Have yet to see a real world comparison run between the RWD vs AWD. But I would Imagine the RWD being even a bit more faster especially in the higher speeds as it carries less weight than the AWD variant.

From what the reviewers at Car & Driver noted; The older 2013 FSE 306hp model is faster than the newer updated 2016 FKS 311hp model in acceleration.

 

Here it is, literally just released 😄

2013 6AT RWD vs 2017 8AT RWD:

 

Based on the two instrument clusters and the headlights, neither of those is the 2013-15 6 speed....

 

Car on left lane is 2013 with updated front end, you can tell from its rear tail lights.. right lane is 2017.

 

True, you can see the dash when the camera swings around to look behind them (they are being chased by the police)

 

Looks like the gearing on the RWD 6AT vs 8AT is very close, with the edge going to the 8AT in 4th gear where it begins to pull away from the 6AT. Makes sense. Glad to have finally seen these go head to head. Now we've gotta see an AWD vs RWD

 

Yup, then proceeds to do multiple more runs after the chase like they didn’t know it happened 😂 Seems like nobody takes the police seriously in Europe and Russia.

Indeed. Am actually interested in seeing how both does against other competitive powered cars, 2013 and 2017 8AT with better top end. Mind you both are still fully stock!

 

So FKS pulls harder top end I see.

 

For whatever reason, magazines have been claiming that the 2016+ GS 350 was a few tenths of a second slower than the 2013-2015 models, despite having more gears and more power (which to someone with even an ounce of common sense and logical reasoning skills naturally makes no sense).

Now that we've finally seen the two cars side by side, looks like we can finally put this claim to rest. The 2016+ models have the edge in performance, most notably at the top end.

I have no doubts the differences between the RWD and AWD models will be even more significant. The AWD models have higher ride height, worse aerodynamics, higher weight, the older 6AT & the RWD model doesn't really make too much torque down low to give the AWD significant traction advantages off the line.

I just want to reiterate... I have been saying this forever. As someone who has both the 2015 and 2018 GS 350 in their household, one with the 306 horsepower FSE motor and one with the 311 horsepower FSK motor, I have stated countlessly that the 2018 feels more powerful, especially off the line, and the driver of our 2015 GS also noticed this immediately after setting off in our 2018, yet I was constantly met with these "but the magazines say xyz!!!" LOL. And they both have the 8-speed... then it was "but the 6AT is faster!!!" LOL again.

SO SO SO glad to finally have some concrete proof that the more powerful FSK motor and 8AT transmission combine to make the quickest GS 350 model.

 

I have really enjoyed the FKS over the FSE. It's not a huge difference, but I agree that the FKS isn't down on power vs the FSE. I've had both, and both with the 6 speed. If the FKS made the car a half second slower to 60, it would be very noticeable. So I, too, am unable to explain the magazine results.

I would love to see how the AWD would do in these tests. At least to 60mph, I know the AWD IS350 was quicker than the RWD IS350 in Motor Trend's testing. My guess is that they would be pretty comparable up to 60 or so before RWD starts to pull away.

 

@JDR76 I'll start pestering the YouTuber to see if we can get him to find an AWD model to run against

 

Interesting stuff!

 

Those were the results of the tests, they didn't just make up those numbers. The 2013-2015 GS350's are quicker then the 2016's in pretty much all instrumental tests. I noticed it when I test drove a 2016, it just felt sluggish, I thought it was in some kind of crazy eco mode when I test drove it or I was given a 4 cyl but I was also used to the torque of my GS430 V8, it really turned me off to upgrading to a GS350. I then test drove pre 2016's and noticed they felt like they had more power/were quicker. Maybe a 2016+ does have better performance higher in the rev/speed range, I never really compared them at 80mph but at lower speeds the pre 2016's definitely felt quicker, felt like they had more power, and get better numbers in tests.

 

It might be mainly in dumbing down the throttle tuning for a "smoother" initial throttle input on the newer facelift 2016+ models vs 2013-2015 models if there was actually a revision made.

 

Hey u have AWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!