Lexus GS F

If Lexus was late to the luxury party in 1989, then it could be considered damn near asleep at the wheel and stuck in its driveway on the way to the super-sporty-sedan soiree. It took the company until 2007 to introduce a high-performance model, the IS F, but that model fizzled, left to fend for itself without any siblings. Standing atop this new F hierarchy, the GS F is Lexus’s first ever volley at the hotter versions of the Audi A6, BMW 5-series, Cadillac CTS, and Mercedes-Benz E-class. However, the GS-based GS F is more closely aligned to the mid-level performance offerings from Lexus’s competition. That means, instead of the BMW M5 and Cadillac CTS-V, the GS F will instead face off against the Audi S6, the BMW 550i M Sport, and the Cadillac CTS Vsport. While this might be sobering news for Lexus’s team to hear, the simple truth is that 467 horsepower just doesn’t cut it at the top of the supersedan heap anymore.

Sure, the GS F’s naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 sounds lovely on paper, but its specs pale next to the 640-hp CTS-V and the 575-hp M5. Curiously, the GS F’s V-8 is carried over untouched from the smaller RC F coupe. It makes the same 467 horsepower and 389 lb-ft of torque and zings to the same, 7300-rpm redline. Like the RC, the GS uses an eight-speed automatic transmission and drives the rear wheels. Borrowing the engine from a smaller vehicle might sound like a recipe for a sad trombone cut-in, but not so fast. Lexus managed to keep the GS F’s weight to a minimum, resulting in a claimed curb weight of 4034 pounds, only 76 more than the RC F coupe. Credit the GS’s more integrated structure; the RC F is cobbled together from the bones of the GS, the previous-generation IS convertible, and the newest IS sedan. The RC’s convertible-sourced bits, especially, are porky, since that car’s middle section came with rigorous bracing and thick sills to mitigate chassis twist caused by the lack of a roof.

So the GS F has a shot at being nearly as quick as the RC F, which we clocked at 4.3 seconds 0 to 60 mph and 12.8 seconds through the quarter-mile. Visually, the GS F certainly looks the business. Subtle enhancements to the front and rear fascias introduce some attitude, especially to the car’s face, which gets squintier headlights and gaping intakes. Lexus’s signature spindle-shaped grille is present here, which is either a really good thing or the opposite of that, depending on your taste. The front bumper also incorporates boomerang-shaped LED lighting accents that more or less ape those on the IS and the RC, while the rear bumper houses stacked quad exhaust outlets. Everything about the exterior comes off as subtle and well integrated, perfect for an executive express. The interior is another story, with extra-racy-looking seats, high-contrast materials, and copious amounts of carbon-fiber trim. Until now, the sportiest GS sedan available has been the F Sport model, a sort of F lite that marries the regular GS350’s V-6 engine with a stiffened suspension and mild cosmetic upgrades. We find the F Sport to be a satisfying and engaging piece, but there’s no denying it is a car in search of more power.

Krafcik said. "That's a much stronger uptake than we thought. It makes us happy. It means we're making a difference, but it does give an indication of just how deep and serious the issues are," he added. U.S. auto sales in the first eight months of this year have been on the rise, but in September deliveries fell 4.2 percent, the first decrease in more than two years. Automakers including GM and Ford said early this month that the shutdown was a threat to the already slow economic recovery. Following last month's Ghost Chengdu Golden Sunbird Edition that featured ancient Chinese motifs, the Bespoke division has now revealed another unique model, the Ghawwass Phantom Coupe. The name comes from the Arabic word for "diver", as the car celebrates the traditional method of collecting pearls from the Bahrain pearl banks. The car features a rich turquoise paint that hints at the green-blue waters of the Persian Gulf where the island of Bahrain is located.

In contrast with the rest of the car, the engine hood and the A-pillar feature a brushed aluminum look. The turquoise color can be found on the inside as well, with the leather seats and interior trims being painted similarly. The headrests feature the Dhow sailing boat motif, which is also featured in the coachline and as a unique raised chrome motiv laid into the aluminum of the passenger panel. Pearl veneers complete the interior modifications. The name of the customer who ordered the Ghawwass Phantom Coupe was not disclosed, but judging from the personalization theme of the car it's safe to say he or she comes from Bahrain. How much the car cost also remains a mystery. The new 0.9 TwinAir Turbo engine benefits from a 20hp boost in performance over the outgoing 84bhp (85PS) unit, allowing the MiTo to reach the 62mph (100km/h) in 1.1 seconds faster at 11.4 seconds.