natnut

I want to point out that the GS350 F-Sport Autoblog reviewed did not have the Rear Steering ( DRS) option.And yet it still drove better than the 535i.

Imagine how much more the gulf in performance would have been had the GS been outfitted with the DRS option.

dseag2

The headlight position on the stalk in the 4GS is clearly visible. I guess Lexus learned.

dseag2

But I'll still get killed if I go to trade on an RSC Coupe. Maybe just not as much.

ydooby

Very impressive indeed (a bit of a shame that Lexus did not send them a car with the best possible configuration though), but to be fair I also want to point out that the GS350 F-Sport should really be compared to to 535i M-Sport, but instead it's being compared to the regular (and cheaper) 535i here.

natnut

According to the review article, a base GS350 was $46,900. The F-Sport package is $5,690. So that makes a total of $52590 which is still under the $53100 price of a base 535i.

How much more pricey are the handling options on an M-Sport 535i?

At any rate, Motortrend did a 6 cylinder mid-size sedan shoot-out including a 535i M-Sport and the GS350 F-Sport still pipped the 5 series.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...s/viewall.html

From the Motortrend article :
" But whether this $63,245 Alpine White 535i with an M Sport Package stumbled into second place is moot. "

natnut

Australia's Best Cars 2012 - Lexus GS350 F Sport
Best Large Car over $60,000

1. Lexus GS350 F Sport 1124pts
2. Audi A6 3.0TDI Quattro 1086pts
3. BMW 5 Series 520i 1080pts


In a prestige class largely dominated by European marques, premium Japanese brand Lexus has taken the win with its new GS350 F Sport.

Mid-field scores for pricing and depreciation are made up for by the F Sport’s handsome standard features, which include climate-control air-conditioning, tyre pressure monitors, 19” alloys, active cruise control, leather trim, adaptive bi-xenon headlights and digital radio. Ditto 10 airbags, a pre-collision safety system, alarm, navigation system and moon roof.

The F Sport’s ergonomics scored highly, thanks to well positioned controls and inclusion of features such as paddle shifters, a heads-up display showing speed and other important driving information, a blind spot monitoring system, and reversing camera.

The heated and cooled front seats offer excellent support and adjustability with wrap-in bolsters and cushion extension a feature.

Lexus claims the naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 is good for 233 kW and 378 Nm. Our testing showed it’s a real gem, offering strong response and performance.

Vehicle dynamics are also first class, thanks to standard sport suspension plus dynamic rear-wheel steering and selection modes to customise the power train and suspension settings.

On the road, best cars’ judges had to remind themselves that this was a prestige model, as it would have easily fared well in one of the sports car classes.

Full Article : http://www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars..._gs350_f_sport

natnut

My affair with the 2013 Lexus GS350 F-Sport happened as most affairs do: the unplanned result of many moons spent without satisfaction.

It happened like this: I was at the MPG Track Day at Fontana Raceway; a buffet of cars with a track as the plate; Get in car, get 3 laps on the track, come back in, grab a new car, repeat. I did, as quickly as possible. Track time is an infrequent occurrence in my life, like a shower for a hobo. I hadn’t had any in months, so I was going to make this day count. I descended on the fleet of press cars like Ashton Kutcher at a casting for breasts. I was power-walking from car to car.

While some people stood in line for the Audi RS5, M5, or Roush Mustang, I took Matt’s advice, “Jump in any empty car, doesn’t matter what it is.” I did just that. I was as selective as American Idol choosing new judges. There could have been postal trucks there and I would have taken them on the track.

Walking into the Lexus area, I got in the first car that had a “Track Drive” sticker on the windshield. I got in so fast I honestly didn’t even know what I was driving. I knew it was a 4-door sedan, a bit bigger than the nearby IS-F. As I buckled in I noticed the nicely designed interior, and felt paddles behind the nicely shaped wheel. I found the wheel to select “Sport+”, the button to disable TCS, and I was off.

“Pleasantly surprised” isn’t adequate. By the 3rd lap, I was honestly laughing like the Hobgoblin. It was tucking toward apex cones confidently, sliding mid corner if asked. I surged down the front straight, impressed at the 306hp/277tq. 3.5L V6’s power band. It sounded good! I was practically driving a RWD Camry, but the way this car moved had me feeling more German than Japanese. The revised 6-speed helps it rev quickly, and although the shifts aren’t DCT-fast, they’re quick enough, and it blips on downshifts. The steering was heavy and quick, the brakes were good, and thanks to 2-degrees of rear steering, it slipped around chicanes like a much smaller car.


