'98 Lexus GS 300Key requests around the office fall in descending order of horsepower and luxury, but those wise enough to work the system realize the silken six-cylinder Lexus sedan offers nearly all the same virtues as its fellow long-termer, GS 400. Our recent plus-one aftermarket upgrade to 17x8.0-inch Enkei RS Evolution wheels shod with ultra-high-performance Bridgestone Potenza S0-2 Pole Position 235/45ZR17 tires has narrowed the handling gap between the siblings, gaining 2.9 mph (to 63.8 mph) in the slalom and 0.04 g (to 0.84) on the skidpad. When pushed, the chassis retains an enviable balance between road holding and compliance with an impressive improvement in transitional response. Options such as power moonroof, memory package, and in-dash CD changer mated to a 260-watt Nakamichi audio system offer enough pampering to make traffic-burdened commuters forget two more cylinders are available. Thanks to Lexus' atmospheric ad campaign, the word "wicked" appears on every logbook page: "Wicked-cool A/C," "Wicked-sweet ride." Our GS 300's perfect record remains unblemished after several months of service.
| Base price | $36,800 |
| Price as tested | $42,436 |
| Body style | 4-door, 5-pass. |
| Engine size/type | 3.0-liter V-6 |
| Transmission | 5-speed auto. |
| Driveline configuration | Front engine, rear drive |
| 0-60 mph, sec. | 7.6 |
| EPA mpg, city/hwy. | 20/25 |
| Total mileage | 5262 |
| Test mileage | 5174 |
| Fuel consumed, gal | 284.3 |
| Fuel cost | $355.38 |
| Average mpg | 18.2 |
| Additional oil/cost | None |
| Routine maint. | None |
| Additional maint. | None |
| Previous maint. | None |
| Problem areas | None |
| Total operating cost | $355.38 |
| Operating cost/mile | 6.9 |