standard equipment includes xenon headlights, covering the turn, towards which the car moves, to an angle of up to 15 degrees.
 
It is possible to list in detail all the charms of this clot of high intellectual technologies named Lexus GS430 almost endlessly. One thing is clear - such a modern and high technology, by definition, cannot be cheap by definition. But he fully justifies his price. So, if you want to become the owner of this perfect splendor, you will have to very thoroughly unload your bank account
 
Text: Alexey Gusev
 

Source: Mkobil magazine