If you asked the car-buying world to applaud the history of Lexus, the ovation would be solid, deferential and short, since that's the kind of response respect and appreciation always earn.
There would be no chance of one of those sustained and heart-felt ovations that we lavish on the people and things we really love and hold dear.
This reality is clear to the folks at Toyota and Lexus, and they have been trying for some time to create cars that have more emotional resonance with buyers. This may be because most people prefer to be loved than respected, or it may be because there's a better business case to be made for attracting buyers who absolutely have to drive a Lexus than for buyers who think a Lexus is a good idea. And what if you could combine the two and create a perfect vehicle that was highly desirable?
Whatever the motivation for Lexus, these attempts have largely failed and maybe always will as long as the company is run by people who believe that "the relentless pursuit of perfection" is a slogan to warm the heart of the car-buying public. To me, it's always sounded like a threat.
But here's Lexus once again with a new direction to its lineup, given first form by the GS sport sedan models for 2006, and the company once again wants to form a deeper psychic bond with the public.
The Canadian public will get its first chances to examine the new Lexus design direction this winter, when the GS turns up at the Montreal auto show in January and the Toronto auto show in February.
What they will see is a new direction for the brand, says Ken Tomikawa, the president and CEO of Toyota Canada Inc., to keep up with its new crop of buyers, who bring different demands to the table.
"Once, a Lexus was a very visible statement to others of its owner's success," says Tomikawa. "It was, and often still is, a status symbol for the affluent. But increasingly, affluent buyers are looking inward, desiring brands that reflect their own sense of values. Lexus is responding to this important shift in its customer base with a refocused emphasis on design and technology to create unique Lexus sophisticated performance."
In Tomikawa's view, the new design is "strikingly different from previous Lexus models." From an "architectural standpoint," the GS is supposed to mark a "move towards a more sculptural direction . . . that is artistic, dynamic, simple . . . yet intriguing."
A wheelbase that's 51 mm longer results in short overhangs on the new GS, and that is supposed to "create a wide, powerful stance.''
There will be two versions of GS on sale in Canada some time in 2005 -- the GS 300 with a new 3-litre V-6 and the GS 430 with the 4.3-litre V-8.
From the smaller engine, the GS will develop 245 hp and 228 lb-ft of torque. With the V-8, buyers can expect 300 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. Both engines will send power to the ground through a six-speed automatic with a sequential manual-shift mode.
For the first time, GS buyers will be able to add all-wheel-drive to the mix, but only as an option in the GS 300. The base model of the GS 300 and the GS 430 will be rear-wheel-drive.
Tomikawa thinks the introduction of all-wheel-drive on a Lexus sedan for the first time is a big deal in Canada, "because it makes the GS 300 the luxury car for all seasons."
As the power trains suggest, the GS is about more than just style. Stuart Payne, the director responsible for Lexus in Canada, says, "From a technology standpoint, the GS employs a sophisticated array of advanced safety, comfort and convenience features that will cause even the most enthusiastic driver to take notice."
The power train combinations provide "faster and substantially smoother acceleration for even better performance," Payne notes, and -- isn't technology a wonderful thing? -- improved fuel economy.
An Adaptive Variable Suspension "allows the driver to fine-tune suspension damping with four settings ranging from normal-mode for everyday driving to a sport-mode for a tighter, more precise feel."
Payne also says that both engines will "offer the performance enhancements and advanced vehicle control of the Lexus Vehicle Dynamic Management (VDM) system.
"Monitoring a variety of sensors, the system is capable of anticipating vehicle stability problems and correcting them with a combination of braking and throttle control," he explains, adding that the "new VDM system is less intrusive than conventional Vehicle Stability Control system, but ultimately more effective."
While all this go-fast technology is happening behind the scenes, the GS's occupants will be able to enjoy a passenger compartment that is said to be "central to the new Lexus design direction."
The interior of the new GS has "a precision, luxury feel with real wood, polished metal and leather accents," says Payne. "Everything inside the GS is designed and styled to create a haven for peaceful comfort and relaxation, from contoured and supportive front seats with optional climate control to the standard 10-speaker audio system with simple steering wheel controls.''
The new GS offers numerous standard features, such as keyless SmartAccess that allows the driver to lock, unlock and start the car simply by touching the door handle (as long as the key fob is nearby) and then, with the brake pedal depressed, simply pressing a push-button to start.
An advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring System can notify the driver of a "significant" loss in pressure in one or more tires, a condition that Payne notes "could potentially lead to premature tire wear and loss of control."
The GS will also feature optional Adaptive Front Lighting System, which helps illuminate a turn or curve as the driver steers into it.
The overall goal with regard to technology in the new GS, Payne explains, "was to make it more intuitive, more intelligent and more relevant to the needs of its driver."
The GS 430 will also offer an optional Pre-Collision System that Payne claims "can help reduce collision injury and damage." The system uses a millimetre-wave radar sensor to detect obstacles in front of the car and a pre-collision system computer with vehicle speed, steering angle and yaw rate inputs that help to determine in advance whether a collision is unavoidable. If a collision is indeed deemed unavoidable, the system then retracts front seatbelts and prepares Brake Assist for increased braking force to help reduce collision speed.
All in all, says Payne, "nearly every feature on the GS makes this sports sedan more manageable and more engaging to drive." That of course remains to be seen, as does consumer reaction to the latest styling direction from Lexus.
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