Lexus reveals GS facelift

Lexus has revealed first images and details of an upgraded version of its large GS sedan ahead of a world debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d' Elegance in California this weekend, and its Australian release in December.

The headline act for the Japanese brand's BMW 5 Series rival is the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine from the NX 200t, which will replace the 2.5-litre V6 in the current GS 250.

The resulting GS 200t will be the new entry-level model in the GS range, which currently opens at around $72,000 for the GS 250 and will comprise upgraded versions of the GS 300h, GS 350 and GS 450h.

As in the upcoming RC 200t, the GS 200t produces 180kW of power and 350Nm of torque. That's up 5kW on the NX 200t and, more significantly, well up on the 154kW/252Nm outputs of the outgoing GS 250's 2.5-litre V6.

Also reducing fuel consumption over the GS 250, which comes with a six-speed automatic transmission and consumes 9.3L/100km, is the downsized engine's standard fitment of an eight-speed sports direct transmission driving the rear wheels.

The same turbo-petrol four will also be available in the new RX crossover due here next year, when the RX 200t will replace the current RX 270 as the entry-level variant.

New features across the range include a restyled front-end with bolder Lexus spindle grille and bi-LED headlights, a revised rear bumper and tail-lights, fresh wheel designs, new exterior paint colours, revised interior colour schemes and new interior wood and aluminium trim selections.

Full Australian model details are yet to be announced, but new colour choices in the US include Matador Red Mica, Nightfall Mica and Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0 exterior paints, plus fresh interior trim selections including laser cut wood, Matte Walnut, Linear 3D and, for the F SPORT, Naguri aluminium. Among the new interior and leather colours offered in the US are Chateau and Noble Brown, plus Rioja Red for the F SPORT.

Also new for 2016 is the Lexus Safety System + package combining Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Intelligent High Beam (IHB) and All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

Rounding out the model year 2016 GS changes is a larger 4.2-inch multi-information display in the instrument panel, upgraded multimedia infotainment system with side 'enter' buttons for the Remote Touch Interface (RTI), full-screen map capability for the 12.3-inch central screen's satellite-navigation display and GPS time-zone functionality for the analogue clock.

There are no mechanical changes for the 233kW/378Nm 3.5-litre V6-powered GS 350, which already comes with an eight-speed auto, or the GS 300h and GS 450h hybrids, which match four-cylinder and V6 petrol-electric powertrains, respectively, to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).