Lexus GS F, the King of Drifting?
In a flat-track challenge with BMW’s M2 & Toyota’s GT86, the competition is intense, but can the GS F keep up once things start going sideways?
British YouTube channel Car Wow has put together a nice little challenge for three enthusiast favorites: Lexus’ GS F, BMW’s M2, and Toyota’s GT86. They’ve taken them out to a piece of flat concrete to get the cars sideways to measure the drift angles. The winner is the car that makes the biggest number in degrees. It’s hardly a thorough comparison or examination but, in terms of mindless fun, it’s a grin-worthy way to get a measurement.
The nice thing about the mix of cars is that they all take a different approach to being a driver-focused car. The GT86 goes for pure balance and handling over power. That lack of real power has led to a lot of criticism over the years though. However, at $26,255 for the base model, the GT86 is a car competing with Mazda’s ever-present MX-5. And that’s the car that has proven time and time again that power isn’t everything.
The BMW M2 is often compared with the most famous of their driver’s cars, the E46 M3. The M2 is certainly the closest thing you can get to the classic M3. Now that BMW’s 3 Series cars have grown in size, the 2 Series is almost the same dimensions as the compact classed E46. It also sports a straight-6 engine that puts it in the middle of the three cars in terms of power.
However, as you’ve probably guessed, the best car to be a parking lot hero in is the GS F. By quite a lot, in fact. We already know just how well balanced the GS F is, but the other cars are definitely up to snuff. The added torque probably made quite a difference, but we would bet the longer wheelbase was key.
