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I join the GS F owners club after a proud owner of the Lexus RC F for a year and change. I wanted to offer my insights since I am one of the few people who has owned both cars.
Performance - A tie
The performance numbers between the two are basically identical. The RC F beats the GS F by 0.1 second here or there, but they are nearly identical. On the experience side, the GS F feels faster than the RC F. This boils down to the chassis and steering feel. The GS F has a sense of lightness to it.
Handling - GS F wins
The handling difference between the RC F and GS F is night and day. The GS F feels super nimble and light on its feet. The RC F has accurate and nicely weighted steering but always felt heavy and never that nimble. Car and Driver called the RC F "flying Dumbo". In Sport+ mode, the RC F feels tighter, but it never felt like the car was shrinking around you and begging you to go faster.
The GS F is tossable and shrinks around you in any mode. It does not feel like a four door sedan. One of my concerns about switching from the RC F was the size of the GS F. Both are the same width and nearly the same weight, but the GS F is 9 inches longer. But when you start driving the GS F, you forget that you have a backseat. Both cars have a dual personality but the GS F's sporty side is better sorted and balanced. It utterly begs you to go faster and faster. I nearly lost control of the GS F on my favorite road because the GS F builds your confidence as the speed increases.
Ride - GS F wins
What a world of difference a few inches makes. The GS F rides like butter compared to the RC F. One of the biggest reasons why I switched was the ride. The chop on RC F can be brutal and frustrating. It jitters over washboard surfaces and can jerk you around. I would fear hitting a big bump. In the GS F, the ride is still sporty but never punishing and is very well sorted.
Exterior Styling - RC F wins
The GS F looks stunning but the RC F wins here. There is a charisma to the look of the RC F that the GS F is missing. The RC F looks special and says "look at my luscious lumps". The GS F is restrained and classy. I prefer the expressive styling of the RC F; however, the GS F wheel design is better and they look delightfully vicious.
Interior Styling and Comfort - GS F wins
The GS F interior is a step above the RC F in quality and refinement. This is what the $15K - $20K difference gets you. The use of alcantara and soft plastics is much better in the GS F. The nav screen is huge and beautiful; however, I do prefer the metal ***** in the RC F. The GS F ***** feel cheaper.
Despite sharing the same seats, the ventilated and heated front seats work much better in the GS F. The cooled and heated functionality in the RC F is basically useless. Another oddity that favors the GS F is the engine sound in the cabin. Even with the ASC turned off (ASC isn't active in Normal and Eco modes), the exhaust note and engine note is more pronounced. Scooting around town in Eco you can hear the exhaust and engine. It sounds like a V8 all of the time. In my old RC F, the engine is a whisper in normal and eco. Several of my friends who rode in both cars noticed this difference. The sound deadening and windproofing in the RC F seems superior. The GS F has a fair amount more wind noise than the RC F. This makes sense as the GS F is still a 2013 model at its core.
Obviously, getting in and out of the car is much easier in the GS F. The back seats are usable. The head room is plentiful rather than sparse. One complaint is Lexus should've included the backseat luxury features and the power trunk. I suspect they removed these to reduce weight. The GS F would be a monster if it weighed 3800 pounds like the GS 350. It still is weird to me that the F model is less features rich than F Sport model. The case is opposite in M and AMG models.
Price - RC F wins
The GS F is overpriced. Lexus Corp and dealers know this truth. Despite poorer build quality and reliability issues, the CTS-V is still the bargain in the segment with a similar starting base price. Although, the CTS-V quickly climbs to $100K with options. Until the GS F hums with 550hp (probably after the LC F), it isn't "directly" competing with M5 and CTS-V. The GS F fits in the CTS Vsport and S6 category.
Incentives - GS F wins
The RC F is selling better than the GS F, despite the GS F being a better car. The finance team at Lexus informed me that the RC is actually doing reasonably well, but the GS F isn't moving that fast due to price. Therefore, Lexus is offering a huge incentive and dealers are looking to move the GS F. These incentives are so good that I got the GS F at the price as my RC F. With a ton more car for the same money, it is an easy choice.
Expert Reviews - GS F wins
No contest here. The GS F reviews are glowing. Many reviewers were unfairly harsh on the RC F but it was Lexus's first iteration of the new F brand. Compared to the IS F, the RC F is a big step forward. Many reviewers who disliked the RC F love the GS F.
