xexyus

Ummm me personally I think the new GS compares VERY well to the E60. It has alot more technology than a trashy E Class and looks more "Spicey" than a boring A6.

Lexus

530E60NL

I thought the exact same xeyus. That's why I was so dissapointed when I testdrove it.

I got a nice book (60 pages) in an introduction package. One of the options available on the GS430 is adaptive suspension. Maybe with this suspension and 18 inch wheels (my testcar had 17") the drive is more responsive. Unfortunately I had no more time left to drive the GS430

I also read on US forums that the GS300 had standard AWD and for the GS430 it is not available. Strange enough in Holland you have standard RWD with the GS300 + 430 and there is no option for AWD.

I think lexus netherlands missed an unique selling point giving the car RWD only and not AWD. I think a lot of GS300 buyers would love to have the AWD.

Pricewise the GS430 is more comparable with my full option 530i in the Netherlands.

Aaron

I test drove the GS300 RWD recently and here are my impressions:

The car is nice inside and out. The same way naysayers stated that the BMW looked like a Pontiac, people say the GS looks like a Maxima. Maybe in a 2 miles away bad eyesight kind of way, but the shape of the GS is nice in person, and it feels as though it is build solidly.

Outside: the only wheel option I like is the 18" option that comes with the 430. The tail lights are just ok, but they are LED, which looks very nice at night. I like their minimal wing as opposed to the larger one you can get on the 5. The front looks mean in a way. I don't like the chrome around the headlights, but overall, they have a nice, sporty, clean look.

Inside: the wood and materials in the front look nice. Very pleasing to the eyes. The gauges are nice as well, very clean sophisticated look. But, the switches seem cheap and common. Very little resistance to them, and very plain. I can't explain it, but I like the torque it takes to turn a BWM knob or the force it takes to push a bmw button. That is personal taste.

The Drive: The drive was smooth and fairly quiet, although the runflat noise could be heard. Corners were OK, but the body roll was very evident, and there was no confidence in corners at high speed. To sum it up, after the drive was over, I had forgotten all about it. Nothing exciting about the drive.

Little things: I was not impressed with the bluetooth in that car. Quality didn't seem to be as good as the BMW. Also, the sales lady tried to tell me I couldn't order the car as I wanted it, and if I did, it would take 120 days. I didn't mind the wait, but all she kept saying was, the car is as is, 49,999, and she kept repeating that, trying to imply no cost off, which I didn't expect anyway.

Lastly, she made the statement of the year that sold me on BMW. She said, "If I want cold German engineering, then I'll get a BMW or a Porsche, but if I want a quite smooth ride without feeling the road, then I want the Lexus, and that is what I like." Right then and there, she had me sold on the BMW and she didn't even know. I wouldn't call it cold German engineering, but it does suit my tastes, and if that's what it is, then I like it. I like the simple interior with the wood touches. I like the feel of the leather, no that overly smooth (everybody else has this) type leather feel. I lik ethe thick steering wheel. I like the manual. I like the feel of the road being connected to the steering wheel. It is all about me and not a survey or rating, etc. I couldn't ignore the Toyota quality and the proven reliability, but I have to go with my heart and my heart said...Get the 5 Stupid!!!!

Lastly, there is nothing wrong with a Toyota. They make great cars. To me, that is a complement rather than a mark against Lexus, but it does need to offer more than what you can get from a Toyota. The Lexus/Toyota name speak volumes when it comes to quality and reliability...too bad I had it on mute when they were trying to talk to me!!!

New 5 coming soon....

530E60NL

Great write up! And your experience seems to be the same as I had. It's a good car but nothing like we have at the moment.

530iii

Too me the New GS looks like an insect.

A Crouching beetle to be exact!

MaxBuck

Add to all of the negative considerations regarding the Lexus GS - the backseat is nearly unliveable for two reasonably-sized adults. Very cramped.

daydok

my brother-in-law works for lexus as a mechanic, so i asked him what he would get between the two. he said, "if you want to get from a to b without any hassle, then get the lexus. but if you want to DRIVE from a to b, then get the bmw".

i also tried a lexus (older gs) before i bought my e60. i wouldn't mind the lexus, but there's something about a bmw that's not in a lexus. maybe prestige or exclusivity, but i guess it's because the lexus seems to have sprouted from nowhere, while the bmw has a rich history. the lexus is... well... like it's just there. not too much soul, know what i mean?

besides, i like the rich "ka-chunk" sound when i close my doors.

my 2 cents,
daydok

Aaron

I like that sound too!!!

IrishEyes

I had a very short drive in a GS300 earlier. And only on suburban roads so no pedal to the metal. I went in wanting to be negative but it was better than I thought.

The exterior design, while not beautiful, possibly flows a little better than the E60. Except the rear. It has the family look of the previous GS but much better looking. Maybe they could have been a little mor adventureous with the design or maybe they just ran out of new ideas. Panel gaps are much better controlled than the E60 almost making the 5er seem crudely put together especially when viewed from the front three quarter.

The interior (all black) wasn't as claustrophobic as I anticipated considering the large centre console. It certainly has all the gadgets (on the executive model which retails for ?71250 in Ireland) including pdc, heated and cooled seats, bluetooth, comfort access and push button start, fully electric seats, electric rear sunshade - all the stuff that costs a fortune on the E60. The centre console has a touch screen (it didn't had nav) for controlling some of the functions and settings and seened to control more stuff than the standard E60. I didn't play with it but if I had to liken it to the E60, the GS display is to the games console where the E60 is to the PC (and possibly more business like). It's more user friendly than the i-drive because it is touch screen.

The first impression when stepping in to the GS is of a higher quality than the E60. I don't think the lighter design (of the interior of the E60) lends itself particularly well to generating a WOW effect when someone sees it for the first time. Not saying the GS does either, but for anyone unfamiliar with the design direction of the current BMW's, the GS might have the edge. I think it takes time to become accustomed to the E60 and this could be a problem for people seeing an E60 for the first time and being switched off immediately.

The drive was unfortunately short but the engine was quieter and the shift was very smooth as well. Smoother engine, not sure, but the V6 has a different sound to the I6. The steering was lighter and had a sort of remote feel. The ride was bouncier than I expected and bouncier than the E60. And there appeared to be more road noise than the E60 of which I was surprised. I think the GS has standard tyres (non RF). This, and the steering were somewhat disappointing. In this regard, it may be more at home on the motorway (which I didn't try) rather than scarred suburban roads.

Is it better than the E60? On pricing and bang for the buck, probably. On drivability, I'd say no on the short drive I had. Would I consider it? Before I went in I'd say no. Afterwards, possibly. It depends on what the requirements are. For an easy uneventful drive, (mostly motorway) and have the toys to play with then maybe. If u want to feel a car and almost be at one with it, then no.

My guess would be that more E-class drivers will change to Lexus than E60er's.

530E60NL

I have to say I liked the sound of the V6 in high rpm too.. It sounds kinda sporty..

Good to see you found the tires to make more noise then in the E60 too.. I complain alot about tire noise but I felt a bit spoiled when I concluded the GS makes more noise then my car does..