Lexus GS300

All Your Executive Colleagues Drive BMWs, Mercedes and Jaguars. You Want Something Different. Something Like A Lexus GS300 Perhaps? Jonathan Crouch Decides

Every morning it's the same: you jump into your car, make a few lefts, make a few rights and muscle your way onto the roadway that separates everyone's home from everyone's office. In an ordinary car, this routine quickly becomes tiresome.

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Fortunately, you don't have to be content with an ordinary car. A few well-judged business coups have elevated you into the bracket of true automotive luxury. Right now, you're probably selecting your next car from a trio of German marques with perhaps a Jaguar thrown in for good measure. The cars youre likely to be choosing from are arguably some of the finest sedans in the world. Included in their ranks are the Mercedes E-Class, Audis A6, Jaguars S-Type and BMWs 5-Series, all of which are easily good enough to keep the ordinary from slipping into the mundane. While other more mainstream manufacturers may try to persuade you that there are alternatives, to be frank, the names and the cars, in most cases simply dont cut it.

However, there is one new contender in this high-level game that has all the credentials to upset the Anglo-American apple cart and it boasts a badge to match. Priced from £30,805, the latest Lexus GS300 is Japan's (or more accurately Toyota's) idea of what the successful Western executive would like to be driving. When it was first launched in 1993, it was based on a concept car originally designed for Jaguar by Italian stylists Giugiaro. The MK2 version launched in 1998, in contrast, appeared to have borrowed more heavily from Mercedes. This latest MK3 model is at last its own car very much as its drivers will be their own people.

Theres still a mix of German, Italian and Japanese influences in the latest styling however and it works surprisingly well, giving the distinctive kind of on the road presence so often missing from pricey Oriental saloons. Most potential GS300 converts, however, will place luxury as a greater priority than speed. Either way, the car is gaining ground in a tough sector and is a useful stepping stone between the IS compact executive saloon and the luxury 4.3-litre V8 LS430.

"The GS300 is encouraging British business people to perceive the Lexus brand as smarter, sportier and more distinctive..."

Certainly the GS300 is as fast, as smooth, as refined and pretty nearly as good to drive as the best of its rivals. A glorious 242bhp 3.0-litre straight six-cylinder engine with variable valve timing gives near 150mph performance. If thats not enough, Lexus also provide the option of a 4.

3-litre V8 in the GS430 variant or the petrol/electric hybrid GS450h. The six-speed automatic gearbox used by Lexus in these models is one of the world's finest. Handling is predictable and aided in extremis by a new Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system, which enhances performance, traction control and vehicle stability. A further contribution to safety is made by the radar-controlled Pre-Crash Safety system (PCS), which automatically ensures optimum emergency braking performance and pre-tensioning of the front seatbelts. Visually, the car looks larger than its executive rivals and this illusion continues when you climb inside, where the huge rear bench promises room for three of the largest corporate types.

The boot's large too, with over 500 litres of space now on offer. Behind the wheel (which electrically rises up and down to aid entry and exit), there's plenty of high-tech wizardry; take the backlit Optitron instruments, which appear almost magically from three black holes in the dashboard. There's also the option of a superb satellite navigation system. With this in operation, you are politely but firmly ordered around your intended route by a very sexy-sounding English girl. It's tempting to go the wrong way just to listen to her... This apart, almost everything else is standard.

As standard equipment, you now get a Mark Levinson premium audio system, featuring a custom-designed amplifier and eight specially designed speakers, including a centre dash-mounted speaker for more detailed surround sound. The GS300 specification includes Smart Key entry and push-button start-up system, a 10-speaker sound system with in-dash six-disc CD player, speed-sensitive electric power steering, cruise control, sequenced interior lighting with LED technology, a leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel, advanced automatic dual-zone air conditioning, eight-way electrically adjustable front seats, tyre pressure warning system, Adaptive Front-lighting System, 17-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity and an eight-inch touch-screen display. The SE version adds a DVD satnav system and leather, while the SE-L variant also includes a power sunroof, 18-inch wheels and a mega 14-speaker hi-fi. Whichever GS300 variant you choose, you need to compare it against its rivals in terms of specification and against the likes of Mercedes E-Class, BMWs 5-Series and Audis A6, it shapes up very nicely.



Facts At A Glance
CAR: Lexus GS300 series
PRICES: £30,805-£38,405 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 15
CO2 EMISSIONS: 232g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.2s / Max Speed 148mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 19.6mpg / (extra urban) 39.2mpg / (combined) 28.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, side-airbags, ABS, VSC WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE? (length/width/height) 4825/1820/1430mm