Jonny Lieberman of MotorTrend calls the GS F one of the best driver's car in it's class and he prefers the GS F to the CTS-V on the road. MotorTrend also named the GS F one of the top 10 handling sports sedans on the market. Car and Driver ranks the GS F above the M5 and E63. Jeremy Clarkson's review of the RC F nearly killed its launch; however, he raves about the GS F. He prefers the GS F to the M3 and M5. He writes "This is the best handling Lexus since the LFA". Steve Stucliff from AutoExpress disliked the RC F but calls the GS F a proper sports saloon with character.
Summary - GS F wins
In a single year, Lexus's progress is quite amazing. Despite being down 200 horsepower, the GS F is beating the M5 and E63 on handling, ride, and price. I agree with the experts. The GS F is a better car than the RC F. If you can get a deal on an GS F, take it. It is a wonderful car.
Attached are pictures of my cars. The RC F is Chloe and the GS F is Hudor.
Good stuff here but I thought it was well known that the RC is quite a bit heavier than the GS. In F Sport trim, the GS beats the RC 0-60 while everything else matches, so it can only be weight holding the RC back.
The GS has a dedicated platform while the RC has a Frankenstein chassis cobbled together from the IS convertible, the IS and the GS. That's probably why the GS chassis feels so confident and secure. I've said since the first week of owning my F Sport, this chassis feels like it could easily handle a few hundred more horsepower and your comparison seems to agree.
I join the GS F owners club after a proud owner of the Lexus RC F for a year and change. I wanted to offer my insights since I am one of the few people who has owned both cars.
Performance - A tie
The performance numbers between the two are basically identical. The RC F beats the GS F by 0.1 second here or there, but they are nearly identical. On the experience side, the GS F feels faster than the RC F. This boils down to the chassis and steering feel. The GS F has a sense of lightness to it.
Handling - GS F wins
The handling difference between the RC F and GS F is night and day. The GS F feels super nimble and light on its feet. The RC F has accurate and nicely weighted steering but always felt heavy and never that nimble. Car and Driver called the RC F "flying Dumbo". In Sport+ mode, the RC F feels tighter, but it never felt like the car was shrinking around you and begging you to go faster.
The GS F is tossable and shrinks around you in any mode. It does not feel like a four door sedan. One of my concerns about switching from the RC F was the size of the GS F. Both are the same width and nearly the same weight, but the GS F is 9 inches longer. But when you start driving the GS F, you forget that you have a backseat. Both cars have a dual personality but the GS F's sporty side is better sorted and balanced. It utterly begs you to go faster and faster. I nearly lost control of the GS F on my favorite road because the GS F builds your confidence as the speed increases.
Ride - GS F wins
What a world of difference a few inches makes. The GS F rides like butter compared to the RC F. One of the biggest reasons why I switched was the ride. The chop on RC F can be brutal and frustrating. It jitters over washboard surfaces and can jerk you around. I would fear hitting a big bump. In the GS F, the ride is still sporty but never punishing and is very well sorted.
Exterior Styling - RC F wins
The GS F looks stunning but the RC F wins here. There is a charisma to the look of the RC F that the GS F is missing. The RC F looks special and says "look at my luscious lumps". The GS F is restrained and classy. I prefer the expressive styling of the RC F; however, the GS F wheel design is better and they look delightfully vicious.
Interior Styling and Comfort - GS F wins
The GS F interior is a step above the RC F in quality and refinement. This is what the $15K - $20K difference gets you. The use of alcantara and soft plastics is much better in the GS F. The nav screen is huge and beautiful; however, I do prefer the metal ***** in the RC F. The GS F ***** feel cheaper.
Despite sharing the same seats, the ventilated and heated front seats work much better in the GS F. The cooled and heated functionality in the RC F is basically useless. Another oddity that favors the GS F is the engine sound in the cabin. Even with the ASC turned off (ASC isn't active in Normal and Eco modes), the exhaust note and engine note is more pronounced. Scooting around town in Eco you can hear the exhaust and engine. It sounds like a V8 all of the time. In my old RC F, the engine is a whisper in normal and eco. Several of my friends who rode in both cars noticed this difference. The sound deadening and windproofing in the RC F seems superior. The GS F has a fair amount more wind noise than the RC F. This makes sense as the GS F is still a 2013 model at its core.
Obviously, getting in and out of the car is much easier in the GS F. The back seats are usable. The head room is plentiful rather than sparse. One complaint is Lexus should've included the backseat luxury features and the power trunk. I suspect they removed these to reduce weight. The GS F would be a monster if it weighed 3800 pounds like the GS 350. It still is weird to me that the F model is less features rich than F Sport model. The case is opposite in M and AMG models.
