First official details and images of Japan's 5-Series rival revealed following an online leak earlier this week.


First official images: Lexus GS350

First official images of Lexus GS350.First official images of Lexus GS350.
Lexus has pulled the covers off its new GS350 luxury sedan following an embarrassing leak that saw details and undisguised images of the car surface online two days prior to its unveiling.
As the leaked images showed, the production version of the GS350 hasn't strayed too far from the LF-Gh concept car that previewed it. The GS's polarising HSV-like "spindle-shaped" grille, angular headlights and squared-off front bumper are all there. The rear-end follows the sharp-edged theme, carrying over a similar look similar to that of the CT200h hybrid hatchback with squarish tail-lights and exhaust tips. In profile it looks solid - verging on boxy - apart from the wraparound wheel arches that emphasise the design of the new multi-spoke alloy wheels.
The GS350 features a new 3.5-litre V6 engine producing a healthy 233kW of power and 376Nm of torque - enough to propel it from 0-100km/h in just 5.7 seconds. The new powerplant is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with standard paddle shifters, and drive is delivered to the rear wheels only (for the Australian-spec GS350).
Inside, the new GS appears to have been brought up to the level of its more modern peers (BMW's 5-Series, Audi's A6 and Mercedes-Benz's E-Class), with the standout element being a huge 12.3-inch multimedia display (on selected models only) that has a split-screen function so the front passenger can watch a DVD while the driver concentrates on the road. The screen is also linked to the car's sat-nav and stereo system, with a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio kit available.
Safety has seen a big update too, with 10 airbags standard (dual front head and knee 'bags, front and rear side airbags and full length curtains) and optional extras such as a pre-collision warning system, night vision assistance, a heads-up display, blind-spot monitoring, a lane keeping system with active steering correction if you stray over the white line, and a lane departure warning system.
The new GS350 tips the scales at 1689 kilograms - roughly the same as an entry-level Holden Commodore sedan - but notably heavier than the current generation GS300 (1620kg).
A number of other variants, including a petrol-electric hybrid, are likely to join the GS range in 2012.