The lowered stance is underlined by an aggressive front valance, with a large inlet to indicate there's a powerful engine under the hood, thirsty for air. A fog lamp is integrated into each lower front corner. Prominent body-color rocker extensions anchor the car's mass along the midsection, which is nicely balanced by the well-proportioned wheel wells. A deep rear valance carries this glued-to-the-ground theme to the tail and frames the large, exposed dual exhaust with stainless steel tips.
Much of the car's visual dynamism emanates from the strong shoulder arc, which evokes the contour of an airplane wing slicing through the wind. This sense of forward motion is reflected in a swept-back greenhouse that blends into the short rear decklid via a coupe-like C-pillar. The integrated aero look extends to color-keyed rearview mirrors and bumper covers. For sportier types, or for the determined driver who might need a bit more downforce in high-speed corners, the tail can be outfitted with an optional spoiler.
The external structure is rust-resistant galvanized steel and was engineered to provide just one of many lines of defense against collisions. Should an accident occur, the GS has an airbag for every occasion, but Lexus also took measures to reduce the chance of those accidents happening in the first place. Sophisticated systems of electronic sensors and computers, designed to provide the safest possible motoring, work seamlessly, without the driver aware of all the electro-mechanical effects prompted by such threats as slick pavement or, especially, driver error.
Along with the usual airbags for both front passengers, Lexus offers, for the first time, driver and front-passenger knee bags to augment the many other levels of the supplemental restraint system. These include seat-mounted side-impact airbags; force-limiting, 3-point seat belts (all five seats), with pretensioners for both front and rear (outboard) passengers; front and rear side-curtain airbags; and automatic locking/emergency locking retractors for all occupants save the driver (ELR only).
This passive level of occupant protection extends to such features as a padded instrument panel; impact-absorbing upper interior trim; a tire-pressure warning system. Also standard: daytime running lights; adaptive front lighting that illuminates the road through a curve; a system that reduces movement of the brake pedal toward the driver in the event of a front-end collision, thus minimizing leg injury; a rear backup camera display in the touchscreen; and the usual array of electronic handling aids, designated by a veritable avalanche of acronyms.
The new braking system integrates four-channel, four-sensor ABS with large, vented discs at all four wheels. To ensure that the brakes achieve optimum stopping dynamics, they're augmented by Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); Brake Assist (BA); Traction Control (TRC); and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). The 300's front discs measure 11.6 inches, while the 430 is fitted with giant 13.1-inch. discs. Both cars have 12.2-inch rear discs.
Though the GS 300 uses a conventional brake booster, GS 430s also get what Lexus calls Electronically Controlled Brake (ECB). This system detects the length of the brake pedal stroke applied by the driver and then sends the data to a computer that calculates the optimum brake force for each wheel in that particular situation. High-friction brake pads complete the upgrades to handle the extra beef of the V8.
The GS 430 also sports an even more sophisticated handling technology as part of its standard package: Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management or VDIM. Such data as steering angle, yaw rate, deceleration, brake pressure and wheel speed are processed much earlier than was possible before VDIM, which then sets in motion a number of measures to ensure stable handling at the very limits of adhesion. In contrast to conventional systems, which only react to a car's loss of control, VDIM was developed to anticipate a dangerous situation and then, by making certain corrections, allows the driver to maintain a brisk pace without even realizing the system is at work.
VDIM integrates operation of various active systems, including VSC, TRC, Brake Assist, ABS and Electronic Throttle Control with intelligence (ETC-I, of course). Three new technologies are also brought into concert with VDIM: Electric Power Steering (EPS); Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) and Electronically Controlled Brakes (ECB), a brake-by-wire system.
Also available: Intuitive Park Assist ($500) and the Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control ($2,850). Intuitive Park Assist, a feature of previous Lexus models, now considers steering angle input in the equation and offers contact avoidance advice (through graphics in the touchscreen) for heightened driver awareness while negotiating tight parking spots. This advice is displayed in the lower center of the speedometer, an area that is also used to show information from the trip computer, radar cruise status, distance monitoring and various warning messages.
PCS goes even further and uses a millimeter-wave radar sensor to detect obstacles in front of the car. A computer then measures vehicle speed, steering angle and yaw rate to calculate the likelihood of a collision. If it looks like there will an unavoidable front-end collision, PCS switches the AVS to Sport mode to reduce nose dive and enhance emergency handling, preemptively retracts the seat belts and gets Brake Assist ready to go so that increased braking arrives instantaneously with application of the pedal. And if the driver doesn't react quickly enough, or not at all, Active Braking then kicks in and automatically applies the brakes, up to a deceleration of 0.3 g.
These unprecedented measures still might not meet the demands of drivers in icy climes, in which case there awaits the GS 300 AWD. The full-time all-wheel-drive system's basic elements are front and rear differentials and a center transfer case. Acting from the information provided by wheel sensors, the transfer case varies torque output between the front or rear axles to retain traction. During take-offs, while accelerating or on very slippery surfaces, torque output is evenly divided between the axles. It also can vary up to 30/70 front to rear if Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) determines it's necessary to keep the car going in the proper direction.
A secondary level of the AWD system is Electronic Traction Control (ETC), which, when it senses wheel slippage, applies the brakes on that particular wheel and then transfers torque to the non-slipping wheel on the same axle. With this electronic safety net in operation, anyone who sticks a new GS in a snowbank has got it coming.
