There has been a bit of discussion here about the Lexus decision to go with a Twin Turbo V-6 for the next LS instead of the traditional normally aspirated V-8. I was very curious about the Genesis G80 Sport so I went car shopping while the wife was at the mall. First, I was very impressed with the G80 Sport. Great looking car with a nice interior. The wood trim from the standard G80 has been replaced with gloss finish carbon fiber. All Sports have a black interior accented by copper stitching. I was expecting a stiffer ride, but it is only slightly harsher than standard. The TT V-6 is really strong with only the barest hint of turbo lag off idle. The $55,000 price seemed steep until I realized that all the Sports have the Ultimate package. This is not a 3 series or IS350 competitor since it is large and heavy. The closest competitor is likely the BMW 540i. Room, ride, performance, and handling are very close to the 540 and the interior is nicer than all except the heavily optioned version of the BMW.

After driving the Sport, I did a short test drive in a 2017 G80 5 liter V-8. In a drag race from stop, the V-8 is a bit faster, but in mid-range acceleration, the V-6 is actually better unless you kick down the V-8 into a lower gear to get the rpm up. Both engines were silky smooth and quiet except at full throttle. The Sport handles better probably due to a combination of stiffer suspension and less forward weight bias.

If I were driving the two and did not have a clue which was which, I doubt that I could tell the difference. The LS500 TT V-6 should be just fine.

Mike Marshall, I'm sad to report that one of the changes at Genesis from 2017 to 2018 is the shifter is now electronic.

Steve