High Speed Review - 2006 GS300

On my trip back from KL yesterday, the GS300 hit something like 230km/h, but just for a while, because the road undulations were partly resonating with wheel natural frequency. I think that a wheel change to lighter one to move resonance freq to higher.

It felt good to feel the VVTI2 system (meaning, both intake and exhaust) working to optimize torque. Yes, you feel it at high load high rev (as opposed to hitting 4K rpm at 2nd gear only which you won't be able to feel), just like VTEC, only that VVTI2 is more gentle and got more steps.

At high speed in the bright daylight for the GS300, here are my findings:

Natural speed is at 180km/h without resonance. At 181 to 190kmh, the stock wheels will resonate with Malaysian roads which are based on TAR. On concrete Melaka roads, there is no resonance. This resonance stops at 200km/h, then increases at 225km/h all the way to dunno what speed, but at 230km/h still will have resonance. All speeds according to speedo, not real speed.

The GS300 speeds above 100km/h is reporting 5km/h faster than REAL speed as measured by GPS. So, at 230km/h speedo, actual is 225km/h. I think that the error is logarithmic, so my comment not so accurate.

Compared to E240 and C200 Kompressor, GS300 suspension so much better over mini-humps caused by bridges. GS300 you will not AT ALL feel frightened by the undulations, but on the Mercs, they demand flat road, undulations will make the car fly. The GS wheels kept contact at all times. So for Malaysia roads, the GS300 is much better than the E and C-classes.

Aerodynamics for GS300 is better from perspective of wind noise. The C classes, wind noise gets unbearable at 190km/h onwards, for E-Class, 220km/h onwards. GS300 at 230km/h wind noise is un-noticeable.

So high speed performance, GS300 beats the E and C classes all the way. Now just for BMW people to HONESTLY post about 3- and 5- series high speed performance please.

Engine? Wow. Damn. The 3GR-FE engine is smooth all the way to max rpm at high gears (could not reach max rpm on 6th gear, must do it at 5th, but if longer distance it is possible). The older 3-valve/cyl E240 engine.... engine sounds COARSE at high rpm high gear. C200 engine no need to say, both the M111 and M171 2l and 1.8l is agricultural at high rpm high gear. There is no fear that engine burst, if that's a more meaningful comment.

As for presence, I did not get much respect from the C-Class, or E-Class, kanchils still keep going on the fast lane even when they see my car. For the GS- it commanded more respect, apparently. The most respect I ever got was in a ML320, which was no use coz the ML320 could not reach anything higher than 160km/h without much complaint.

Post trip, for the C and E class will always get some squeaks from the shock absorber after high speed trip. Not for the GS though. No difference whether drove long or short difference, GS felt the same before and after the trip.

I have no regrets. The GS300 fits my expectations totally. Turns out that the only thing causing me to keep within 180km/h for most of the journey was that my baby sleeping peacefully.