2013 Lexus GS: The Brand's First German-Like Luxury Sports Sedan

What's New: After seven years, the fourth-generation GS has finally been updated to compete with the driving dynamics typically found in such German automobiles as BMW and Audi. The new front-end of the GS defines the corporate grill soon to be on every Lexus.

Expected Arrival: The redesign GS is currently available in a rear-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive configuration. Soon a hybrid configuration will join the line up.

City/Hwy Mileage: 19-city/26-hwy (all-wheel drive)

                                19-city/28-hwy (rear-wheel drive)

Engine/Horsepower: 3.5-liter/306-horsepower (a 338-horsepower engine will be available in the hybrid)

                                   

Price Range: $47,775 to $74,090, when fully optioned

Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles

Hybrid Battery Warranty: 8 year/100,000 miles

The editor takes a spin in the GS on The Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Standard Safety Features: front, side, knee and rear airbags; a rear back-up camera; vehicle stability control; ABS; front and rear crumple zones; and daytime running lights  

Standard Features: 17-inch wheels (rear-wheel drive); 19-inch wheels (all-wheel drive); 10 way power front seats; leather seats; electronic parking brakes with automatic and hold feature; heated auto dimming outside mirrors with reverse tilt feature; paddle shifters; push-button keyless starter; High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps; Bluetooth connectivity; and an 8-inch screen for the audio/ventilation system; power tilt/telescopic steering wheel;

Standard Audio System: a 12-speaker AM/FM/DVD with HD radio and MP3 capability. A 90-day satellite radio subscription is included with the audio system.

A Unique Feature: To enhance the driving experience, the 2013 GS allows the driver to customize the feel and the ride with a normal mode, an Eco mode, a Sport S mode and a Sport S Plus mode, which is available when equipped with the F Sport and Luxury package.

2012 Vehicle Watch: Three New Rides Expected to Shake Up the Car Market

Lexus is finally back in the game of offering a standout design. Not only does the design push the limits, this new grill represents the new face of the Lexus brand. Watch out Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5-series. By the way, the GS will be available in a number of variations, including a hybrid.

GM is kicking off the first quarter of 2012 with Chevy's first Malibu  hybrid, which uses the same engine as the Buick LaCrosse with the eAssist. This vehicle provides more luxury features too. Gone are the days of the six-cylinder engine. Not only is this vehicle more fuel-efficient, it offers a navigation system too. Look out for a 4-cylinder turbo to be added to the line up later next year.

No, its not a Matchbox car. Scion is expanding its line with the all new  premium subcompact, the iQ. The vehicle is currently being rolled out in the West Coast and will make its way across America over the next few months. According to the folks from Scion, this vehicle is capable of seating up to four.  Watch out smartCar.

During the month of December, we spent the past few weeks traveling the country test driving the aforementioned rides. All of these rides are expected to be a game changer. Lookout for our initial reviews over the next few weeks. Also look for our live scoop during the second week of January from the ultimate auto show, the upcoming 2012 Detroit Int'l Auto Show, the mother (or daddy) of all shows.

2013 Lexus GS 350: What's New About the Vehicle

On Thursday Lexus revealed the GS 350. Now we've got more photos and every little fact you wanted to know about the vehicle..............................................

Body rigidity has been significantly increased with more and new advanced laser welding.

The all-new front and rear suspensions are now lighter and more responsive. They’ve been designed to enhance steering feel, improve ride comfort, reduce body roll, and increase straight-line stability.

And the new design of the rear suspension also allows for a trunk that’s now 25% bigger!

And it’s powered by an even better 3.5-liter engine with both port and direct injection that puts out 306 horsepower, giving it a more powerful base engine than Mercedes and BMW.

 

You’ll be able to check-in on Facebook, look for reviews on Yelp, buy movie tickets with Movietickets.com, or make restaurant reservations through Open Table.

And if your satellite radio isn’t enough, you can fulfill all your music needs with iheartradio and Pandora’s personalized stations and settings. Can’t remember the name of a shopping center? Or wondering where to get the best burger? Find it through Bing search or Destination Assist. And most of these apps can be accessed using a new conversational voice recognition system so you don’t have to remember a list of commands or take your hands off the steering wheel.

A new 835-watt Mark Levinson audio system that features GreenEdge speakers that are lighter, more energy-efficient, and have less distortion. The new system produces almost three times as many watts per channel over the previous generation.

And it will also have the luxury industry’s first energy-efficient airflow system called S-Flow that uses sensors in the seats to direct air to occupied areas. Under normal use, this could improve fuel-economy by as much as 3%.

A new segment-first eye monitoring feature paired with the available pre-collision system. With a camera mounted on the steering column, the system can tell if you’re falling asleep and help alert you with a beep…

There’s Lexus Night View, a new night vision system that uses infrared LED technology to detect shapes on dark roads…

And Lane-Keep Assist to help prevent the driver from drifting out of a lane. Our system is the first in this segment to use active steering torque to help guide you back on track.

Our last point is that a new Lexus GS Hybrid is on the way too.