After passing a poorly driven Roush Mustang, I cackled and shook the wheel, “I PASSED A MUSTANG IN A V6 LEXUSSSSSSSS! WHAT THE ****?! MWAHAHAHA!” Big Lexus sedans aren’t supposed to induce this kind of infantile behavior! What the hell was happening?

Pulling back in, my introduction to Lexus PR’s Bill Kwong was filled with grateful surprise, amazement, and expletives (me, not him).

I wasn’t simply surprised that Lexus had made a car that was sporty; I had driven the IS-F, have a soft spot for the old IS300s, knew all about the LF-A, and drooled over the upcoming LF-LC.

But any company can make a flag-ship sports car. Put stiff springs and big power in something, and we in the “enthusiaverse” (copyright pending) will like it. That’s easy. Do it with a more pedestrian motor and you’ve really achieved something. I was chasing Mustangs and SRTs, in a car that was basically packing the same firepower as a Camry. And I wasn’t the only one to be surprised that day. After my drive, I emphatically told Matt, “Go drive the GS350.”

“Really?” he replied, a bit confused by my enthusiasm.

“Yeah, I know, just go drive it.”

He did, and shared my surprise and enthusiasm.


But judging a car based on 6 (total) laps on track is like judging your marriage solely on the honeymoon week in Hawaii. I had to take the GS home for a bit, and see how it handled civilian life.

Over the week, the looks of this car really grew on me. At first I thought they were too aggressive. But that’s really what Lexus is doing nowadays, a necessary method to resetting their image. The LF-LC and LFA certainly aren’t conservative looking. Even beyond Lexus’ own personal mission, I came to really like how this car looks. BMWs and Mercs are the ritzy roaches of L.A., so different is good. But this car’s design speaks to me personally; it’s intense, and looks a little pissed off, even if it’s pacing you in traffic. Like me, while it’s obeying the laws and flow around it, it’s not happy about it.

I also like the inside just as much. Stitched burgundy leather, soft plastics and (fake) aluminum bright-work create a world that-for the most part- feels modern, expensive, and flowing forward. It makes me think of an Italian red leather briefcase that holds a fine aluminum watch and black cufflinks. The seats are great. Comfortable. Supportive. Sporting. Optional adjustable bolsters are really the only way for a manufacturer to make a seat that will fit everyone. The back seats had lots of leg room, with bolstered seats as well, so your passengers won’t be flung about.


The shape of the steering wheel and drilled pedals just make you feel like breaking laws. The clash of earthy red, deep black and (fake) brushed metal acts like a pheromone for fun. A cape for a bull. I felt like I should be out with a girl with black hair and a few piercings; The girl that draws out our most mischievous side. The kind that suggests a night of trespassing and some rooftop romance rather than go see a movie. Quite the unexpected emotion from a V6 Lexus, no?

Underneath stitched soft-touch plastic lies the panoramic media. If you can’t read or see something on the screen, you just can’t see, period. This car has the Lexus “mouse”, which I didn’t like when I used it in the CT200h and IS-F. In those cars, the mouse was both inaccurate and hyper-sensitive. Nothing like hiring a skittish Parkison’s sufferer to perform brain surgery while moving, right?

However, the system has been improved. The mouse has a nice bit of tactile resistance, like a soft gearshift, which makes it much easier to use. The system responds quickly and is easy to navigate, but it needs a re-design, because it looks much older than it acts. It looks a bit too Windows 2000. But because of the movie screen shoved in the dash, you basically get 1.5 times the space of other cars. So switching to dual display doesn’t sacrifice legibility.

Visibility out the front is great, and the HUD keeps your eyes up. Shame, because I like the gauges. Simple, big, clear, glowing an icy blue. These days are seeing more and more information stuffed into the cluster, so the simplicity here was appreciated.

Quick gripe: steering wheel buttons. Not all of them, only the two ‘UP/DOWN’ buttons next to the volume controls. If you’re listening to a CD, and hit ‘UP’, it goes to the next track. Good. That’s what it should do.

