Overnight Lexus whipped the hanky off its newest performance car, the 348kW 2016 Lexus GS F.
FOLLOWING HOT ON the heels of its RC F sibling, the GS F is aimed squarely at the BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E63, with Lexus saying it “delivers sports car performance and handling, but in a luxury saloon car package”.
Based on the current GS saloon, it retains the four-door format and can seat five adults. It’s the largest car to bear the Lexus F badge. Yukihiko Yaguchi, chief engineer, said: “Our cars with the F designation are meant to generate a very positive feeling when you’re behind the steering wheel, and are designed to be fun to drive, no matter who’s driving, or where.
“With the GS F we wanted to make a special car that would not only exceed the expectations of the most discerning enthusiast, but which could also be enjoyed by all drivers. In this spirit, it embraces the virtues of sound, response and power – the cornerstones of the Lexus F brand.”
The GS F runs a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engine which makes 348kW and 530Nm of torque. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with manual shift option and four driver-selectable modes: Normal, Eco, Sport S and, for race track driving, Sport S+.
Lexus says the GS F was honed at the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany and features, because of the extra oomph, structural reinforcements and bespoke suspension over the garden-variety GS. It also gets larger tyres (255/35R19 at the front, 275/35R19 at the rear) and an uprated braking system. The GS F also gets, as standard, Lexus’s Torque Vectoring Differential (which debuted on the RC F). It has three operating modes: Standard (default), giving a balance of agility and firmness; Slalom, for nimble steering response and agility; and Track, enhancing stability for high-speed circuit driving.
The GS F features all the hallmarks of an F model, with a larger, more pronounced spindle grille with its F-model mesh pattern and the gaping air vents in the front bumper. At the rear there is a subtle carbon fibre spoiler and chrome-finished exhaust tailpipes.
Lexus says it will reveal more details, pricing and launch times later in 2015.
