Lexus seeks to combine sport and luxury in the all-new GS sedan

NO MORE Mr. Nice Guy: New Lexus GS heralds a new styling approach for the luxury brand.

What it is: Lexus’ answer to archrivals BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. Where the German midsize sedans are traditionally divided into sporty (BMW) and touring (Mercedes), Lexus seeks to combine the best of both worlds in one aggressive-looking four-door.

Design: With its previous styling themes looking relatively sedate, Lexus is shaking up perceptions with a new, angrier-looking design. Lexus calls its new face the “spindle grille,” a huge hourglass-shaped maw that dominates the front of the GS. We call it the Predator grille (the eight-foot-tall alien that nearly killed Arnold Schwarzenegger), appropriate for a car that seeks to eat its competitors for breakfast. The spindle/Predator grille looks particularly good on the F Sport variant.

Inside, the GS is pure luxury, with an impeccably designed interior that’s been molded, polished, stitched and snapped together as Lexus does best. Lexus promises a larger, more comfortable interior despite unchanged exterior dimensions. A large eight-inch screen is at the center, controlled by a new controller system called Remote Touch. Remote Touch promises easy manipulation of vehicle functions without taking one’s eyes off the road.

Engine and transmission: The “base” engine is anything but: a 3.5-liter V6 with 312 hp and 378 Nm. Mated to a six-speed automatic, the V6 propels the GS 350 from zero to 100 kph in just 5.7 seconds.

Chassis: The GS follows the classic front engine-rear wheel drive layout, with double wishbone suspension up front and a multi-link setup at the rear. The suspension uses aluminum controls arms to reduce weight and sharpen the response. The driver can toggle between Eco and Sport S mode to suit the occasion, with the F Sport having an additional Sport S+ to engage sharper handling modes for the steering and variable suspension.

Positioning: Lexus’ selling point has been to provide every conceivable luxury at the price point of its rivals’ merely base models. The GS 350 follows this playbook, throwing in the powerful engine, sumptuous interior, promisingly robust chassis, and all available safety options including ten airbags for P4,238,000. The GS 350 F Sport, with numerous upgrades including 18-inch wheels, aluminum-trimmed interior, and four-wheel steering, goes for P4,818,000.

Built: Toyota’s highly robotized plant in Tahara, Japan. Where else can a car company combine laser welding with brushed aluminum accents in the interior?