Price - RC F wins
The GS F is overpriced. Lexus Corp and dealers know this truth. Despite poorer build quality and reliability issues, the CTS-V is still the bargain in the segment with a similar starting base price. Although, the CTS-V quickly climbs to $100K with options. Until the GS F hums with 550hp (probably after the LC F), it isn't "directly" competing with M5 and CTS-V. The GS F fits in the CTS Vsport and S6 category.
Incentives - GS F wins
The RC F is selling better than the GS F, despite the GS F being a better car. The finance team at Lexus informed me that the RC is actually doing reasonably well, but the GS F isn't moving that fast due to price. Therefore, Lexus is offering a huge incentive and dealers are looking to move the GS F. These incentives are so good that I got the GS F at the price as my RC F. With a ton more car for the same money, it is an easy choice.
Expert Reviews - GS F wins
No contest here. The GS F reviews are glowing. Many reviewers were unfairly harsh on the RC F but it was Lexus's first iteration of the new F brand. Compared to the IS F, the RC F is a big step forward. Many reviewers who disliked the RC F love the GS F.
Jonny Lieberman of MotorTrend calls the GS F one of the best driver's car in it's class and he prefers the GS F to the CTS-V on the road. MotorTrend also named the GS F one of the top 10 handling sports sedans on the market. Car and Driver ranks the GS F above the M5 and E63. Jeremy Clarkson's review of the RC F nearly killed its launch; however, he raves about the GS F. He prefers the GS F to the M3 and M5. He writes "This is the best handling Lexus since the LFA". Steve Stucliff from AutoExpress disliked the RC F but calls the GS F a proper sports saloon with character.
Summary - GS F wins
In a single year, Lexus's progress is quite amazing. Despite being down 200 horsepower, the GS F is beating the M5 and E63 on handling, ride, and price. I agree with the experts. The GS F is a better car than the RC F. If you can get a deal on an GS F, take it. It is a wonderful car.
Attached are pictures of my cars. The RC F is Chloe and the GS F is Hudor.
Couldn't agree more as i moved from RC F performance pack/Carbon to GS-F...Great write up!!
Date of purchase: March 11th 2015
Mileage: 30,234
Options: fully loaded
Drivetrain: RWD
I love the car, I get compliments everyday. But, i wouldn't buy it again. I would spring for the RC F or even the LC 500
I join the GS F owners club after a proud owner of the Lexus RC F for a year and change. I wanted to offer my insights since I am one of the few people who has owned both cars.
Performance - A tie
The performance numbers between the two are basically identical. The RC F beats the GS F by 0.1 second here or there, but they are nearly identical. On the experience side, the GS F feels faster than the RC F. This boils down to the chassis and steering feel. The GS F has a sense of lightness to it.
Handling - GS F wins
The handling difference between the RC F and GS F is night and day. The GS F feels super nimble and light on its feet. The RC F has accurate and nicely weighted steering but always felt heavy and never that nimble. Car and Driver called the RC F "flying Dumbo". In Sport+ mode, the RC F feels tighter, but it never felt like the car was shrinking around you and begging you to go faster.
The GS F is tossable and shrinks around you in any mode. It does not feel like a four door sedan. One of my concerns about switching from the RC F was the size of the GS F. Both are the same width and nearly the same weight, but the GS F is 9 inches longer. But when you start driving the GS F, you forget that you have a backseat. Both cars have a dual personality but the GS F's sporty side is better sorted and balanced. It utterly begs you to go faster and faster. I nearly lost control of the GS F on my favorite road because the GS F builds your confidence as the speed increases.
Ride - GS F wins
What a world of difference a few inches makes. The GS F rides like butter compared to the RC F. One of the biggest reasons why I switched was the ride. The chop on RC F can be brutal and frustrating. It jitters over washboard surfaces and can jerk you around. I would fear hitting a big bump. In the GS F, the ride is still sporty but never punishing and is very well sorted.
Exterior Styling - RC F wins
The GS F looks stunning but the RC F wins here. There is a charisma to the look of the RC F that the GS F is missing. The RC F looks special and says "look at my luscious lumps". The GS F is restrained and classy. I prefer the expressive styling of the RC F; however, the GS F wheel design is better and they look delightfully vicious.
