2007 Lexus GS 350. If a six gives you 300 hp, who still says only an eight is enough?

2007 LEXUS GS 350
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $46,795
DRIVETRAIN: 3.5-liter, 303-hp, 274-lb-ft V6; awd, six-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 3869 lb
0-60 MPH: 5.8 sec
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA/AW): 23/23.3 म्प्ग
When Lexus rolled out its latest GS, all the headlines went to the hybrid edition, the GS 450h, a rear-drive model with performance pretensions। This go-round, though, we sampled an all-wheel-drive model with the new V6 that makes 303 hp। It’s essentially the same engine that’s in the hybrid (don’t let the 450 nomenclature fool you—the 430 is the V8) but without the power boost from the electric motors that comes with the hybrid।This car has a base price about $8,000 less than the hybrid, weighs 300 pounds less despite the mass of the awd hardware (those hybrid batteries and motors are heavy) and comes up only 37 hp short। Lexus says the GS 350 awd gives up 0.6 second to the hybrid from 0 to 60 mph (5.8 seconds versus 5.2), and—for now, at least—this new direct-injected six actually outpowers the 290-hp V8 in the GS 430. The new six is supremely quiet and plenty powerful. It doesn’t shut off at stoplights as the hybrid does, but we’re not sure we’d notice if it stalled—it’s that quiet. Our observed fuel economy of 23.3 mpg isn’t up to the hybrid’s EPA 26 mpg, but it’s not bad for a spacious luxury car. The power rating is the big thing for a six, of course, but Lexus hasn’t really outdone BMW’s 535xi with its 300-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six or Cadillac’s latest direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 in the STS and the upcoming CTS. The Lexus does want premium fuel (as does the BMW). With sixes now making power on par with V8s offered a few seasons ago, it’s worth considering how much engine you need in this world of unpredictable gasoline prices.A six also gets some weight off the nose compared with an eight, which could be a handling advantage if you spec your car right. That wasn’t evident in this example, though, with its awd system adding in what the smaller engine may have saved.Some of our drivers loved the exterior styling of the GS, while others found it amorphous. The interior also divided drivers; they called it either comfortable or eerily numbing. Few were fond of the foldaway control panel for functions such as the mirror adjusters that resides low and to the left of the steering column—if you leave it open, you bang your knee getting in or out. On the other hand, it does reduce the complexity of the dash’s appearance. Some drivers love being surrounded with dials and knobs as if they were 747 pilots, but others find it baffling and stress-inducing.The GS is a soft, quiet car, rather than an enthusiast driving machine like the 535 or the STS. Buyers in regions with unpredictable weather will find four-wheel traction reassuring (Cadillac makes you buy the V8 in order to get awd in the STS), but Lexus doesn’t tune its system for hard drivers the way Audi does with quattro.Our example came with a navigation system, Bluetooth and voice activation ($1,850); rain-sensing wipers, adaptive front lighting and headlight cleaner ($522); parking assist ($500); rear sunshade ($210); rear spoiler ($200); ventilated seats ($200); trunk mat, cargo net and wheel locks ($197); and all-weather floor mats ($99), bringing the price to just over $50,000.For most buyers ready to pony up $50,000 for a luxury ride, the Lexus name and awd will provide the security they seek, and the car will provide all the comfort and accouterments they’d want. And now that there’s so much power in what is nominally the “base” engine, owners of the GS won’t feel they’re missing out on something essential by shying away from the cutting edge of a V8 or even a hybrid.

Source www.autoweek.com