Lexus GS 2016 Review

Lexus GS F
Local Launch Review
Adelaide, South Australia

F is to Lexus what AMG is to Benz and M to BMW. It takes mainstream luxury car and dials the performance whick up nice and high. In this case a 5.0-litre V8 has been slotted into the engine bay of the full-size GS sedan. Add in some chassis fettling a tricky diff and the package starts to look and sound bit like the sort of sports sedan that’s been tempting Aussies for generations.

Who would have ever believed Lexus would end up being the defender of the Aussie muscle car faith?

But take a step back from the Lexus GS F, get past the huge geometric grille and the brand’s reputation for selling sensible cars to your grandad and that’s what you’ve got – a 5.0-litre V8 four-door sedan that can power its rear wheels into tyre smoking oblivion.

No turbo or supercharger, no all-wheel drive, no tricky adjustable shocks. Sure there’s an eight-speed auto, a torque vectoring differential and the ability to dial various bits of the car for more sport or economy, but this is not one of those cars that requires a university degree to master.

It is in fact a bit retro, unlike the latest full-size performance sedans from the likes of Benz and BMW.

But before you Ford fans facing the end of Falcon and Holden fans counting down the months until the demise of the locally-built Commodore rush out and plonk your money down on a GS F consider this.

It costs $148,800 (plus on-road costs). Or if you would prefer semi-aniline trim seats to Alcantara then it’s $151,700.

Of course being a Lexus there’s plenty of equipment for the money including 10 SRS airbags, the Lexus Safety System+ (including Pre-Collision System, Active Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive High-beam System), 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system, three-zone climate control, heated leather-accented steering wheel, a moonroof, a power rear sunshade and a smart key card.

But while there’s no doubt the latest model from Lexus’ performance car division is significantly more refined and better equipped than a Falcon XR8 or Commodore SS V-Series Redline, is it worth so much more money?

The answer is clearly no, at least not if you expect that price premium to deliver a car that drives better than the local iron.

It doesn’t. No surprise there, because the XR – admittedly with the help of supercharging – and the Redline – admittedly with the help of a big 6.2-litre Chevrolet engine – are both bloody good drives in the Aussie muscle car tradition. And then there’s the HSVs headlined by the awesome GTS, maybe the greatest Aussie muscle car of them all.

But here is the surprise. The GS F also drives really well. As an all-rounder it fits neatly into the Australian ethos because it is quite comfortable and very quiet (of course) to commute in, fun to punt on a winding road and then can even be dialled in for a lap or two of enthusiastic track action without falling into a messy, smelly heap.

And further more it’s more rounded than the RC F coupe with which it shares much of its technical base, although that may be because my impressions of that car are based on some pretty chopped up roads in north-eastern USA. On the smoother Adelaide Hills roads where the GS F was introduced to Aussie media, the whole experience was more cohesive and comfortable. Firm on its tuned sports suspension yes, a bit of bump-thump yes, but uncultured? No.

There is no doubting the three-mode TVD’s role in this handling confidence. Dialled into slalom mode for nimble on-road handling it combined with staggered 19-inch Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres, ZF Sachs monotube dampers and some judicious body strengthening, to ensure the GS F surprised with its willingness to turn sharply into a tight corner at speed, when understeer was the expected outcome.

Then the rear-end locked in and the whole show booted forward, with the engine and exhaust note piped into the cabin through the audio speakers (when in sport modes) becoming increasingly enjoyable the closer to the 7300rpm redline the tacho needle swung.

The 2UR-GSE V8 is a peach. Quad cam, dual injection and with the choice of both more economical Atkinson cycle and Otto combustion cycle, it produces 351kW and 530Nm, making it the most powerful engine ever fitted in a Lexus sedan.

But it’s no fire-breathing monster. Instead it is strong, sweet and immediate in its response without any evidence of rough spots. It’s entirely at home cruising quietly as well as blasting loudly. However, the claimed 4.6sec 0-100km/h seems a tad optimistic; as does the claimed fuel economy, which at 11.3L/100km also seems, erm, ambitious. Weighing in at up to 1865kg, the GS F is no light weight, so hitting the official numbers is going to be a challenge.

Despite the passive suspension the character of the car does change via the Lexus Drive Mode Selector. Four modes are available (Eco, Normal, Sport+ and Sport+ S) and twisting the dial most notably affects the transmission, which goes from docile to a hyper-responsive attack that works well enough on track to make manual operation of the flappy paddles a debatable advantage.

At the other extreme, twiddling the dial doesn’t seem to have much effect on the electric-assist steering, which remains quick and a tad light throughout. It felt light enough to be slightly incongruous considering the size of the car it is guiding.

The GS F also allows its package of digital driver assist systems to be less intrusive or removed completely, allowing quite dramatic skids in the right environment. When it’s time to bring it all to a stop the six-pot front Brembos demonstrated substantial braking power.

If that all sounds very un-Lexus, then don’t worry the interior of the GS F is more within traditional perceptions of Toyota’s luxury brand.

The material quality is superb, be it leather, Alcantara, aluminium or carbon-fibre. The assembly is similarly high standard. The big one-piece front seats hold you well in place, while back-seat passengers have room to move and stretch. Add plenty of cabin storage and 520 litres of boot space and the car’s all-round abilities are strong.

For the driver the cockpit can be quite a complex place to be. There are many functions to scroll through on the digital instrument display, which also changes depending what drive mode you are in. There’s even a display showing the TVD at work – although not be glanced down at mid-corner!

There is no shortage of information sources either, with the IP in front of you, a colour head-up display on the windscreen and a huge 12.3-inch infotainment screen (not touch though) at the head of the centre stack that’s accessed by a controller on the centre console.

For the most part though, the best strategy is to grasp that chubby, thick-rimmed steering wheel, hook the transmission into drive, plant the foot and keep the eyes on the road ahead. Believe it or not you’re in a Lexus and you’re about to have some fun.

2016 Lexus GS F pricing and specifications:
Price: $148,800 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 5.0-litre petrol V8
Output: 351kW/530Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel: 11.3L/100km
CO2: 262g/km
Safety Rating: N/A

Also consider:
Audi S6 (from $169,510)
BMW M5 Pure (from $185,000)
Mercedes-AMG C 63 S (from $154,510)