2008 Lexus GS priced: $245 gets you 52 HP more than last year
The 2008 Lexus GS 460 will only go up in price by $245 to $52,620, despite a power surge from 290 HP to a much more satisfying 342 ponies. The GS 350 and 450h will stay in the same price range as the outgoing 2007 model, despite tweaks inside and out. The GS (AWD version) has been under fire of late due to its poor performance in the most recent Consumer Reports, and it's the only Lexus (ever?) to be unrecommended. News that the price is staying relatively flat in spite of the big power boost and updates couldn't have come at a better time.
[Source: Kicking Tires]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
nissanfreak87 1:24PM (10/20/2007)
according to Lexus, you're still not allowed to have fun with it though
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RJ 2:29PM (10/20/2007)
^ HAHA
psarhjinian 1:33PM (10/20/2007)
To be fair, it's not that the GS is a bad car per se, it's just the the rest of the class is so much better. It's still reliable and reasonably sporty (in the go-pedal sense of the word), but it's also quite cramped inside and doesn't handle that well. I like Lexus, but the GS has never been their best showing.
Were it my money (which eliminates the known-flakey German cars and the question-mark that is Cadillac) , I would be going IS350 (which /is/ competitive) if I wanted a Lexus or Infiniti M or Acura RL, if I wanted something that was reliable and about the same class of car.
If it was my money and I wasn't going to keep the car more than three years, it'd be 5-Series all the way.
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mcr 2:53PM (10/20/2007)
The IS350 is a cool little car but it's freaking TINY. It is not in the same class as the M or RL. It's more like a 4-door coupe and doesn't compare to those in any way besides engine displacement.
I think the 5-series is the class of the field but the M35 is a solid 2nd if you don't need AWD. Acura would have a much better position if the RL offered a 6AT and a 6MT. The SH-AWD system works really well but the car is hobbled by terrible gearing in the 5AT.
Sandeep 3:03PM (10/20/2007)
Why would it only be 2nd without AWD? The M35x's system is terrific (or so CR and Automobile would like us to believe...)
David 1:52PM (10/20/2007)
I was a Lexus fan back in their salad days, the 90's, when they were the coolest car company in the world with novel interiors, slick instrument clusters and eye popping japanese design not to mention an affordable pricetag. But all the new Lexi leave me cold. And most of
their competitors have copied their best features while surpassing them on many others. Even cheap cars have electroluminescent gauges now. The GS is overpriced with a relatively bland interior/exterior. And why is this GS missing the extra ponies that the LS460 has? It is
a premium car ... isn't it? I'm not surprised that consumer reports is starting to downgrade toyotas' cars, as they shoot to become the number one manufacturer in the world they are becoming just like all
the other companies that we thought were bad.
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SPG 2:15PM (10/20/2007)
I think it was Consumer Reports that said the ES300 is a good car but that it's not worth the money.
Also, it advised that buying a loaded Camry was a better choice.
In response to this being the only Lexus ever to not be recomended.
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boredguy1991 9:31PM (10/20/2007)
Well remember that the GS AWD is the model that was not recomended, not the whole GS lineup.
akatsuki 11:06PM (10/20/2007)
Lexus wants to be all things to all people, and so they fail. When they just go for luxury, they have the LS which is, if people aren't badge-snobs, very competitive with the S-class if not superior.
You would think with the ES and LS, Lexus would feel free to make the IS and GS hardcore sports cars. Toyota has the sports heritage from the 2000GT to the Supra to do it, they just don't seem to care.
I would buy an M35x in the class.
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timeToy 12:20AM (10/21/2007)
The GS compete with the BMW series 5, MB class E, infiniti M... and that's about it... the RL is too far away, underpowered, crappy gearbox and the blandest styling ever. Against theses car it does pretty good, feature wise, price wise and go fast wise... Sure the BMW will handle slightly better, the MB will have more brand appeal and the infiniti will be cheaper, but the best balance is in the Lexus.
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Reality Check 5:20PM (10/21/2007)
FYI, you can get the AWD CTS loaded for a decent $45k. I know it only has 300hp but except for a few lead foot drivers it will get to 60 in under 6 seconds. The CTS is also the best looking American car in the past 25 years now that is something Lexus can never say..... And yes I just orderd a CTS
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MikeW 8:26PM (10/21/2007)
The GS 350 AWD is the ugly duckling of the GS family. Same axle ratio as the GS350, same 6 speed auto. Runflats standard, no spare wheel.
The GS 350 is a better value than the BMW 528, no doubt, but the 535 is the king (look at the brake rotor dimensions)
The GS460 seems positioned to compete against the 550i and E550 and M45 by virtue of is techno-features.
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