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New Lexus Performance Sedan Makes Debut Pacing CART Indy Cars in Monterey

6 September 1997

New Lexus Performance Sedan Makes Debut Pacing CART Indy Cars in Monterey

    MONTEREY, Calif., Sept. 6 -- A new breed of Lexus, the GS 400
high-performance sedan, makes its first public appearance this weekend pacing
the Toyota Grand Prix of Monterey CART race.
    The latest addition to the PPG CART World Series Pace Car fleet, the GS
400 showcases an innovative paint and graphics package created jointly by
Lexus and PPG Industries. Finished with PPG's high-tech Chromaflare paint
process, the GS pace car graphics create an optical "positive-negative" effect
as the car is seen in motion.
    Thanks to a new Lexus powerplant with the first use of continuously
variable valve timing in a V8, the GS pace car will boast more than
300 horsepower.  Its race-car-inspired E-Shift 5-speed semi-automatic
transmission promotes lightning-fast shifts for high-performance driving --
increasing control through demanding roads like Laguna Seca's world famous
"Cork Screw."
    The GS 400 pace car rides on Goodyear Eagle GSC tires in 255/40 ZR 19
size, mounted on BBS alloy wheels. It is also fitted with Brembo brakes, Borla
custom exhaust and H&R racing suspension.
    The production GS 400 will be available for sale in October, and is
expected to be the fastest production automatic sedan in the world. It is
capable of sprinting from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds and has a top speed of 149 mph.
    Like its production siblings, the GS 400 PPG pace car is the wicked member
of the family, a completely different kind of Lexus.

                            Lexus GS 400 Pace Car

    Performance Features:
    -- 4.0-liter four-cam 32-valve V8
    -- Aluminum block and heads
    -- Continuously variable valve timing
    -- 300+ hp, 310+ ft.-lbs. Torque
    -- E-Shift semi-automatic 5-speed transmission

    Design:
    -- TMC Design Studio, Japan

    Fabricator:
    -- Toyota Motorsports

    Paint:
    -- PPG Industries

    Color:
    -- Spectra Blue Chromaflare

    Graphics Design:
    -- Molly Designs

    Tires
    -- Goodyear Eagle GSC 255/40 ZR19

    Wheels
    -- BBS "LM Rad" 8-1/2 x 19 alloy

    Brakes
    -- Brembo 4-piston

    Suspension
    -- H&R coil-over shocks, racing springs.

    Exhaust
    -- Borla custom-built free-flow

    Safety:
    -- Roll cage
    -- Dual halon fire system
    -- Fuel cell
    -- 4-point safety belts
    -- Lexus Vehicle Skid Control system

SOURCE  Toyota Lexus