Interior Styling and Comfort - GS F wins
The GS F interior is a step above the RC F in quality and refinement. This is what the $15K - $20K difference gets you. The use of alcantara and soft plastics is much better in the GS F. The nav screen is huge and beautiful; however, I do prefer the metal ***** in the RC F. The GS F ***** feel cheaper.
Despite sharing the same seats, the ventilated and heated front seats work much better in the GS F. The cooled and heated functionality in the RC F is basically useless. Another oddity that favors the GS F is the engine sound in the cabin. Even with the ASC turned off (ASC isn't active in Normal and Eco modes), the exhaust note and engine note is more pronounced. Scooting around town in Eco you can hear the exhaust and engine. It sounds like a V8 all of the time. In my old RC F, the engine is a whisper in normal and eco. Several of my friends who rode in both cars noticed this difference. The sound deadening and windproofing in the RC F seems superior. The GS F has a fair amount more wind noise than the RC F. This makes sense as the GS F is still a 2013 model at its core.
Obviously, getting in and out of the car is much easier in the GS F. The back seats are usable. The head room is plentiful rather than sparse. One complaint is Lexus should've included the backseat luxury features and the power trunk. I suspect they removed these to reduce weight. The GS F would be a monster if it weighed 3800 pounds like the GS 350. It still is weird to me that the F model is less features rich than F Sport model. The case is opposite in M and AMG models.
Price - RC F wins
The GS F is overpriced. Lexus Corp and dealers know this truth. Despite poorer build quality and reliability issues, the CTS-V is still the bargain in the segment with a similar starting base price. Although, the CTS-V quickly climbs to $100K with options. Until the GS F hums with 550hp (probably after the LC F), it isn't "directly" competing with M5 and CTS-V. The GS F fits in the CTS Vsport and S6 category.
Incentives - GS F wins
The RC F is selling better than the GS F, despite the GS F being a better car. The finance team at Lexus informed me that the RC is actually doing reasonably well, but the GS F isn't moving that fast due to price. Therefore, Lexus is offering a huge incentive and dealers are looking to move the GS F. These incentives are so good that I got the GS F at the price as my RC F. With a ton more car for the same money, it is an easy choice.
Expert Reviews - GS F wins
No contest here. The GS F reviews are glowing. Many reviewers were unfairly harsh on the RC F but it was Lexus's first iteration of the new F brand. Compared to the IS F, the RC F is a big step forward. Many reviewers who disliked the RC F love the GS F.
Jonny Lieberman of MotorTrend calls the GS F one of the best driver's car in it's class and he prefers the GS F to the CTS-V on the road. MotorTrend also named the GS F one of the top 10 handling sports sedans on the market. Car and Driver ranks the GS F above the M5 and E63. Jeremy Clarkson's review of the RC F nearly killed its launch; however, he raves about the GS F. He prefers the GS F to the M3 and M5. He writes "This is the best handling Lexus since the LFA". Steve Stucliff from AutoExpress disliked the RC F but calls the GS F a proper sports saloon with character.
Summary - GS F wins
In a single year, Lexus's progress is quite amazing. Despite being down 200 horsepower, the GS F is beating the M5 and E63 on handling, ride, and price. I agree with the experts. The GS F is a better car than the RC F. If you can get a deal on an GS F, take it. It is a wonderful car.
Attached are pictures of my cars. The RC F is Chloe and the GS F is Hudor.
Great write up for comparison. Where did you buy the GSF for the same price as the RCF at ~ $67k ?
Great write up. I agree with everything except with the "Compared to the IS F, the RC F is a big step forward" Statement. As far as tech, yes it's a big step forward, but as far as driving dynamics and performance, it's actually a step backwards.
When i considered the Rcf i thought i would be giving up two doors, convenience and driving dynamics to gain new tech and a great looking coupe, so i passed on it. Now with the GSF, I'd just be giving up a few tenths of a second at the track to gain, more space, more luxury and new tech. All of this without losing driving dynamics. This i consider an actual upgrade.
Date of purchase: March 11th 2015
Mileage: 30,234
Options: fully loaded
Drivetrain: RWD
I love the car, I get compliments everyday. But, i wouldn't buy it again. I would spring for the RC F or even the LC 500
Yup, it wasn't until I was in my mid/late 20s when I realized to stop making cars something they aren't, and to just save up my money and buy the fast one out of the box.
so many factors can change the outcome. Full tank vs empty, passengers and weight of driver, cargo in trunk, driver shifting points, tire pressure, mods...
07-03-16, 08:16 PM
Owner Review - RC F vs GS F - Who wins?
