Lexus GS F 2016 Long-Term Test - 1

Lexus GS F
Long-Term Test (Introduction)

Few products from other prestige brands can match the Lexus GS F for value. This is a strong, V8-powered car in a package broadly equating to 5 Series and E-Class, yet its price undercuts the one-size-smaller C 63 and M3/4. And a car like the GS F is potentially the affordable alternative for HSV and FPV buyers in the post-manufacturing era... but is it too civilised?

What is it about higher-performance Lexus models? They're so unassuming that for some they can be downright disappointing at times, particularly measured against the likes of a Mercedes E 63 or an HSV GTS.

And around town the GS F is quiet but slightly hard-riding... it's neither one thing nor the other.

Lexus has started with a pretty refined platform in the GS, but has steered clear of turning this silk purse into the sow's ear that muscle-car drivers usually desire – something with raw, unfettered and loquacious performance. The GS F is a car that, engine note and ride comfort aside, leaves the driver feeling insulated from the act of driving.

That isolated feeling begins with NVH suppression, which is hard to fault. Tyre noise is more prevalent than wind or driveline at cruising speeds, but still not especially obvious unless you're pushing the GS F right up to the limits of adhesion. At that point the tyres begin to protest loudly, yet there remains plenty of margin for error.

To get the most from the GS F, it really deserves a long stretch of open road with a few twists and turns along the way. And switched to Sport mode. That's when the GS F feels transformed.

There's no opportunity to use the V8's power to any great extent in the suburbs, and the peaky engine wants a few revs in hand before it begins to deliver any sort of performance – it helps to have the drivetrain in Sport or Sport+ modes here too.

In Normal drivetrain mode the GS F is not especially economical; there's an additional Eco mode for that. Over the course of a week the trip computer posted an average figure of 15.2L/100km.

Left in Normal mode the engine, considering it's not short of a few herbs, is slow out of the blocks. Once the performance does actually arrive, the Lexus is left spinning wheels on any wet and greasy surface in the hurry to catch up with cars in which the torque is easier to exploit.

But switch to Sport mode and the GS F is much livelier. It's a classic example of the way a strong, naturally-aspirated engine can spin up at a moment's notice.

To enjoy the bellicose exhaust (which is artificially enhanced), the engine has to be working in the mid-range, and dumping lots of fuel into the combustion chambers. It's at that point the driver will begin to feel the sort of excitement that in the past was the preserve of cars like the FPV GT R Spec or the 6.2-litre Mercedes C 63 AMG – and can still be experienced today in the HSV GTS.

The peaky engine sounds magic as the induction noise reverberates all around from 3000rpm, and there's more performance available with wide-open throttle from 4000rpm through to the redline at 7000. Generally the automatic transmission is a smooth-shifting unit, but does become a bit aggressive in either of the two sport modes. Set up the GS F correctly and it can be impressively quick from point to point… and it's unexpectedly enjoyable to drive as well.

While the drivetrain is key to that, the GS F also brings strong, dependable brakes, high levels of grip and prompt steering response to the party, complemented by the Track or Slalom settings of the TVD (torque varying differential). Set to 'Track' the TVD ensured the GS F always steered from the rear – but with stability control reining-in the oversteer before it became too wayward. I just can't forsee this car ever understeering.

While steering feedback was fine in the sport modes, the GS F is actually more communicative through the seat. It's a car that can be placed quite precisely on the road.

And speaking of seats, they're quite snug in the front, although the novelty of the rigid contouring might wear off in time. The electrically-adjustable lumbar support is a very welcome addition though, while the seats automatically push right back as soon as the engine stops, leaving more than adequate room for Jabba the Hutt to vacate the cabin.

Controls are generally close at hand, and major instruments are easy enough to read, with a few exceptions. Fuel level and water/oil temperatures were hard to pick at a glance, as colleague Bruce Newton has already noted.

Lexus has placed the drive mode controller (a dial-cum-button) in the centre console very close to the driver, so it is readily accessible when you're likely to need it. In this regard Lexus is a step ahead of Audi and Mercedes-Benz, but not necessarily BMW, where the sensibly-labelled buttons are located close to the driver's left knee. The button for the GS F's TVD is nearby, also in the centre console.

The rain-sensing wipers were frustrating at times, dragging noisily across the screen because they reacted too soon to very light showers. I found the indicators were usually too quiet as well, if the audio volume was at a level higher than a whisper. The auto-on headlights cast a nice white beam, but were set too low.

GS F owners will either quickly learn where the parking brake is (practically under the dash, to the left of the steering column), or they'll just ignore it altogether, leaving the car to its own devices when setting off or shutting down. On the other side of the steering column is the switchgear for the head-up display, which is very easy to use.

All credit to Lexus for its deep-set infotainment display in the centre fascia. It's easy enough to read and does display multiple screens simultaneously. Navigating to different screens is easily done by selecting the appropriate icons to the right of the screen. But to do so requires using the haptic controller, a single-point infotainment control device that provides touch feedback for precise positioning.

Except there's nothing that precise about it.

The mouse-like device cannot be used quickly without losing the nuanced control that's available in other single-point systems from rival prestige brands. Selecting letters for a destination address is a hit-and-miss affair when using the satellite navigation, but even larger icons for other functions are not especially easy to land on. Perhaps the system works better in left-hand drive cars, when the majority of users are operating the control with the right hand.

As it is, the haptic controller is slow and inefficient, which is disappointing because the set-up has seemed to work better in the past. Perhaps the competitors have just honed their offerings to the stage where the Lexus system seems old-hat.

Some other minor issues include an analogue clock instead of a digital unit, plus no synchronisation for the dual-zone climate control – something that rivals offer.

In terms of packaging, the GS F is on par with its peers. Fitted with a sunroof, the Lexus is just a bit light on for headroom in the rear seat, and legroom is no more than average for its class – and less than we recall for locally-built large cars.

The boot is shallow, but there is some under-floor storage for smaller items. Rather than a space-saver spare, the GS F comes with a tyre-repair kit.

Lexus has produced a good product in the GS F. But what it has to offer in value is offset by a lack of the hard-core presence and performance found in vehicles such as the BMW M5, the Mercedes E 63 and even HSV's GTS. Only the HSV is cheaper than the Lexus – but that’s a moot point as drivers in this sector of the market are generally willing to pay more for prestige to go with the performance.

Sadly, for Lexus, the GS F falls between the stools on both fronts. That doesn't mean there's anything inherently wrong with it though.

2016 Lexus GS F pricing and specifications:
Price: $151,490 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 5.0-litre eight-cylinder petrol
Output: 351kW/530Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 11.3L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 262g/km (ADR combined)
Safety Rating: N/A