GS460 - Rare Sighting

[ThomasLexus94]

On 1/28/2021 at 11:05 PM, Neil E said:

Thanks Thomas, very pleased with it so far. Viewed your latest vid the other day. Keep them coming. 

When I sell the SC430 perhaps I could edit the You Tube video and commission you to do the voice-over sales pitch? 🙂

Yeah I am happy to help any way that I can, and thanks for watching it too! (appreciate it - my goal is to try get to 1k subs)

[Neil E]

9 hours ago, Bob King said:

It’s happening then....the modding has started 😉😉

Yes, turning thoughts and ideas into costs. Started looking for a new rear bumper to be rid of the quads too.🙂

I was looking at the rear light arrangement after reading something on the US forum and was surprised to learn that the tail-lights are only fitted to the outer lens clusters and not both. 

 

Am I permitted a subtle rear spoiler?

 

@Thomas, you can have the 55 people who accidentally subscribed to my channel if that would help?  I say 'channel' but it was just a vid.

I was trying to think of a new idea or angle on reviewing for you but there are so many reviewers out there already, all trying to carve more than their share. There's one in the US with lots of followers and he's hopeless with the facts and objective views but still gets a good response. Perhaps you could review a car whilst detailing it or visiting well known Scottish landmarks. I'm not suggesting you resort to performing cartwheels in a kilt while playing the bagpipes (that could go viral) but a review with some new or slightly different insight to draw people in with the promise of the next intriguing installment would be good. Maybe you could host a live Lexus webchat session occasionally. Plenty of hot topics like cat convertor theft, infotainment help required, wheel ideas, paint correction or even simple purchasing advice.

 

[Neil E]

On 2/4/2021 at 9:04 AM, Mossypossy said:

Have you heard of SRD Tuning near Haywards Heath?

Specialise in Japanese performance, including fast Lexus.

Ah, sorry I missed this post. Yes SRD are on my list to contact and they are only a few miles away. I think I've met one of the guys as I had a recommendation to visit them whilst in Burgess Hill about 18 months ago but I haven't been to see them yet. Lee has a very good reputation.

I know they can fit them but I wonder if they can build headers? The work they did on the RR Supercharged ISF was impressive and it appears they have their own dyno too. 

 

[Malc]

must be so so rare 

not even listed on autotrader

Malc

[Mossypossy]

Got SRD to change my radiator. I know James who works there. Lee had a hybrid LS as his own car last time I was there.

Very good bunch of guys.

[Neil E]

Thanks Steve, in that case, I definitely need to meet them. I'm quite well set up for most things but they might be the right guys to help with the GS460 and the SC430 is overdue another dyno run too. 🙂

   

[nicnac]

It is a possibility that the difference in power between the GS and LS is purely ECU mapping . They might have done it to give the LS more Kudos as the Luxury Sedan Range . That would be my bet . 

 

[Neil E]

20 hours ago, nicnac said:

It is a possibility that the difference in power between the GS and LS is purely ECU mapping . They might have done it to give the LS more Kudos as the Luxury Sedan Range . That would be my bet . 

 

Yes Nick, there are some odd physical differences in the intake and the exhaust which might make a slight difference but it's unlikely to be as much as 33 bhp without some ECU tuning. 

I think it is exactly as you say, for marketing reasons Lexus didn't want the GS460 to overshadow the LS for performance or perhaps be a roomy alternative to the ISF. They changed their 'tune' later with the RCF, GSF and LC all providing different flavours of performance packages. That said the GS350, GS430 and 450 are all 'quick' comfy cars.

The madness has commenced, I've ordered the bit's from PPE in Arizona to build the headers. The delay to making and shipping them provides time to find a UK fabricator to build the offside header.

[ColinBarber]

The engine mechanics are the same - same block, pistons, crank, heads, cams, valves, throttle body etc. etc.

I don't believe it was detuned so the LS has more kudos. They never did that in the past with the GS400 or GS430; the LS and GS are in very different market segments too.

Maybe they kept the power low so the GS460 had roughly the same power across the world, even in the regions where the less powerful non-direct injection engine was used, or the intake does actually restrict power and the LS one doesn't fit into the GS engine bay and sloped bonnet and they didn't want to spend too much money on redesigning the old GS intake, or the rest of the vehicle is too near Toyota's design limits with the extra power (chassis, suspension, brakes etc).

[Neil E]

Thanks Colin, it's certainly made me curious.

As I said earlier, apart from any tuning, the only difference I can see is in the manifolds, exhaust and intake. Unless it's forced induction, air intake doesn't normally make very much difference if at all so the complex dual ram LS460 set up is interesting.

