With the addition of the Lexus RC F performance coupe that debuted for the 2015 model year, the Lexus F brand, introduced back in 2008 with the launch of the IS F, has carved out a place against the niche performance brands from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. Lexus further expands this brand with the launch of the all-new 2016 GS F, featuring the same powerplant that underpins the RC F. We had the chance to test both of these models at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, both on and off the track, and these performance models mean business.

When you want a luxury performance car, it’s all about the compromises. Cabin space versus performance numbers. Luxury appointments versus weight savings. But when it comes to the F brand, the only compromise you have to make is if you want two doors or four. The Lexus RC F and GS F have a good amount of similarities, but the subtle nuances that separate these two models make all the difference. If you can’t get enough of that polarizing spindle grille, here are five reasons to choose the all-new 2016 Lexus GS F. But if four doors just aren’t for you, check out the five reasons to justify the RC F.


Get the GS F: More Room


When you’re getting ready for a night on the town or picking up the week’s groceries, nothing is worse than trying to climb into a cramped back seat. The 2016 Lexus GS F accommodates more passengers and cargo with ease thanks to an extra set of doors. The RC F does have a back seat, but fitting grown adults back there comfortably is going to be tricky. The GS F offers nearly 4 inches of added headroom and gives rear passengers an extra 5 inches to stretch out their legs. Swap out the passengers for cargo, and the GS F easily accommodate longer trips with full luggage.

Get the GS F: Interior

Although the two interiors are similar with the F-brand sport seats with an embossed F logo in the headrests, blue contrast stitching, and a few other features, the GS F steps up the luxury with a different interior layout. The sedan offers a larger display that shows more information at a given time than the RC F and has a different center stack layout. We prefer the GS F’s interior touches, especially the HVAC controls. Instead of running your finger up and down a sliver of chrome like in the RC F, the GS F offers actual buttons, which will digitally flip the number up or down.

Get the GS F: Great Daily Driver

The RC F’s sporty ride can be tamed with the use of the drive mode selector, and although this is also true for the GS F, we think the sedan takes the edge when it comes to daily driving. The GS F doesn’t need to be in Sport+ mode with the paddle shifters to offer up an engaging ride. Hitting winding canyon roads in Palm Springs, we were able to experience what this car has to offer. With the layout of the interior, comfortable seats, and room for all your necessities, we’d love to hit the streets every day in this sleeper of a performance car

Get the GS F: Torque Vectoring Differential

Lexus adds an exclusive feature to the all-new GS F in the form of a torque-vectoring differential. This marks the first time a Lexus sedan will feature this technology. With the three different drive modes—Standard, Slalom, and Track—the system sends power to the outside rear tire during cornering to help move the GS F around the turn for enhanced agility and to keep the line. However, RC F buyers can get the TVD for an additional cost as part of the Performance package. For the GS F, though, it comes standard.

Get the GS F: Track Performance

When you’re aggressively throwing your car into a turn, you want to make sure you’re not going to run out of talent and find yourself in the gravel. Sitting in the F-brand exclusive sport seats with our HJC SI-12R helmet on, the driving position was perfectly comfortable, giving us the peace of mind to power through a corner and gun it on the straights. However, the RC F provides slightly smaller interior dimensions, leaving us feeling slightly cramped with our helmet on. Because the GS F is slightly heavier than the RC F, the sedan felt more planted on the track, like we could push it further than we normally would have. The level of confidence it gives a driver on the track is great.

Get the RC F: Two Doors

Sometimes you just don’t want to be the chauffeur to everyone in your life. The RC F provides the perfect excuse for not carrying more than one passenger. The back seat is rather cramped, and most full-grown adults will find it both slightly difficult to get in and out of the back and sit comfortably with the diminished legroom. It’s the perfect spot to throw a purse or briefcase and maybe a suitcase, but when you’re behind the wheel of this performance car, the back seat is the last thing you want to think about.


Get the RC F: Price


When price and performance don’t line up, it’s easy to get disappointed. However, the RC F is nearly $22,000 cheaper than its sedan counterpart. When it comes to performance, the RC F gets a slight edge thanks to weight savings. That’s not to say that the GS F is bad, but when there’s such a significant difference in price without a significant change in performance, it’s almost a no-brainer. Why pay more for a slightly heavier four-door sedan that uses the same powertrain and offers the same performance output? It might not be as luxurious, but the RC F is nothing to scoff at.

Get the RC F: Exterior

Even if you can’t get behind the spindle grille that has been adopted by the entire Lexus lineup, the overall exterior of the RC F coupe definitely is stylish. The side profile shows a sweeping roofline with sharp windows and F badges just behind the front wheels. At the back are the signature F-brand quad exhausts, an optional carbon-fiber rear spoiler, and a rear bumper that draws inspiration from the LFA supercar. The GS F isn’t unattractive by any stretch of the word, but the RC F ups the styling to another level.

Get the RC F: Optional Packages

Although there’s a $22,000 difference in starting prices between the RC F and GS F, that isn’t to say there aren’t any optional features or packages. The RC F offers five different packages, including the Performance package, Premium package, Navigation package, Navigation/Mark Levinson package, and the All-Weather package. It also has eight individual options. The GS F offers just two options and no additional packages. However, with packages added to the RC F, that price gap closes by just over $13,000, bringing the difference to roughly $9,000. That gap is still large enough for many to opt for the sportier RC F.

Get the RC F: Track Performance

Where the GS F felt firm and planted, the RC F felt like it wanted to be driven hard. Using the same 467-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 engine, the RC F powered aggressively through corners on the Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. With its smaller dimensions, the drive was more aggressive, enabling the driver to push the limits even further than the GS F. Because the GS F is larger and heavier, even if it’s only by roughly 80 pounds, it didn’t offer as sporty of a drive as the RC F. When it comes to driving on the track, hands down, the RC F is the way to go.

You tell us, would you rather pocket around $20K and go with the RC F’s sporty drive and coupe styling, or do you prefer the more expensive GS F with an added set of doors and a more grounded feeling on the track?

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