San Francisco Sprint: Driving the Lexus GS 350 F SPORT
“Man, I could totally get used to this!” That was, after riding shotgun for approximately a block and half, my buddy’s first observation about the 2013 GS 350 F SPORT. And while being a broke undergraduate means he’s a couple of light years south of the lux-laden sports sedan’s target demo, after spending a week and close to 1000 miles behind the wheel, I can attest that getting used to the redesigned GS is far from difficult. Enthusiasts will find a lot to like.
“Combat park, and the GS appears to be surveying the lot for something tasty to cull from the herd.”
First on the list? The front fascia. While the lines of the last generation GS might be generously described as the “darker side of beige,” the front clip of Lexus’ latest sport-tuned mid-size is defined by a razor-sharp, predatory glare. The Liquid Platinum paint on our test car muted the chrome trim at the edges of the spindle grill’s top section–which I think amplified its aggressive elements–and the pointed flares at the base of the spindle grill hint, quite correctly, that this baby has some teeth. Combat park, and the beefy 3844lb sedan appears to be surveying the lot for something tasty to cull from the herd. While I’d appreciate more of that attack-oriented attitude on the body–there’s room for some muscular definition along the doors–beneath the C pillar, the hindquarters of the GS resume the business end’s more sculpted lines. The ClubLexus editors universally liked the 19″ alloy wheels which came with the F SPORT package.
But I’m no Luddite, and there’s plenty of upside to new-school tech. In a world where seemingly every new vehicle is equipped with a variety of–often indistinguishable–performance settings, the modes on the GS make a profound difference in the car’s behavior. To compare, switching from Eco to Sport + is like swapping out a Super Soaker for a GLOCK 19. Select the top end of the dial, and the GS gets a shot of adrenalin. The adaptive suspension snaps into attack position, the steering quickens and the electronic nannies loosen the reigns enough that drivers can experience some pleasant–but far from dangerous–oversteer.
While the touch points are all soft, and the leather was supple, there’s nothing flashy about the cabin. My sole complaint about the infotainment system was the fact that I couldn’t figure out how to raise the volume on the directions coming from the nav. I probably could have figured it out, but then again, I shouldn’t have to. It’d have been nice to be able to select a British woman’s voice too, but that’s just a personal preference. The 835 watt Mark Levinson audio system, predictably, was wicked. There are old-school knobs on it, which is a welcome change from some of the infuriatingly complicated ICE controls the better-mousetrap school of design is currently forcing on drivers. While the GS was devouring the miles toward San Francisco, I had the climate control set to induce hypothermia, the seat warmers on broil and the icy beats of Portishead booming across the 17 speakers, and it felt, quite pleasantly, like I was piloting some kind of luxury space craft.
“To compare, switching from Eco to Sport + feels like swapping out a Super Soaker in favor of a GLOCK 19.”
Traffic was blissfully non-existent for most of my journey, and while I did get a $31 toll evasion ticket on the Bay Bridge and have a cringe-inducing encounter with a steep driveway, my little road trip with the GS F SPORT was fantastic. After arriving in the Haight–“Damn, you made great time!”–my friends and I walked out for drinks, had some of the most amazing tacos I’ve ever tasted at Tacoliscious, and essentially crashed.