Yes, I shall have to consider brakes, suspension, ARBs and maybe bracing but the aim is to keep the look and overall ride quality as close to standard as possible. The brakes do feel very strong, in fact given the mileage it all seems pretty tight. If there's a weakness it may be in the age of the rear suspension. When it warms up I might start using the car again and investigate further.   

[SSUR]

Hi Neil

Amazing to find another GS460 owner here. I previously owned a 2009 model velvet black with ivory, the penultimate one sold in the UK! In fact I only saw one other, a silver with black one in a Lexus showroom, never one on the road which made owning it so special.

A great car with the LS 8 speed auto, super quick and nimble, sport suspension, radar cruise etc, more sporty than my previous GS430s so engine not quite as refined due to different tuning.

I still miss this car, now have LS600hl Premier, the beast.

 

 

[Mossypossy]

We need an update on this car Neil!

[Neil E]

20 hours ago, SSUR said:

Hi Neil

Amazing to find another GS460 owner here. I previously owned a 2009 model velvet black with ivory, the penultimate one sold in the UK! In fact I only saw one other, a silver with black one in a Lexus showroom, never one on the road which made owning it so special.

A great car with the LS 8 speed auto, super quick and nimble, sport suspension, radar cruise etc, more sporty than my previous GS430s so engine not quite as refined due to different tuning.

I still miss this car, now have LS600hl Premier, the beast.

 

 

Amazing.....yes, we are privileged to know what it's like to drive a GS460. If the right one appears at the right time, I shall probably move on to the LS600hL.

 

12 hours ago, Mossypossy said:

We need an update on this car Neil!

Yes fair comment, I have been quiet on the GS460 because I've done almost nothing with it but drive it. 20k miles 3 services and one MOT later it's a pleasure and has been a real joy to own. It's been to most corners of the UK in a year for work and pleasure. 

My only serious complaint is the really poor throttle response but that was cured by fitting a controller and the thing now takes off with no delay and changes down as soon as asked. In the wet it's too responsive so I dial in a bit more lag. Despite having the other 2 cars, I drive this one a lot. If I'm being picky, it would benefit from a little more sound insulation/better seals around the doors and I do still sometimes miss the high quality audio system in the SC430.  

I did receive the headers and parts from PPE after a couple of months, eventually found one specialist in Cheshire willing to take on the header/exhaust project at around £4k but work and life got in the way at just the wrong time so prevented progress. I also have a bigger F sport rear sway bar to put on but most of my 'car play' has been on the SC lately and that has been very infrequent such is the pace of work.

Below, a couple of pics of the Sprint-Booster install with the control switch tucked away in the drop-down coin tray. Simple but effective, on the most aggressive settings it does feel a bit too 'on-off' twitchy in the cold and wet but when road conditions are good, it's a very welcome improvement over the terrible lag.

 

 

[Mossypossy]

Might have to meet up and compare toys.

Also might be looking for a 600h eventually.

[Mossypossy]

Presume your car is not CVT?

[SSUR]

GS 460 is 8 speed, same as LS 460 which was actually world’s first 8!

LS600 is ecvt but amazingly smooth and perfectly suited to the car due to 5.0 V8.

A very worthwhile change from GS to LS I would recommend it provided you don’t mind the extra size of the beast 

 

[Neil E]

On 2/1/2022 at 11:55 PM, SSUR said:

GS 460 is 8 speed, same as LS 460 which was actually world’s first 8!

LS600 is ecvt but amazingly smooth and perfectly suited to the car due to 5.0 V8.

A very worthwhile change from GS to LS I would recommend it provided you don’t mind the extra size of the beast 

 

I had an LS430 previously and I've driven a few LS600 and LS460. They are perfect for wafting up and down the motorways. Suspension arms and wheel bearings are the only concern on the beast. Oddly slightly louder than an LS430 3UZ but the LS600 is a lovely place to be.

On 2/1/2022 at 10:11 PM, Mossypossy said:

Might have to meet up and compare toys.

Also might be looking for a 600h eventually.

Yeah always up for a meet, the GS is almost a daily, the SC430 is the much abused toy. 

[SSUR]

GS much better driver’s car and so feels more nimble. 460 made a nice V8 noise when using tiptronic, unlike previous GS430 which was silent all the time. Oh how I miss that 460!

As you say LS one of the very best motorway wafting machines and overall ride quite a bit better than GS which is what I was looking for, via a GS300h in between. To give it credit LS does not feel huge to drive until you turn around and see the vast cabin in the back or notice its image on a building when on the road, beautiful and unique only ever seen one other update on the road.