Lexus GS 300 – New Luxury Premium Car in the Malaysian Market
The latest topic of discussion within the circles of the well heeled is the Lexus brand, introduced not long ago by the Lexus Division of UMW Toyota Motors Sdn Bhd. The rampant car jackings, some of which are done at knife or gunpoint has left some indelible fears in some people who were unfortunate enough to be victims. My neighbour was one such victim, and thus I was not even surprised when I saw him come back one day with a brand spanking new Lexus GS300.
Being the youngest in the premium luxury car market here in Malaysia, and facing the very established makes like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Lexus tries to go the extra mile, by setting up and practicing the Lexus brand values which include giving its buyers an ownership experience that is second to none. It all starts with the potential customer’s first contact with the brand, be it a telephone call or a visit to the high-end Lexus Centre in Mutiara Damansara. It is first class treatment all the way through the buying experience, the delivery, the after-sales follow-up, and the entire ownership experience, all in the name of customer retention.
At the invitation of Lexus Malaysia, we sent Ivan, one of our testers to collect the Lexus GS 300 from the Centre, and he was impressed enough to make sure I make mention of it. When I returned the car, it was smiles all the way too, from the friendly security guard who pointed politely to where I should park, right in the front of the showroom, to the receptionist who collected the car keys, and asked if I need a ride home, and if I would like a coffee in the lounge while waiting for my ride. Reading this, you might wonder if this would be the treatment accorded to all motoring journalists collecting and returning test cars at all car companies. Let me tell you that it is not the case; in some of the establishments, we sometimes have to wait for the car, or worse still, have to track down the person in charge when collecting test cars. And you will be lucky if they even offer you some water. Enough said, let’s get back to the car.
The Lexus design philosophy is focuses on their customers’ needs, to try to fulfill desires even before their customers know it is their desire. The Lexus philosophy is also based on the understanding that “perfection lies in the unnoticed details.” The result is a car that is very luxurious, and using the known and expected competition in the segment, the car is also packed high in specifications. The ‘baby’ of the Lexus range, the GS 300 is one such example.
The engine is a 24-Valve, 3.0 litre, Quad-cam V6 with VVT-i, (variable valve timing system from the mother company, Toyota), and it develops 228 horsepower at 6,200 rpm. Maximum torque is 300Nm, at 4,400 rpm. This is enough to propel the GS300 from zero to 100 km/h in 8.3 seconds (claimed: 7.5 seconds), and achieve a top speed of 235 km/h. This is a luxury saloon with some grunt!
The six-speed automatic transmission gives the designers enough flexibility to select gear ratios that provide smooth and seamless transitions; it also has an ‘S’ mode, which modifies the shift and the gear/speed parameters for the more exuberant users, and a ‘manual’ shift that comes with it. In top gear, the speed is approximately 56 kilometres per 1000 rpm, one of the highest that I have come across, and this lends itself to fuel economy (if you don’t drive it like I did). For the record, we achieved 410 kilometres of mixed driving from the 71-litre tank before the refuel light came on.
I like the front engine/ rear wheel drive configuration, which encourages one to put the power down when exiting a corner, and the TRC (Traction Control) system that works with the VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) system to help keep the vehicle on the road in case you fumble. The GS 300 can be driven hard and fast, and it will retain its composure well under these extreme conditions, but its very elegant stature and demeanor will make you want to drive it as it should be driven – regally, and sedately. But then, if you need to drive it fast, you will find it very stable up to 200 km/h.
At regulation speeds, you will enjoy its excellent ride characteristics, the luxurious comfort of the lounge-like interior with its soft leather seats, tastefully added wood trim, the high-end acoustic system, and the very quiet interior. At 160 km/h, we could carry out a decent conversation in the car without having to raise our voices. There is plenty of space; legroom, headroom, shoulder room. This is a car originally meant to fight it out in the American market, so it is a large car by any standard. It is long, at 4,825mm, wide at 1,820mm, and is sleek with a height of 1,430mm. Wheelbase is long, at 2,850mm. The use of aluminium parts in the undercarriage and sub-frames helps to keep the kerb weight down at 1,620kg.
The front driver and passenger are the most pampered of the occupants (remembering of course that in the US, it is more an ‘owner/driver’ application for a car of this size), and the seats come with electric controls (with auto memory) for fore and aft movement, vertical adjustment, lumbar support, and the driver’s headrest. Likewise, the steering position can be adjusted electrically, and the steering position is set together with the seat memory. Entry to the car is ‘keyless’, triggered by the proximity of the key, and you can start the car with the start button as long as the car can ‘sense’ the presence of the car key.
The suspension is made up of double wishbones at the front, and a multi-link arrangement at the rear. Brakes are large, ventilated discs both at the front and rear, with ABS and EBD incorporated. Passive safety includes ten (yes, ten) airbags.
With a retail price of RM413k (on-the road, with insurance), the GS 300 is directly pitted against the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and the BMW 5 Series. To date, we have seen some Lexus (or should it be Lexi) on the road, but there are not many. It is not going to be an easy battle against these well established, and well accepted world-class giants, both of which are icons of success in their own right, but for the customer, there is now an additional choice.
