When we threw the BMW M4-baiting Lexus RC F on the scales, they registered 4048 pounds. That, friends, is a weighty slab of sporting intent. As we noted in our instrumented test, the two-door manga-otaku special outweighs the beefy-feeling M4 by 400 pounds and equals the all-wheel drive Audi RS5 in mass. And it’s over 200 lbs more than the four-door IS F it purportedly replaces. So the manufacturer-provided weight number on Lexus’ GS F is especially interesting: 4034 lbs.
We assume, once we get the new V-8–powered GS up on our scales, that the four-door will be heavier than the coupe, though likely not by a whole lot. And if it’s set up anything like the RC is, it should be a hoot to drive. We found the RC to be outclassed as a rip-roaring sporty coupe; it felt as if it could use more mechanical drama — and more power — to match its otherworldly appearance. But that revvy sweetheart of a 467-horsepower V-8 could be a helluva thing paired with a sported-up GS chassis.
Lexus has opted for the same torque-vectoring rear diff used on the RC F, offering three modes. Slalom for steering response in twisty situations, Circuit for high-speed stability, and Standard for those times you’d rather just set, forget, and let the computer balance things out.
- 2015 Lexus GS F Spy Photos: A Burlier GS This Way Comes
- Lexus RC F May Go Racing in Australian V8 Supercars
- Lexus GS: Full Pricing, Specs, Reviews, and More
So equipped, the GS F has the potential to be the real star of the Lexus range, an honest, comfortable performer with a uniquely Japanese bent. Certainly, the Germans and the Americans offer more power in the segment — see the new CTS-V which, like the fast Lexus, will bow at the North American International Auto Show next week — but based on our experience with the GS F-Sport and the RC-F, the GS should offer an appealing, compelling experience, even if 467 horsepower isn’t the stuff of halo cars anymore. Think of it more as an Audi S6 or CTS Vsport competitor, rather than an outright executive speed weapon like the 640-horse Cadillac. As the lone naturally aspirated V-8 car left in the segment, it offers a bit of salvation for luxury-sedan shoppers who’d like to get in one last new-car blast before forced induction takes over the world.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/1BFbbzc
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