- by Brian Byrne. The new generation Lexus GS 300 and GS 430 are now on sale in Ireland, at a starting price of €64,360, which is €1,700 less than the price for the previous entry level.
There will be three grades in the 3-litre version, the most expensive being the sport at 77,995. In between is the GS 300 Executive at €70,460, €410 more than the equivalent in the old model, but with extra equipment worth over €10,000.
The GS 430, with a V8 engine, will sell in one grade, at €97,040.
The new GS is a completely different car from its predecessor, built on a completely new platform, and with a brand new drivetrain.
The V6 3-litre engine which will power the bulk of GS cars in Ireland is a completely new unit with 249bhp on tap - a 13 percent increase over the previous model. But fuel economy has been improved by 14 percent.
The 4.3-litre V8 in the top-of-the-range car has been upgraded, with 283bhp available. Bot engines deliver their power to the rear wheels via a new six-speed automatic gearbox with a sequential manual facility.
Lexus Ireland's Mark Teevan says there's an allocation of 140 cars for the rest of the year, and he expects that 200 more will be sold in a full calendar 2006.
This will represent a doubling of the sales level of the previous car, and up to three-quarters are expected to be 'conquest' sales.
And, though there won't be a diesel version of this car even though it is in a segment 'driven' by diesel, Mark Teevan says he is confident that the refinement of the GS 'will pull drivers back to petrol'.
A hybrid version is scheduled for arrival in Ireland in January of next year. It will have the performance of a V8 with the fuel economy of a 2-litre four.
