The luxury subsidiary of Toyota, Lexus, sells an executive vehicle known as the GS (GS, Rekusasu GS) in Japan. In Japan, the Toyota Aristo had been replaced by the same vehicle in 1991. It was introduced as the Lexus GS for non-Japanese markets in February 1993. For the Japanese market, it kept retaining the Toyota Aristo moniker until January 2005.
The GS is a mid-luxury performance sedan that competes in the market between the compact executive IS and large/flagship LS. Up until 2011, it shared a chassis with one of Toyota’s most enduring nameplates, the Toyota Crown premium sedans.
Since its introduction in 1993, the GS has gone through four generations, each of which featured six-cylinder engines and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive and hybrid versions made their debuts in 2005, and V8 engines were also available across all generations. Earlier, all-wheel drive variants of the S140 series Aristo for the Japanese market were made available. The Toyota Aristo, which is Greek for “the best,” was available in Japan for the first two generations from 1991 until the Lexus brand made its domestic dbut in 2005. The GS and the Aristo had nearly identical appearance and interior designs, but they had different engine and transmission lineups as well as equipment packages. Grand Sedan is indicated by the initials GS. [4] Grand Sport is a backronym that some Lexus importers use. [5]
In 1993, the first generation Lexus GS went on sale in the US, Europe, and a few Asian regions. It had an inline-6 engine and exterior bodywork created by Italdesign Giugiaro. With a new platform,[6] in-house styling, and the addition of a V8 variant for the first time outside of Japan, the second generation vehicle made its debut in 1997. The third generation GS was built in V6, V8, and hybrid forms, the latter of which was known as the GS 450h. It made its debut for the 2006 model year globally. The GS sedan badge debuted on the third generation cars in the local Japanese market.
At the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August 2011, the fourth-generation Lexus GS made its debut. Models unveiled there included the hybrid GS 450h, V6-powered GS 350, and performance-tuned F Sport variations. The GS 250, a smaller-displacement V6 vehicle with an eye toward the Asian and European markets, made its debut at the Auto Guangzhou Exhibition in November 2011. [7] The GS and the front-wheel drive ES share the mid-size sedan class in some areas, such as North America, in the Lexus lineup. [8]
Beginning in December 2018, the Lexus ES took the position of the GS in Europe. Despite being a front-wheel drive vehicle, the seventh generation ES is the first to be introduced in Europe, replacing the GS. [9] In Russia, Turkey, and other CIS regions, it went on sale in September 2018. In Western and Central Europe, it went on sale in December 2018. [10] August 2020 marked the conclusion of production. [1]
In This Article...
What Does SC Stand For?
The letter SC stands for “Sports Coupe” in the Lexus lexicon. It might be difficult to recall because it is one of the only models made by the manufacturer without a S or an X at the end.
What Does GS Stand For?
Grand Sedan is intended to stand for “GS” in order to accommodate the numerous varied sizes of Lexus sedans. The GS is a larger sedan for individuals who value space, even though it is smaller than the LS.
What is the foundation of the Lexus GS?
Based on the 1991 Toyota Aristo, Lexus launched the GS line in 1993 when it was about to dominate the American market.
Toyota decided against taking any chances and had the design created by Italdesign before releasing the Aristo on its domestic market to check for any design or engineering flaws. It released the rebadged version of the vehicle on the North American market two years later.
What distinguishes a GS Lexus from an A is Lexus?
Although the Lexus GS and the IS share the same fundamental design language, the GS’s bigger body lends itself better to the IS’ abrasive appearance. The GS can more effectively blend luxury and sportiness because to its broader canvas.
GS or ES, which Lexus is superior?
Both vehicles use a six-cylinder engine and a six-speed automated transmission. The 2018 Lexus GS boasts 311 horsepower, higher torque, and worse gas consumption than the 2018 Lexus ES, which has 268 horsepower. Unlike the ES, which only comes with front-wheel drive, the GS also comes with all-wheel drive.
Is the Lexus GS quick?
The luxury car with lots of speed in the 2020 Lexus GS F. The GS F is a fantastic blend of flair and performance, going from 0 to 60 in in 4.4 seconds.
Don’t settle for a cheap roadster if you crave speed. Instead, rip up the pavement in the 2020 GS F in elegance and comfort. The GS F is a luxurious sedan that offers the amenities, functionality, and speed you desirebut be prepared to pay top bucks for it.
Which Lexus is the most comfortable?
The HonestJohn.co.uk (our sister site) Satisfaction Index gave the Lexus NX a 9.3 out of 10 comfort rating, which was the highest of any vehicle. That was made possible by the hybrid powertrains’ whisper-quiet operation, but consumers also praised the car’s smooth ride.
The Lexus has a luxurious interior. The majority of the surfaces you touch are made of soft-touch plastics, but the leather trim around the air vents and top of the dashboard feels frigid to the touch. There is a lot of room up front, enough of room for people to stretch out in the back, and a sizable boot.
The Lexus’s interior is well-isolated from wind and road noise, but it also benefits from the hybrid drivetrain, which runs primarily on electricity in town and is quite quiet. As you drive to higher speeds, there is some noise, but once you have reached your cruising speed, there is hardly any sound at all.
What distinguishes the Lexus GS 350 from the 300?
Since the GS 350 and GS 300 are identical vehicles, they have identical features and choices; the only distinction is in the powerplant. The V6 engine of the GS 350 is stronger, and all-wheel drive is an option. On the other hand, the GS 300 is more economical and only comes with rear-wheel drive.
Does Lexus still produce the GS?
The GS sedan was retired by Lexus a little over a year ago, but the brand’s most recent sales report indicates that a brand-new GS was purchased in the United States earlier this year. It’s difficult to determine if that was a V8-powered F-spec vehicle, but it appears that the once-popular premium sedan may have a replacement. Although it wasn’t precisely what we wanted, it was nonetheless an interesting choice.
According to Drive, Lexus may introduce a new car based on the Toyota Mirai to fill the gap left by the GS in its model lineup. Yes, if the information is accurate, this indicates that Lexus may release a luxury automobile fueled by hydrogen that is based on the Mirai’s innovations. Naturally, nothing in this rumor is official, but it is based on a now-deleted Instagram post that had a leaked product roadmap for the brand.
Gallery: Lexus GS Black Line Edition
Drive indicates that the new device might have a different name and could be introduced in Asia and North America as a GS-indirect replacement. The Toyota Crown, a luxury car for Japan, is now built on the same manufacturing lines as the Mirai. While the GS was still on the market, the Crown often shared a lot of parts with it.
The successor to the GS should be unveiled by Lexus sometime in the following year, according to the secret product roadmap. If all of this is accurate, spy images and teasers ought to start appearing in the months leading up to the end of the year.
The Mirai has an EPA-rated range of up to 402 miles per fill-up and is currently reasonably inexpensive to purchase. Although the top output of 182 horsepower and 221 pound-feet is not particularly exciting, it is nevertheless sufficient to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 100 kph) in 9.2 seconds.
What is the lifespan of a Lexus GS 350?
A Lexus GS 350 should endure more than 200,000 miles with prudent driving and routine maintenance.
However, you should steer clear of 2013, which has the highest number of battery-related complaints.
The Lexus GS 350’s older models with the lowest reputation are those between 1998 and 2006.
Even though you’ll eventually need to replace the battery, which will be an expensive replacement, the GS 350 is a reliable Lexus product that has lasted the test of time and is still becoming better.