Lewis Shaw
New BMW M5 rivalling Lexus GS F revealed ahead of the 2015 Detroit motor show.
Lexus has taken the wraps off its new flagship performance sedan, the GS F, ahead of the model’s official public debut in Detroit next week. The new model will battle with the BMW M5, Mercedes-Benz E63 and Audi RS7 in the high-horsepower sedan segment when it goes on sale later this year. However, the Lexus may be turning up to a gun fight with nothing but fists and knives as its arsenal. Because, while the Lexus GS F’s 5.0-litre V8 offers more displacement than its BMW and Audi rivals, it produces around 100hp less.
The GS F employs the same naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 fitted to the recently launched RC F performance coupe, but with 467hp and 389lb-ft the motor gets no power boost in this larger sedan application. Performance figures are being kept quiet for now but we’d be very surprised if the Lexus could keep an M5 or E63 in its rear view mirror in a straight line drag race with both German cars offering more than 100 additional horsepowers and a massive slug of extra turbocharged torque.
Like all Lexus F models the new GS is strictly rear wheel drive only and features an eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. An electronically controlled torque vectoring rear differential with three different modes has also been fitted, while the base GS structure has been stiffened for more precise handling.
The GS F rides on 19-inch multi-spoke alloys wrapped in 275/35 rear tyres and 255/35 fronts. Other visual enhancements include new headlights with three distinctive clusters as well as ‘tick’ shaped day-time running LEDs. A more aggressive front bumper has also been fitted and matched to a new rear diffuser with quad stacked exhaust tips. Indoors, the GS F is fitted with sports leather seats with Alcantara and carbon fibre trim pieces.
The new Lexus GS F will be revealed in full at the Detroit motor show next week.