But if you’re listening to satellite radio, and want to change the station (For example, from 44 to 45), it seems to reason you would hit the ‘UP’ arrow, right? But, hit that button, and all the sudden you’re listening to AM580. Why? Because that button is genetically related to your presets. It’s like changing from ‘TV’ to ‘DVD’. Should be an easy programming fix, I just don’t get the logic behind it. At least don’t put it right next to the volume control. You wouldn’t put an unmarked pump of Fast Orange hand cleaner between the Ketchup and Mustard.


The other issue I have with the interior is more general; the pairing of a new style with old hardware. Look at the center stack and you see a big screen tucked under a cornice of upscale stitching, above a sharp-looking clock. The leap-frogging of black-to-silver looks great. The doorsills look nice, the way the various materials intersect looks great. But then you move past the CD slot (a bit invasive, but the market for this car probably still listens to CDs) and land in a wasteland of buttons that look 10 years old, at least. It’s a cardboard shanty town in the lobby of the W.

It’s not that I want the buttons gone, I like buttons (as opposed to a system like Cadillac’s CUE, or Jaguar’s omnipotent touch screen). I just look around at the beautiful environment the designers had created, attractive and modern, being tarnished by hardware from another era. A brand new kitchen with 70s appliances. I feel like I’m seeing an interior that’s almost there, and is just being held back. But evolution takes time, and I think (and hope) that the next refresh will have an interior that is wall-to-wall greatness. Those complaints aside, everything worked as it should.


So she’s pretty and has chops on a track, but what about when life turns “normal”? If there’s one thing you expect from a Lexus, it’s that it shines in “civilian life”. This brand was built on helping you lead a serene existence, and for the most part the GS did. Road noise was minimal. A drive to Orange County and back revealed what I would call “taut solitude”. Picture having a body guard that’s also a master of meditation. A commuter’s cocoon that’s ready to battle a mountain detour should you ask

The ride can be altered by turning the wheel between Eco, Normal, Sport, and Sport+. As expected, these modes alter throttle and steering sensitivity, and the shock dampening, and the differences are quite noticeable. ECO basically puts a layer of molasses between your inputs and the car. Normal is, well, normal. Sport+ is part of the F-Sport package, and replaces the molasses with highly-conductive gold. Put it in Eco on the highway for a smooth ride and 28MPG, move the wheel to the right to let off steam, or make good time.


Around town the car felt solid, very stable, and fairly smooth. However, really bad pavement will make its presence known, through your eyes and your ***. On our “suspension test area” known as Vista Del Mar-which is covered it shattered concrete and poorly installed steel plates- those bumps went right up through the tires, making the cabin kick up abruptly. The only car with a sporty bloodline to handle this section better was the ZL1, and it uses magic shocks.

But no one should complain about the ride in this car. Nothing fun will (or should) ever float over pock-marked pavement with the smoothness of heavy cream, because driving is about having an experience through a vehicle. If this thing rode like a Mulsanne, it wouldn’t have given me track-side giggles.

On that same trip to Orange County, I went into the canyons with Jeff Glucker, to film his V12 Vantage loaner. The road, made up of medium-sized sweepers, confirmed what I remember from the track. In Sport +, the steering ratio speeds up, so turn-in is fast, just the way I like it. The engine pulled me from corner to corner with the smoothness of a centrifuge. This car would be excellent on the Autobahn. The 19” summer tires (235 front/265 rear ) are pretty sticky, but .89g of lateral grip keeps this going beyond a spirited driver to a true super sedan.

The GS does stumble in the steering dept., which feels separated from the tires. Without that feedback, you’re left to drive with your eyes more than your fingers. It’s disappointing because while the car does everything expected (in terms of pitch or slip), and behaves like a sports sedan, it doesn’t feel like one. The steering weight is nice, it’s RWD, blah blah, but it’s just missing that final piece that we covet so much, that truly elevates a car from the pack.

That pack that this car runs in is a strong one: Audi A6, Inifiniti G37, BMW 5-series, Jaguar XF… All good cars in their own right. All can be had for the $60,349 sum required to buy our optioned-up GS 350 F Sport.

But then I thought about something I rarely do: reliability. Save my STI, all my cars have been projects of questionable fortitude. Drive the Miata 400 miles? Uh, sure, I’ll give it a shot. Lemme check my AAA membership first. As an immature car nut, my gut instinct is a car with the most power possible, the best performance, the most character, or sex appeal. Usually those things require a sacrifice in reliability or longevity. Such is the case with the Jaguar, which I would love to lease, but never own out of warranty. Same is true for any of the Germans, which also have more reserved designs than the GS. But the Lexus has a Toyota V6; what lasts longer than that? I would wager you could buy this car, and keep it for 15 years, without more than routine oil changes. If I like a car, I’d like to keep it, and do so without having to save a college fund’s worth of maintenance money. This car would probably be a trouble-free executive hooner for decades.

