Gautam Sharma•6 Sept 2013
NEWS
SPY PICS: Lexus GS F
Japanese premium brand is honing its own rival for the German super-sedan heavyweightsWe recently showed you leaked images of an undisguised version of the Lexus GS F, and now here’s imagery of the vehicle being pounded around the Nurburgring, courtesy of the Automedia lenses.
The external upgrades are clear to see, but there’s still some degree of ambiguity about the GS F’s source of propulsion.
Japan’s Best Car magazine (which had leaked the earlier images) suggests the GS F will be powered by a 5.0-litre V8 eking out 347kW, but that would leave the car well shy of the 412kW Audi RS6, 410kW Mercedes E63 AMG and 412kW BMW M5.
As we reported earlier, this would make the GS F more a rival for the likes of the Audi S6, Mercedes E500 and BMW550i than the range-topping German super sedans.
However, a more likely scenario could be that Lexus has shoehorned in a derivative of the twin-turbo 5.0-litre V8 used by the LS TMG (Toyota Motorsport GmbH) Edition prototype, which kicked out a robust 478kW and 710Nm.
The steroidal LS relayed power to the tarmac via an eight-speed auto and Torsen limited-slip diff, with stopping power coming from Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes.
Even if the GS F used a slightly detuned version of the blown 5.0-litre V8, it could potentially have the firepower to rival the AMG, M Haus and RS offerings.
The test mule pictured alongside has all the right visual cues – diagonally stacked quad tailpipes, an ultra-aggressive front spoiler with large air intakes and carbonfibre splitter, ducktail rear spoiler, sidesill extensions and charcoal-coloured multispoke alloys (which look to be 20- or 21-inchers).
This prototype has also been severely dumped, so much so that the low-profile rubber is partially sheathed by the wheelarches.
It certainly looks the business. The question is whether the purposeful stance will be backed up by performance credentials that will threaten the German heavyweights.
All will be revealed at November’s Tokyo motor show...
– with Automedia
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Written byGautam Sharma
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
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