Lexus GS – Powertrain
Engine
The Lexus GS lineup is powered by several engines. During the initial launch, the Lexus GS 250 was powered by a 2.5 liter V6 engine and the Lexus GS 350 by a 3.5 liter V6 engine. The Lexus GS 300h has a 2.5 liter Atkinson cycle engine combined with a hybrid system. The facelift for the Lexus GS saw the departure of the 2.5 V6 engine and was replaced by a 2.0 liter turbocharged straight-four engine. The 8AR-FTS engine debuted in the SUV, NX 200t and later was used in other Lexus modeI such as the IS 200t, RX 200t and now, the Lexus GS 200t.
The current lineup is made up of the Lexus GS 200t, Lexus GS 350, and Lexus GS 300h. The Lexus GS 200t, later renamed as Lexus GS 300 makes 241 hp @5,800 rpm and 350 Nm @1,650 rpm from the 2.0 liter turbo engine. Meanwhile, the Lexus GS 350 produces 312 hp @ 6,400 rpm and 380 Nm @4,800 rpm with a bigger engine. Lastly, The Lexus GS 300h gets 220 hp and 300 Nm from the combined powertrain.
Transmission
Both the Lexus GS 300 and GS 350 are mated to an 8-speed close-ratio automatic transmission with sequential shift via either the paddle shifters on the steering wheel or the gear lever. Drivers can manually shift gears for better control and driving pleasure. Meanwhile, the hybrid Lexus GS 300h utilizes an E-CVT system that uses multiple electric motors to emulate gear ratios for better fuel economy.
Chassis
The Lexus GS utilizes a Double Wishbone suspension design for the front and Multi-Link for the rear. The sportier F-Sport trim gets additional Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) electronic dampening system. The stability and handling of the Lexus GS is contributed by the onboard Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM), Lexus Dynamic Handling (LDH), and Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS). These systems monitor vehicle speed and angle of wheels using sensors to adjust suspension, steering, and braking to help enhance turn-in response, rear grip, vehicle control, and cornering agility to achieve higher drive dynamic capability.
Drivetrain
The Lexus GS is driven by the rear wheels and drivers can select the best driving mode via the Drive Mode Selector twist knob. There are four modes to choose from – ECO, Normal, Sport, and Sport+. The instrument panel turns blue in Eco mode and red in Sport and Sport+ mode. Unfortunately, the Sport+ mode is missing from the Premium trim.In Eco, the throttle mapping, climate control systems, and transmission are adjusted accordingly to avoid unnecessary fuel consumption. Normal mode gains regular air-con performance, but mapping remains similar to Eco mode.
In Sport mode, the throttle mapping and transmission shifting focus on getting the best out of the engine. In addition to the Sport mode, the Sport+ mode adjusts suspension dampening and sharpens steering response to cut body roll and optimize driving dynamics.