What this car does for me is combine honesty and fantasy. Honesty: adults want a daily driver comfortable, efficient, and reliable, without feeling like they’ve lost their individuality. Fantasy: that part of me that thinks daily driving a Caterham would be great. The Lexus GS350 F-sport satisfies both. I can admit practicality is necessary without totally casting aside my inner trouble-maker. It’s cheap on the highway, comfortable throughout, and will probably run trouble-free for decades. But there’s also an edge (or several) to it’s metal that people will notice. When I buy a full-size sedan, unless I can afford an AMG, that’s what I want. This combination of old Lexus stability with a fire of motorsport could be a very good thing for us, and a bad thing for the competition.


http://www.thesmokingtire.com/2012/r...gs350-f-sport/

dseag2

This is one of the best, most thorough, and most accurate reviews I have read. Funny, I never noticed the buttons being from a past era, but I guess they are. They still look classy to me. I do take exception to the fake aluminum comment. Lexus did seem to try hard to make it look fake, but I know it's real since I have the dents to prove it! I like the "pheremone for fun" comment. Exactly my thoughts.

Lexzam

Traditionally reviews by German car magazines have shown a dislike to just about any Lexus model. Notably this is not always the case for the 4GS.

A few months ago Auto Motor und Sport bluntly turned down Lexus' claim to challenge 5 series driving dynamics. The same magazine though did recognise GS in a comparo vs M35h. http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/v...41.html?show=2

Last week, Auto Zeitung published a comparo between hybrids: A6 hybrid vs BMW ActiveHybrid 5 vs GS 450h vs M35h. Surprisingly Lexus came out on the top with 2968 points, BMW second with 2946 pts, Audi 2932 pts and last M35h 2788 pts. The GS was the winner for 3/5 categories - chassis, powertrain and driving dynamics. It was the fastest on track, had the shortest braking distance, and the best fuel economy by far. The test concludes: "In the hybrids Lexus is nose ahead . In alone driving dynamics the GS leaves its German rivals behind. The new GS is not only a good hybrid but also shows a complete package." This is brave text from one of the leading German car magazines. Fair enough, this was only a hybrid comparo, and the German are relative new-comers in the scene.

In Germany, sadly, the GS is more expensive than its rivals: GS in test specifications 71.800 euro, BMW 67.510 euro, Audi and Infinity 55.000 euro.

spwolf

Only hybrids though... why they might let Toyota beat an VW every 3-4 years, when it comes to premium brands... they still dont. I think it was Autobild that had similar comparo of hybrids (BMW and Infiniti), where Lexus was the first but in 1/6 of the page they had info about new E class Diesel and how it would score better than Lexus :-).

New GS300h is coming soon I guess... I wonder what will that get... they will probably drive it 200kmh on Autobahn and conclude that 520d is more frugal :-)

Brian@Vossen

Thanks for the info!!

ydooby

Thanks for the info. That's just awesome. I'm curious though.. if the GS wins in "chassis, powertrain and driving dynamics", does that mean it manages to lose in fuel economy (which I think is very unlikely), or is that part of the powertrain? What are the other 2 categories anyway? Hopefully we'll see scans soon.
http://www.autozeitung.de/aktuelles-...-A6/n397997/11

LexFather

Thats a great pic there, really shows the spindle and how its not just a front grill but the entire front end.

dseag2

Yes, IMHO the GS looks the most modern and aggressive and has the most presence of the group. I could live with the Audi or the BMW, but the Infniniti is just too curvy and feminine for a car in this class. I had 3 of the previous model M35/45's, but this one doesn't do it for me. I was just thinking the other day that Infiniti is repeating the path they went down with the J30... curvy and round... and again, it isn't working for them.

natnut

Factors Considered :

Exterior Styling
Interior Design and Layout
Practicality, Family and Dog Friendliness
Pricing, Features and Fuel Economy

And the Winner is?

Click below for the full comparison test and the eventual winner.

http://www.autocomparison.com/2013-l...-audi-a6-3-0t/