A 12.3-inch touchscreen is built into to the dash of the Lexus GS-F.
FAST FACTS
* Model: Lexus GS-F * Exterior color: Caviar * Interior color: Stratus Gray * Engine: 5.0-liter, V-8 * Horsepower: 467 * Transmission: 8-speed automatic * Fuel economy: 24 mpg highway, 19 mpg city * Local Dealer: Lexus of Chattanooga * Price (as tested): $86,770 * Local dealer: Lexus of Chattanooga, Lee Highway
What would happen if you mated a Japanese luxury car with a Chevrolet Corvette?
The offspring would probably look and sound something like the new 2016 Lexus GS-F with its big-block V-8 engine and an exhaust note that Car & Driver describes as a "feral shriek." Bring all 467 horses in this bad boy to life on Highway 153 or I-75 and the gathering roar - amplified by the car's sound system - acts as a shot of adrenalin to the heart of any driving enthusiast.
While most Lexus GS-F customers are not likely to cross-shop Corvettes, they might reasonably be expected to take a spin in GM's Cadillac CTS-V, the Audi S6 or the BMW 5M before writing a check for the Lexus. In a world where most performance cars are being built around small-displacement turbocharged engines, the Lexus GS-F takes it "old school" with its normally-aspirated, 5.0-liter V-8.
"I have had the good fortune to race the (GS-F) around Atlanta Motor Speedway, and that is one of the most impressive cars I have driven," says Philip Foster, technology specialist at Lexus of Chattanooga. "While being tame enough for everyday driving, just the twist of the wrist on the 'drive mode' knob and you are ready to eat Porsches and BMWs for lunch."
Foster said Lexus of Chattanooga on Lee Highway has two new GS-Fs and one previously-owned (3,000-mile) unit on the lot.
Lexus is taking a one-size-fits-all approach to GS-F pricing. The base price is $84,440. Add the superb Mark Levinson stereo system ($1,380) and a $950 delivery fee, and the ask is $86,770.
STYLING AND FEATURES
From certain angles, the GS-F could pass for a mild-mannered family sedan. In that regard, it reminds us of the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing Chevy SS. But look closely and you'll see clues to the GS-F's racing pedigree. For people in the know, the F badges on the side panels and rump mark the GS-F as a high-performance car.
Our Caviar (dark gray) tester calls attention to the GS-F's more menacing features, including the massive spindle grille and air outlets behind the front wheels that look like a shark's gills. These outlets are supposed to buffer wind turbulence off the wheels. The fascia has the requisite splash of LED lights, which serve as the eyes to the Darth-Vaderish grille design.
The stance on the GS-F is ground-hugging, with gorgeous 19-inch BBS wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Supersport tires. The rear deck lid is garnished with a carbon fiber spoiler, a design theme that carries over to the inside of the car where carbon-fiber panels abound. Inside, the heavily-bolstered, leather-covered seats telegraph the car's high-performance intent. The stratus gray leather in our tester comes with contrasting stitching that gives the illusion of skin stretched over muscles.
The cockpit's dash and and door panels are embellished with Alcantara, a.k.a. synthetic suede. The material softens what is otherwise a very masculine design. You know that you're in a performance car when the tachometer, not the speedometer, is the focal point of the gauge cluster. You'll definitely want to know when the GS-F is about to hit the red line, because you'll need to grab something and hold on.
A 12.3-inch telematics touchscreen is built into the dash's architecture, with most of the functions controlled by the ubiquitous Lexus center-stack mouse. Some people find this control imprecise, but I like it a lot better than fumbling around a touch-screen with your index finger when you should be watching the highway.
One caution: Finding the switch for the electronic parking brake was a chore. I finally went to owner's manual, which directed me to a nearly invisible button at the bottom of the dash.
Standard features on the GS-F include a driver's knee airbag, rain-sensing wipers, power moon-roof, navigation and head-up display. The Levinson stereo features 17 speakers and 835-watts of power.
View other Test Drive stories by Mark Kennedy
Looking for a used or new car?
Mark KennedyDRIVING IMPRESSIONS
If you have a light foot, the GS-F can masquerade as a sedate commuter card. It's only when you stomp on the accelerator that the car's insane horsepower kicks in. But once you've tasted that power, it takes some discipline to refrain from its temporal pleasures.
In part because of the heavy engine, the GS-F tips the scales at 4100 pounds; although the V-8 has no problem handling the inertia of the added weight. The rear-wheel-drive set-up makes for nimble, if a bit heavy, steering. Brembo brakes are your insurance policy against the GS-F's need for speed.
An eight-speed automatic transmission is the crucial variable in the car's driving modes: eco, normal and sport. In "eco" mode the shifts points are relaxed, in "sport" mode they're borderline manic. For most pursuits the "normal" mode is a happy medium. The summer Michelin's offer a tenacious grip.
In a week of driving, the GS-F was an under-the-radar commuter car. Only the soft rumble coming from under the hood betrays its true character.
BOTTOM LINE
Fuel economy in the V-8 is modest, the government estimates 24 mpg highway and 19 mpg city. When it comes to price, the GS-F is in the same ballpark as comparable cars from Audi and Mercedes, although pricey option packages can push the German sports sedans through the roof.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.