In its bid to become more appealing to luxury sports-car shoppers, the redesigned 2013 Lexus GS 350 gets an aggressive yet elegant look. Exterior appearances are more than skin deep, too, according to Cars.com Managing Editor David Thomas, who says the midsize luxury sedan is nimble and quiet on the road. The cabin is also a bright spot on the Lexus, with well-thought-out controls and an easy-to-use navigation and multimedia system.
Rising gas prices brought shoppers back toward fuel-efficient small cars and hybrids, with the hot-selling Toyota Prius — up a staggering 52% in February sales — taking just nine days to turn. The Prius is EPA-rated at up to 51 mpg, but four other cars with 40 mpg or better EPA ratings made this month's Movers list. Just two cars, the redesigned BMW 3 Series and Lexus GS, topped the Prius. The Volvo XC90 was the only anomaly. Despite light incentives, shoppers are snapping up the 10-year-old SUV.
Of January's top 10 movers, seven stayed in the mix. The Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne slipped below our minimum transaction threshold, while the Land Rover Range Rover fell to 27 days. That's still better than February's average, which was 39 days to turn — a slowdown from January's 34 days but far less than February 2011's 47 days.
Aside from the impact football players make on the field, the NFL's Super Bowl is known for its buzz-enducing commercials. Advertisers try to gauge success in many ways, but for automakers the proof is driving off the car lots.
Between plays, Super Bowl XLVI showcased numerous car commercials, indubitably provoking discussion. Whether it was the commercial itself that led to the Honda CR-V's best-selling status or Super Bowl commercial failure that gave way to a Ford Mustang victory, well, that's for the Don Drapers and Roger Sterlings to decide.
It's sort of surprising that Lexus hasn't shown a Super Bowl ad during its more than two decades of existence. Now, after losing its 11-year sales crown as the largest luxury automaker to BMW, Lexus has decided the time is now to remind people what the brand is all about. It's showing off the newly redesigned 2013 Lexus GS series in its Super Bowl spot.
The ad borrows several motifs from the "Jurassic Park" film, including the rippling water and the dull thud of something big approaching. Overall, the ad builds excitement. And what's up with the four other cages in the background shown at the end? Lexus says it has another eight new or updated models to launch this year, including the refreshed Lexus LX 570 shown earlier at the Detroit auto show.
Lexus has established a reputation of providing cushy, quiet sedans. With the 2013 GS 350, Lexus aims to improve upon the car’s predecessor, which couldn’t appease the sport-minded and comfort-minded alike. Does it succeed? The sport sedan not only impresses with its intriguing looks, nimble handling and posh interior, but the car signals a turnaround for the luxury brand’s future, according to Cars.com Managing Editor David Thomas.
The 2013 Lexus GS 450h’s fuel-economy estimates beat the automaker’s expectations with an EPA-estimated 29/34/31 mpg city/highway/combined, Toyota announced. That’s about a 35% improvement in gas mileage over the 2011 GS 450h, which gets 22/25/23 mpg. When Toyota officials unveiled the hybrid at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, they expected a 30% improvement over the 2011 model.
Like the previous GS 450h, Lexus promises V-8 power with four-cylinder efficiency. The 338-horsepower hybrid system has two electric motors — one for each rear wheel — and they can power the GS using electric only or in tandem with the 3.5-liter V-6. Overall, Toyota says the 2013 GS 450h should hit zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, which is 0.4 seconds slower than the 2011 GS 450h but 0.1 seconds faster than the 2013 GS 350. The hybrid model gets high- and low-beam LED headlamps and LED taillamps standard. The cabin has a standard climate control system, a bamboo-trimmed steering wheel and a hybrid monitoring system.
Over the past few years, Lexus has tried to be more than just a maker of reliable but bland luxury vehicles. The Lexus IS F, CT 200h and LFA try to move the brand toward that sporty and aggressive strategy. While the previous-generation Lexus GS sport sedan had some F Sport options, Lexus has decided to anoint a complete F Sport Package to its redesigned 2013 Lexus GS series. The package includes new bumpers, mesh grille, rear spoiler, diffuser and larger wheels.
We covered the F Sport Package earlier last week, but intrepid Cars.com photographer Ian Merritt spotted the real thing at SEMA. Check out his photos below.
Lexus' iconic red-bow sales program, December to Remember, begins earlier this year, with financing and lease specials available now on various 2011 and 2012 models.
Everyone is used to seeing winter holiday decorations hit department stores earlier each year, but the fact that the sale is named after the month of December and will run through all of November is a bit humorous to us, but likely not to the company.
Inventory recoveries after Japan's earthquake disruptions have prompted the brand to move the program ahead of its usual Thanksgiving kickoff, Lexus chief Mark Templin told reporters yesterday. This year's December to Remember began Tuesday and ends Jan. 3.
Specials vary by region. We contacted Lexus dealers in greater New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles. Here's what we learned:
As Lexus vies to place its 2013 Lexus GS 350 on the same plane as the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6 with midsize sports luxury car buyers, it comes as no surprise that the luxury brand has prepared a showy sport accessory package.
The F-Sport Package here works similarly as the one found on the 2012 Lexus CT 200h. There’s no added horsepower; instead, what you get is new exterior ground effects and other aesthetic changes, as well as a sport-tuned suspension. The old 2011 Lexus GS had F-Sport accessories, too — like 19-inch forged alloy wheels and Bilstein shock absorbers — but it didn’t have an all-encompassing sport package, like this one.
We knew the redesigned 2013 Lexus GS would be getting hybrid and high-performance variants, and today, the luxury carmaker revealed details on the new GS 450h hybrid.
The model is powered by a revamped hybrid system that will improve fuel economy by 30% over the regular GS 350, and it will do so while increasing performance. The current GS 450h gets 22/25/23 mpg city/highway/combined. A 30% improvement would move the combined figure to nearly 30 mpg.
The 338-horsepower hybrid system has two electric motors, one for each rear wheel, and they can power the GS using electric only or in tandem with the 3.5-liter V-6 motor. Overall, the GS 450h should hit zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, which is 0.4 seconds slower than the 2011 GS 450h but 0.1 seconds faster than the 2013 GS 350.
The new model will have different selectable driving modes (much like the Lexus CT 200h or Toyota Prius); here, there are Eco, Sport S, Sport S+ and EV modes.
The hybrid model gets high- and low-beam LED headlamps and LED taillamps standard. The cabin has a standard climate control system, a bamboo-trimmed steering wheel and a hybrid monitoring system.
The original Lexus GS was the first rear-wheel-drive sports sedan equipped with an available hybrid system, but it was a poor seller for the brand. Time will tell if the GS 450h’s new styling and improved gas mileage can turn the tide.
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