At the North American Auto Show in January 1997, Lexus unveiled a pre-production version of the second-generation GS luxury sedan, and full production began in August of that year. In 2000, the car underwent an update, after which it acquired a tweaked appearance, better finishing materials, new options and slightly modernized equipment.
The life cycle of the three-volume was completed in the winter of 2004, and it was replaced by the model of the next incarnation.
The "second" Lexus GS is the representative of the E-class according to the European classification.
The sedan reads 4806 mm in length, of which 2799 mm "occupies" the gap between the pairs of wheels, 1440 mm in height and 1801 mm in width. In "combat" form, the four-door weighs from 1665 to 1720 kg, depending on the solution, and its ground clearance in this state does not exceed 150 mm.
Under the hood of the 2nd generation Lexus GS were atmospheric gasoline engines with distributed fuel supply and variable valve timing. The car was equipped with a 3.0-liter inline-six, developing 228 horsepower and 298 Nm of peak torque, and a 4.3-liter V8 engine with 294 horses and 441 Nm of torque. They docked with a five-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and a rear-wheel drive transmission.
"GS" is based on the "Toyota N" platform, which has a classic layout with an engine in the front and drive wheels at the rear. The luxury sedan features double wishbone independent suspension with coil springs and anti-roll bars.
In the "base" the car is aggregated with a hydraulic power steering, integrated into the rack and pinion steering system, and ventilated discs on all wheels with ABS, EBD and other "chips".
The second "release" Lexus GS is distinguished by solid appearance, premium interior, reliable design, high level of comfort, rich equipment, good dynamic characteristics (and in general driving performance), excellent workmanship and much more.
But the car did not do without a fly in the ointment - a high price tag for original spare parts and repairs, high gas mileage and modest ground clearance.
