Review
Lexus GS F
The new Lexus GS F is the fourth model under the “F” label. F stands for Fuji Speedway, the spiritual home where all Lexus F models are developed and tested. The GS F is not an everyday luxury sedan, but a true sports car with a 5.0 V8 with 477 hp and still room for 5 people.
“Takumi”
The new Lexus GS F is built at the Motormachi factory in Japan by so-called “Takumi”. These are Lexus master craftsmen with at least 25 years of experience. They excel at finding the smallest imperfections. The glossy paint is meticulously wet-polished by hand and they use their trained hearing and a sensitive microphone to check the engine running characteristics of each GS F before it goes to the customer. You also notice this when you look at the finish of the GS F. It is of very high quality both inside and out, at the level of its German competitors.
5.0 V8
At the beating heart of the GS F we find a handmade naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 petrol engine. It quickly spits out 477 horses and propels this car to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds. The top speed is about 270 km/h, which means you can probably leave many steel horses behind you. In itself, a big 5.0 is somewhat against the trend of smaller engines in sports cars, but we are certainly not opposed to it. It feels a bit like a dying breed, so if another one comes onto the market, we can only applaud it enthusiastically. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Sport Direct Shift eight-speed automatic transmission. The automatic transmission shifts quickly and is almost always in the right gear. Although it is a rear-wheel drive car, it feels more like a four-wheel drive car. The GS F seems glued to the road. At least in the standard setting of the Torque Vectoring Differential, which we have almost always driven. This has made it a very accessible sports car that can be driven by anyone, regardless of whether you have a lot or little experience with a lot of horsepower.
Soundtrack
One of the points where the GS F makes a difference is the sound experience. The sound coming from the GS F varies from a deep and creamy sound in the lower revs up to 3,000 rpm and a higher loud roar as you rev beyond 6,000 rpm. When you downshift with the paddle shifters, you hear intermediate throttle between the two gears. The GS F also has Active Sound Control. If you put the GS F in Sport S or Sport S+, the sound coming from the exhaust is amplified inside. The advantage of the 5.0 V8 is also that you are not hard have to pull up to enjoy it. You might as well be cruising through the city at 40km/h with the sound of a burbling V8 in the background.
Looks
In terms of looks, the GS F looks quite handsome in the version that we received. It is not an incredibly handsome and elegant car in terms of looks, like an S-Class Coupé, for example, but rather a robust and powerful appearance. The GS F exudes something alpha, like a silverback sitting on a mountain ready to floss with an M4. At the front we see a whopper of a radiator grille with sleek and beautifully designed “L”-shaped LED headlights. On the side we find large side air scoops. At the rear, the quadruple chrome-plated exhaust is particularly striking. The whole is finished by a subtle carbon fiber rear spoiler.
GS F
The GS F is now the fourth F-Model from Lexus. The IS F sedan was the first model, followed by the LFA in 2009 and the RC F in 2014. The base price is about 103,650 euros. In addition to this top model, the GS is also available as a GS 300h (44,990 euros) and GS 450h (67,030 euros).
Conclusion
The GS F has become a cool sports car with a great soundtrack and robust appearance. It is very accessible to drive, even if you do not have much driving experience with sports cars, and in terms of finish, the GS F can also compete with the German competitors.
Johan De Haes
Test driver
