THE ODDBALL RC F COUPE GETS A FOUR-DOOR STABLEMATE
Lexus couldn't wait until the upcoming Detroit auto show to trot out its newest performance offering: the 5.0-liter, V8-powered GS F sedan. We'll get an up-close look at the 2016 car in just a few days, but the automaker's official announcement gives us a fairly good idea of what we're looking at.
First, the GS F is most definitely not the same thing as the similarly named GS 350 F Sport -- Lexus is adamant about that. Though both cars sport styling touches visually separating them from the rest of the GS range, there's no confusing the GS F's naturally aspirated V8 with the 3.5-liter V6 under the hood of its F Sport cousin. That V8 is good for 467 hp (at 7,100 rpm) and 389 lb-ft of torque (between 4,800 and 5,600 rpm). It's all channeled to the rear wheels through a mandatory eight-speed automatic transmission. There are paddle shifters.
You'll notice that these output figures are right in line with those of the RC F coupe -- a very curious, if capable, car that boasts the same naturally aspirated V8 and gearbox. You can read our thoughts on the RC F here.
The four-door GS F is a bit heavier than its coupe counterpart (4,034 pounds to 3,958 pounds), but performance shouldn't suffer too much. A standard electronically actuated rear diff -- Lexus calls it the "Torque Vectoring Differential" -- helps sort things out in corners (that's on option on the RC F, which gets a Torsen limited-slip diff normally). Three TVD modes will (at least theoretically) let the driver tailor the car's responsiveness to his or her preferences: Slalom "emphasizes nimble steering response and agility," according to Lexus, while track "emphasizes control during high-speed circuit driving." Standard mode is meant for, as you might have guessed, standard, everyday driving.
With these specs and features in mind, the GS F seems poised to take on ... well, we're not entirely sure what competitors the GS F is gunning for, directly. It's bigger (though more powerful) than the BMW M3, with dimensions more similar to those of the substantially heavier, more powerful BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E63 (with a whopping 560 hp and 577 hp, respectively). One thing it does have over the rest of the crop of performance/luxury sedans -- unless you're going to let the tough-to-classify Chevrolet SS count as luxury -- is its naturally aspirated V8, an increasingly hard-to-find powerplant outside of the muscle and truck markets.
So if you absolutely must be able to mash the throttle and rocket forward, engine breathing freely as the revs build toward that 7,100-rpm peak, then just maybe the 2016 Lexus GS F will be right for you. We'll have more information and lots of photos from the floor of the Detroit auto show.
About the Detroit Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show, known to most as the Detroit auto show, continues to serve as a barometer for the entire industry. Among the debuts this year will be the new Toyota Tacoma and a refreshed Chevrolet Volt. The 2015 event is held at Cobo Hall in Detroit and is open to the public from Jan.17-25.
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