Lexus GS460 Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Lexus GS 460
Prices: £50,500 - on the road
Insurance Group: 18E
Emissions: 258g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 5.6s / Max Speed 155mph
Fuel Consumption: (urban) 17.3mpg / (extra urban) 35.8mpg / (combined) 25.7mpg
Safety: Twin front airbags, side-airbags, ABS, VSC WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE? (length/width/height) 4825/1820/1430mm

THERE’S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CUBES

Our Rating: 7.7 / 10

For all its high technology, there’s something deliciously old-school about the Lexus GS 460. Andy Enright approves

Lexus makes great play of its advances in hybrid technology and wows us with smart gadgets but in the GS 460, the company serves up a tried and tested formula of big engine wrapped in a luxury saloon body. What it lacks in originality it more than makes up for in execution.

If the Lexus GS model range has had one overwhelming problem, it’s been that it’s an easy car to overlook. The LS range-topper initially hogged the limelight and in recent years the RX and IS model ranges have come into their own. The GS always seemed the rather quiet middle child, unexceptional in any particular area. And for years, that was indeed the case. The GS wasn’t hugely special. In recent times, however, Lexus has devoted remedial resource to getting the GS up to speed and with some success. The latest range is extremely strong and the GS460 is a flagship model that demands attention.

The task of making headway in the executive car sector without a German badge is notoriously difficult. We’ve seen some impressive products from Jaguar, Volvo and Lexus over the years but by and large they haven’t achieved the sales success that they have deserved. The GS 460 might just have what it takes to stick a haymaker on the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Audi.

Power counts for a lot in this corner of the market. Hang whether you can use all that horsepower or not, you need a headline figure to draw the customers in and with 342bhp from its 4.6-litre V8 engine, the GS 460 seems at an instant disadvantage. It’s 20bhp down on a BMW 550i, 3bhp down on an Audi A6 4.2 FSI and a whopping 46bhp shy of the Mercedes E500 – all rivals that are comparably priced. It works smarter rather than harder though, using the world’s first eight-speed automatic to offer seamless acceleration and Dual VVT-I valve timing to help improve engine response. From rest, it’ll get to 60mph in 5.6s and run on to an electronically limited 155mph top speed.

On the road, the GS is silky smooth, the suspension easing over undulations and obliterating imperfections in the road surface. The ride is less composed at very low speeds but once into its stride, the GS is imperious. The only intrusive sound is tyre roar, but it might be the lack of other aural stimuli that elevates this in your consciousness. Both Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) and Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) are provided as standard, as is Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS). As well as adopting AVS, the GS 460 benefits from retuned shock absorbers and springs and revised underbody aerodynamics to improve high speed stability.

The GS 460 features styling that has been freshened slightly, with a chrome surround for the front grille, revised door mirrors with integrated indicators and sleeker door handles. The front and rear bumpers have also been gently restyled, with sharper air intakes. Classier 18-inch alloy wheel designs have been introduced and the palette of body colours has been changed, with the introduction of a new silver and gold paint finish. The cabin ergonomics have also been improved with various controls being relocated.

The Lexus GS looks a large car with its long, bulky body. It’s also a distinctive one with its steeply raked rear windscreen that almost suggests a hatchback and split headlamp clusters. The stance is ground hugging so the GS definitely sportier to look at than it is to drive. The suspension set-up is comprised of double wishbones at the front and a multi-link system at the rear and is aluminium in its construction to reduce weight. Interior space is generous for four occupants but the transmission tunnel is prominent in the rear so the middle berth has restricted legroom. The boot is a little down on the best in the class in terms of size.

You’ll need to stump up £50,500 for a Lexus GS 460 and while this might seem a hefty slug of cash, it’s worth considering what you get as part of the deal. As the ra