Private Reserve Cabs: Luxury Sport Sedan - 2008 Lexus GS 460 - Comparison

Swirl

Based on color of attire, the GS, drenched in a metallic zinfandel, seems dressed for success. But looking at the scores, its chances of winning appear about as rosy as chardonnay. Not only does the GS post the slowest 0-to-60 and quarter-mile times, but its braking, lateral acceleration, and figure-eight numbers are all bested by the BMW and Jaguar. Granted, those figures-certainly the 5.6-second 0-to-60 time-still represent a speedy and agile machine (it scoots quicker than an Audi TT 3.2 Quattro and circles more swiftly than a BMW 335i Coupe), but compared with the best in this test, it pales. Then again, numbers tell only half the story.

"Though this is the slowest car here," notes St. Antoine, "it isn't a slow car. The engine is brilliantly smooth and pulls hard with a vibrant and engaging snarl." That motor is the same, buttery 4.6-liter V-8 used in the flagship LS, detuned to 342 horses for duty in the smaller GS. To optimize power flow, the 4.6 pairs with the group's only eight-speed auto, which delivers quick, seamless shifts when rolling along at anything but breakneck speeds. Problem is, when it comes time to break necks, the tranny doesn't keep up, endlessly hunting for that ideal gear (remember, there are eight of them) and delivering lethargic shifts when in manual mode. Paddle shifters? "Too bad there are none as in the Jag and Benz," observes Reynolds, while Mortara takes it one step further: "Paddles would transform this car," adding, "as would 19-inch wheels with more aggressive tires." Unfortunately, our GS has come with 18s wearing run-flats, stiff shoes that do little to offset the already firm suspension.

Looking at the wine glass half full, the GS's variable-gear-ratio steering and active anti-roll bars do deliver commendable chassis behavior and turn-in response, although they numb road feel more than we'd prefer. Nonetheless, there's much to like and admire with the GS. Our connoisseurs judge its interior as the most user-friendly, its back seat the most comfortable for two, and its EPA fuel economy and as-tested price the most appealing. With the votes in, though, the Lexus is akin to bringing sake to a cabernet competition. Sure, it's technically wine, but it doesn't really match up, lacking the requisite flavor, color, and vivacity to stir the judges.