Lexus GS300 gets 'Best in Class' for Adult Occupant Protection

The new Lexus GS300 has achieved the 'best in class' accolade for adult occupant protection.

Executive cars can be top of the range in occupant safety as well as luxury according to Euro NCAP, who today confirmed the highest adult occupant protection score ever achieved by any car in the Executive Class in Europe's leading independent crash tests.

The car, the Lexus GS300 achieved the top five star adult occupant protection rating.

In the frontal impact test just over one point was lost, and in the side and pole tests a maximum point score was achieved giving the car an overall score of 35 points.

2005 Lexus GS 300 (Photo: Lexus USA)

In addition, the Lexus GS300 achieved the top four-star rating for child protection, and a 'best in class' 18 points and the two star rating for pedestrian protection.

1. Organisations participating to Euro NCAP include the Departments of Transport of Sweden, The Netherlands, France , Germany , the United Kingdom and Catalonia as well as the FIA Foundation, the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC), Thatcham on behalf of the British Motor Insurers and the International Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT) on behalf of the European consumer organisations.

2. Future Phases will continue with testing of new cars in all segments; the next full release of test results will be on the 28th June 2005.

3. Australia has adopted the same testing protocols as Euro NCAP and they are publishing results from Euro NCAP that are applicable in their market. The Euro NCAP testing protocols are unique in that they include tests for front, side impact and pole impact and also gives information on pedestrian.

4. The child protection rating is for a combination of a car with specific child seats that have been recommended by the car manufacturer. The combination can now earn up to five stars for child protection. The rating depends on the fitting instructions for the child seats, the cars ability to accommodate them safely and their performance in front and side impact tests. However, there are important limitations to this rating, which are: The child protection rating cannot be used for the car alone, nor can it used for the car with a different combination of child seats. The tested child seat alone does not have a child protection rating. The same child seat tested in combination with other cars may give a different child protection rating.

5. The front impact test is conducted at 64km/h (40mph) into an offset deformable barrier, the side impact test 50km/h (30mph), the pole test at 29km/h (18mph) and the pedestrian tests at 40km/h (25mph).

6.The full test results for the Lexus GS300 will be placed on the website www.euroncap.com from 29th March.