Much has been said, posted, and blogged about the new front-end on the 2013 Lexus GS—particularly its new spindle-shaped grille. However, true to Lexus style with any major new-vehicle launch, the car also comes chock full of intriguing new—and enhanced—technologies:
S-FLOW: If you’re a solo driver, you don’t necessarily need the entire vehicle air-conditioned to be comfortable. The S-FLOW energy-saving airflow system uses occupant-detection sensors to automatically air-condition only the occupied front seat in the 2013 GS. That’s impressive in itself, but also consider this: Under normal use, this “smart” air-conditioning system could improve fuel economy by as much as three percent.
PAINTING ADVANCEMENTS: Two of the vehicle’s optional colors are high-tech in new ways. Riviera Red actually contains glass flakes in the coating that, as one would expect, creates a shimmering brilliance to the exterior. Another color, the silvery Liquid Platinum, has been purposefully engineered to accentuate body-curves—as well as shine in different lighting conditions, whether it’s dull and cloudy or bright and sunny.
GREENEDGE AUDIO: The 2013 GS includes, as an option, Mark Levinson’s new GreenEdge[1] audio components. (GreenEdge technologies are basically the LED lights of the audio world in that they produce more while using less.) The 2013 GS offers a new 835-watt Mark Levinson Premium audio system[1] (optional) with speakers that are lighter, more energy-efficient (there’s less load on the alternator), and have less distortion—and this optional sound system produces almost twice as many watts per channel over the previous generation’s system.
DIGITAL ACCESS: Lexus also ramped up the Lexus Enform[2][3] mobile telematics system in big ways. From inside the car, 2013 GS owners will be able to search for driving destinations via Bing, as well as use apps to make restaurant reservations through OpenTable, buy movie tickets via MovieTickets.com, and access internet radio providers like Pandora or iHeartRadio[4]. They can also access Facebook Places in the car, and search for restaurant reviews on Yelp. Bonus: this also shows up on the car’s giant 12.3-inch multi-media split screen, the first of its size in a production automobile.
UPGRADED REMOTE TOUCH: Lexus’ Remote Touch[5] system, the mouse-like hand controller for audio, climate control, and navigation, feels and acts even more like a computer mouse. The second-generation version, standard in the 2013 GS, actually slides, whereas the first generation—a technical wonder in itself—toggles more like a joystick.
BAMBOO STEERING WHEEL: The GS offers all sorts of systems that make driving the car a pleasure, like the Night Vision System and Lexus IS F-influenced suspension system, but we especially like the GS Hybrid’s aesthetic “technology” you can put your hands on—an elegant, light-but-strong bamboo steering wheel, which Lexus Drive Meister Shuichi Ozaki helped fine-tune as part of the vehicle’s extensive driving-sensory development.
Courtesy of LexusMagazine
No comments:
Post a Comment