In the last decade or so, almost every automaker has sought to change perceptions and shed old stigmas. Lexus is a good case study. There was never doubt about their credentials as a fine luxury car maker. But until recently, adjectives like “edgy” or “sexy” were never associated with the brand.
Sharp, origami-like design – and a surfeit of performance models have helped changed that. This is the Lexus GS F and it will join the RC F in the sports section of the automaker’s portfolio. It will be displayed at the Detroit motor show next week.
Power comes from a five-litre, V8 engine which produces 348kW and 527Nm of torque. Inevitably, many will compare it to the evergreen BMW M5 – although it lacks a bit in the power department, compared to the Bavarian’s 412kW and 680Nm of torque. The alternative from Stuttgart, the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG also beats it at the on-paper output game with 410kW and 720Nm.
Perhaps it’s better likened to versions like the 550i, which caters with 330kW and 650Nm or the E500 with 300kW and 600Nm. But the GS F might have a trump card up its sleeve. According to Lexus, it is set to be the lightest car in its class with a kerb weight of 1830kg. But only by a margin, the AMG weighs 1845kgs and the M5 weighs 1870kgs.
Its eight-cylinder mill is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and Lexus’s Torque Vectoring Differential will be standard too. It boasts three modes: Standard, Slalom and Track. Structural reinforcements have been made to the standard GS platform and a tougher suspension has been added too, to cope with the extra grunt.
We’re awaiting response on a local arrival date from Lexus SA.
-IgnitionLIVE Reporter
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