Lexus GS F is Stiff Competition for Cadillac
The premium performance sedan segment isn’t just an exclusively European party anymore – not when you have both the Cadillac CTS-V and the Lexus GS F. And many people are comparing the two. Which one’s better? Well, this one’s a no-brainer…
Both models have their share of strengths, just as they do their flaws. The CTS-V, for instance, packs a lot of power and drives wonderfully. The GS F, on the other hand, is one of the best handling cars in its segment and it also received a bump in power.
The 2016 Lexus GS F invites senior managers and junior execs to enjoy driving again. Squeal the tires around every cloverleaf, hit 7300 rpm racing down every on-ramp, and terrorize every backwoods holler in a 100-mile radius. In the era of launch control and electrically actuated cupholder covers, the GS F is charmingly old school. It’s a throwback to a time when sports sedans were measured by character rather than horsepower and cornering grip.
The GS F offers tons of selectable settings – four tied to the engine, transmission, and electric power steering, three for the stability-control system, and another three for the torque-vectoring differential.
It’s that last piece of hardware, which is optional on the Lexus RC F coupe but standard on the GS F four-door, that makes this car feel so alive. By varying the torque distribution between the left and right rear wheels, Lexus engineers taught this 4128-pound sedan to move like an overgrown Miata. The differential makes the car alternately more nimble and more stable, depending on the driver, the conditions, and the mode selected.
On the test track, the GS F’s 0.93 g of lateral grip matches that of the BMW M5. In the real world, the Lexus feels nothing like that calculating, ruthless German. The nonadjustable ZF Sachs dampers are a welcome relief from the daunting and often disappointing choices presented by switchable shocks, high-tech hardware that often results in a trio of compromised and imperfect options. The GS F leans in corners, a byproduct of the slightly soft, supremely comfortable ride. It’s the kind of well-controlled body roll that serves as a feedback mechanism, as valuable to the driver as a minute twitch or wiggle in the steering wheel.
The handling is wonderfully accessible—a trait that’s become rare as these expensive sports sedans blend attributes of intercontinental ballistic missiles and roller coasters. It delivers rewards in direct proportion to how hard it’s driven.
And drive it hard you will. That’s a requisite to extract the full thrill from the naturally aspirated V-8. Its 467 horsepower peaks at 7100 rpm, and the 389-lb-ft torque peak arrives at a relatively stratospheric 4800 rpm. More velvety than Chevy’s small-block but with a gruffer grunt than the Mustang’s Coyote V-8, the Lexus engine has the perfect blend of manners and machismo.
The Lexus GS F blends performance and finesse unlike anything else. Stop by Lexus of Highland Park to see for yourself.
