2001 Lexus GS Photos, engines & full specs

While the first generation of the GS was replaced after just four years on the market, the second generation was kept for eight years, with a facelift in 2000 for the 2001 model year.

Lexus started to threaten other premium automakers with its vehicles, including the GS, which was on par with cars such as the E-Class from Mercedes-Benz, the LS from Lincoln, the Seville from Cadillac, and so on. However, while all the other contenders were produced by reckoned, prestigious automakers with decades of history behind them, the Lexus brand was not even old enough to get into a bar. On the other hand, Lexus, which was Toyota’s premium brand, tried to convince customers with the quality of its products, the high level of craftsmanship, and the convincing reliability index. In addition, it also packed the latest onboard technology available, luring more customers from other well-established brands into its showrooms.

Toyota was better at launching new products than refreshing older models, so it took a keen eye for detail to distinguish the 2001 GS from a 1997 model year, especially in lower grades. The facelifted version of the car had similar-looking headlights, albeit some of them featured Xenon brights instead of halogen-based ones, depending on the market. The grille between them, while it had the same shape, featured fewer vertical slats than the non-facelifted version. On the lower bumper, there were no noticeable differences.

Things went the same way on the car’s profile, with the most significant improvement on the front fenders. While the 1997 model year featured additional front turn signal lamps placed on the bumper’s sides, the 2001 version came with fender-mounted round orange blinkers installed behind the wheel arches. There were also a few options for new designs for the 16- and 17-inch light alloy wheels. At the back, the 2001 Lexus GS featured a different design for the corner-mounted taillights. The facelifted version had the turn signal lamps placed on the lower side instead of the mid-section, as in the non-refreshed model.

Customers were greeted inside the cabin with a fresh interior. Fronting the driver was a new steering wheel that featured additional buttons controlling the sound system. Underneath the vents from the center stack, Lexus offered an option of a touch-screen infotainment system, including navigation and a tape player. For some, that was an unusual mix of high-tech equipment with old-school music-playing devices. Fortunately, the automaker still kept the 12-CD changer in the trunk. Most grades were fitted with leather upholstery and wood trims around the cabin.

Under the hood, the most noticeable upgrade was the replacement of the previous 4.0-liter V8 engine with a new one with a 4.3-liter displacement. The base powerplant for the GS remained the 2ZJ-GE inline-six unit with variable valve timing, which produced slightly less power than its predecessor due to stricter emission regulations and the adoption of different catalytic converters. Both versions were paired as standard with a five-speed automatic that sent their power to the rear wheels. An electronic stability control system was available.