Undercutting the Euro swells.

BY K.C. COLWELL, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MORGAN SEGAL
May 2008

The model lineups of luxury automakers are fairly predictable. The six-cylinder is the entry-level car and the bestselling. The V-8 is a more powerful, higher-performing version and costs more. Then there’s Lexus, which until now had reversed this logic with its GS, a competitor to the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-class, and Infiniti M35/M45.

The most powerful model in the lineup was a hybrid, the GS450h, making 339 horsepower. The V-6–engined GS350 made 303 horses, and the V-8 GS430 was good for just 290 in 2007. Recognizing that buyers of the V-8 GS might want more firepower for their money, Lexus has now rectified this anomaly by fitting the GS with the 4.6-liter V-8 and eight-speed automatic transmission from the big LS460. Hence, we have the GS460 shown here, with 342 horsepower, a comfortable buffer of 39 horses over the GS350 (and 52 more than the GS430).

The extra ponies are good for a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.5 seconds, 0.2 quicker than the last GS430 we tested and identical to the GS450h. Over the standing quarter-mile, the advantage extends to 0.2 second over the GS450h and 0.5 second over the GS430. We managed 16 mpg with the 460, 1 mpg worse than in the 430 and four fewer than in the 450h.
In most regards, the GS460 is a nice piece. The interior is skillfully wrought, the car is beautifully built, and the powertrain is a gem. As long as the road is smooth, it’s a serene ride, but sealed cracks and potholes in the pavement kill the serenity. Even in its soft setting, the adjustable suspension can’t compensate for the reinforced sidewalls of the Dunlop run-flat tires.

Starting at $53,385—that’s $7000 and change less than a Mercedes-Benz E550 and about $3000 more than an Infiniti M45—the GS460 slots right in the middle of the V-8 luxury-sedan market. Load up on options, and the as-tested price of $59,564 seems almost economical compared with the price of similarly equipped German sedans, which are equally luxurious and arguably better to drive but are at least 10 percent more expensive.

Photos :

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED: $59,564 (base price: $53,385)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 281 cu in, 4608cc
Power (SAE net): 342 bhp @ 6200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 339 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manumatic shifting

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 112.2 in Length: 190.0 in Width: 71.7 in Height: 56.1 in
Curb weight: 3990 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.5 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 13.1 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 23.3 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 5.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.9 sec @ 103 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 150 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 170 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.89 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 17 mpg
C/D observed: 16 mpg

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