Will the new Lexus GS F sport sedan live up to its classification with the BMW and Audi greats? Auto Express takes a look.

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Great review! Sounds like this is pretty much the Japanese interpretation of a "muscle car". Big, normally aspirated engine that makes great sounds and pushes you back against the seat above 5k RPMs.

 

It's a grudging review but he says what he thinks. Ride over performance. Really the M5 is a legend, as are the various AMG Mercs. You're buying something that was popular 10 years ago. Big rwd V8 hp in a premium four door package.

That's been taken over by the muscle car brands in Detroit (hello Dodge Charger). They have this market cornered other than the fact that there's no fancy snobbery associated with them. The Germans moved on, turbo-charging etc. See one of these come along and you'll say... meh.

It's a car that could have worked about 5 years ago but not today.

 

I think it's kinda cool. If it's anywhere near as reliable as most Lexus cars then it's got that going for it, too.

I agree that Dodge is going for/has the market in the area of muscle car/V8/whatever you want to call this. This is a little bit of a different niche, for sure, with the luxury connotation of Lexus.

FWIW I really like my GS350, so the GSF is probably really nice, but I'd imagine most people shopping the segment will look elsewhere.

But yeah, if you're looking for pure performance, it's M5, E63, RS6/7.

 

I dunno.

It feels like the current German cars have so many layers interspersed in between the car and the driver that the purity of the driving experience is gone. Turbocharging -- say bye bye to the linear easily modulated throttle response.

German cars outweighing the GS by 200-400 pounds : say bye bye to the tossable nimble 4 door super sedan that was the the legendary E39 M5

It feels like the Lexus GS-F is a return to the roots of of the super-sedan that made them so compelling and desirable to own.

Whereas the Germans are now making a detour into making faster and faster straight line drag cars and further and further away from the deft touch and skilful steering.

Ironic that it is a Japanese marque that is sticking to the purist ideals that BMW pioneered, ideals that the Germans and BMW have abandoned.

 

M135/235i no issue with turbo lag....in fact makes RCF feels sluggish, and very heavy. And having driven it around Sepang F1 track I do hope the GSF is better than that. Lexus' are what they are, technically brilliant, totally reliable, not very fast, but now at least they can look very fast. And the hybrids are brilliant (though the Europeans will catch up very soon). For what they are, is why I bought one. And I don't like to pay for planned obsolescence.

 

But the M135/235i isn't an apples to apples comparison to the GSF.

1)It's BMW making a course correction after the underwhelming current 3 and 5 series chassis, back to lighter, more purist drivers' cars.

2)It's a sub-compact car 1 class below the BMW 3 series and the Lexus IS in size. Of course it will be nimble and tossable. The class under discussion is the midsize 4 door supersedan segmment.

Secondly, the Germans were betting big on turbodiesels as alternative green fuels and we all know where diesel tech is going right now. In fact Lexus' focus on fuel cell and hybrid as the bridging tech to fuel cell now seems much more enlightened and farsighted. Seems like it is Germany playing catchup to Japan in the future powerplant stakes.

But we are now off topic....

 

So yeah, great car, if you like living in the past. 10 years ago it would have been a smashing success. He keeps saying how good it sounds and ... that's all.

 

lost interest in the gs-f, nothing special about it. The more research u do about other cars in the v8 segment, the less u desire this...moving on.

 

I'd get the CLS550 Bi Turbo over this. Something about the GS-F isn't really eye catching

 

All good points. Who exactly are you trying to compete against in hp? Muatangs GT 350 or Dodge? Ride quality, material workmanship? BMW & Mercedes ? Now if they came out with this car with 35+mpg and it's same performance figures then that would be something. But Lexus missed the curve by 5-7 years. This car is dated already BUT that could be turned 180 if they had made this sort of performance WITH hybrid. Say 25 miles on electric with 30 mile range w/o having to plug it in while the engine recharges the battery(460H & 600H) paired to the V8. Wow, what a combo that would have been.

 

This is enough HP for me for the road. I would love to grab one before they switch out to a more powerful turbo. Those insane amount of HP is just beyond usable. While ppl pedal to the medal from one stop light to another, I'll be cruising in a lexus. And If I need a littel fun, the v8 is there on tap.

I think it's perfect- except for the price. *edit* I'm looking for a used one

 

Don't know how it will do in this league: From the side it looks like a 2000's Bimmer or Inifiniti. The back looks more Audi-like. There is a little too much copy-cat and not enough original in this car. The gaping grill is up to individual taste.

Yes BMW has lost some direction styling-wise and with steering feel in recent years, but the Bimmers are still very quick snappy handlers. There are also some things that buyers are going to look at for these kinds of dollars. Presence, personality, heritage. All of those things, but tasteful - not blacked out trim ala 80's, 90's retro.

Here you have the GS F wedged into an uncomfortable place between the top end of the market and the bottom end of this market. That means a car with a V8 in a mid-sized four door sedan... and huge side-scalloped front fenders and weird off-set stacks for tailpipes.

Honestly in the 50K to 105K market you've got a problem. There are the legions of Ford Mustangs, Chevy Camaros and Dodge What-Evers on the low end with instant recognition and cachet. Climb higher and you have the mighty Germans that will blow this thing into the weeds when it's not being challenged by the Detroit drivers.

What about the Corvette in the same price range? Would someone really need the extra doors and seats unless you're planning on doing your Vin Diesel Fast and Furious impersonation with the kiddies strapped in the back in their car seats?

It's an achievement on its own but time doesn't stand still for any manufacturer when you demand that kind of cash for a car.

 

Part of me feels the same. It's comparatively low on torque. Some of its F design cues are awkward.

However, if the GS-F was offered with awd, I'd tell that part of me to shut-up. I'd be all in.

 

In short, a "thinking man's V8 sport sedan".