2016 Lexus GS F
There have been many steps along Lexus’ path from posh to performance. The watershed one of course, was the LFA. But more recently, the IS F and RC F have helped to pick up the pace. Now there’s a new GS F for us to sample, and we’ve got a race track with many tasty turns on which to do so. Let’s see if it’s a perfect pairing for our well-seasoned palettes.
Ahh… Lexus. That purveyor of fine luxury goods that masquerade as transportation. Like any automotive brand, they’ve had their hits and misses over the years, and we’re still not sold on their current trend of putting a European performance bent to every model. But perhaps this 2016 Lexus GS F will change our opinion.
The powertrain is the same 5.0-liter V8 and 8-speed automatic transmission that has been kicking around since the 2008 IS F launched the F performance branding. But horsepower is now up to 467, and torque to 389 lb-ft.
Around Roebling Road Raceway’s high-speed twists and turns that engine sounds fantastic, even though that sound is largely synthesized. And it runs even better, with very linear feel and power delivery that seems torquier than its sibling the RC F coupe, even with identical numbers. Still, it’s nothing close to CTS-V levels of brutality.
As for the chassis, well it’s completely competent and capable, yet not much more. Roll is subdued enough, but there’s just an overall soft feel that constantly reminds you you’re in a Lexus; as does the over 4,000-lbs of curb weight with 53% of it over the front wheels.
Still, it behaves mostly neutral with some mid-corner understeer to go along with throttle-on oversteer. The torque vectoring rear differential helps to tame that oversteer by transferring power to the rear wheel that will do the most good with it. You don’t really feel it working, but you clearly can tell the difference between Standard and Track modes.
The automatic transmission performs darn near like a sequential manual when in Sport S+ mode, with very quick gear changes when the steering wheel-mounted shifters are triggered.
Brakes were also solid, run after run; without any of the mushy feeling that usually arises in Lexus performance cars after a few hard laps.
Bottom line, we’ll call it a home run; but Lexus, drop some pounds and stiffen the suspension instead of relying on electronics to improve the handling and we might really have a grand slam.
But then, the GS F is not intended as a track car. To be one, the ultra-comfortable highway ride that Lexus owners expect would surely be history.
Speaking of comfort, there’s a unique interior to enjoy as you effortlessly eat up those miles, and an incredible 17-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system to help pass the time.
F-exclusive gauges change themes according to Drive Mode, are easy to read at speed, and feature interactive displays like a G meter and lap timer.
Other special touches include the 3-spoke steering wheel, Heads-Up Display, aluminum-trimmed pedals, shift knob, carbon fiber trim, Metallic Dark Silver paint, Alcantara leather, and sport seats.
You definitely don’t want to be messing with the remote touch controller at speed as it’s hard to be precise with even at normal pace, but the infotainment system that it controls is very comprehensive.
Room inside is plentiful, and seats are top notch front to back. The GS F even retains all of its 14.0 cubic-ft. of trunk space.
The exterior gains some aero help by way of flared front fenders with grooved liners and air extracting vents, strategically placed under-trays, larger openings in the front fascia, sculpted rocker panels, unique side mirrors, and carbon fiber rear spoiler.
The quad tips of the stainless steel exhaust system, and available colors such as Molten Pearl, will surely shake things up in the Lexus showrooms. Lightweight 19-inch wheels with 255/35 tires up front and 275/35 rubber in the rear complete the package.
You’ll have to walk gingerly on the gas pedal if you want to keep those rears from spinning up off the line, but a 4.5-second 0-60 is the result, when you do it just right.
Throughout the 13.0-seconds that it takes to complete a ¼-mile at 111 miles-per-hour, the GS F feels fiercely fast, yet still smooth and comfortable like a true luxury liner.
Likewise, shifts are about as fast as they can be without sacrificing smoothness.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 16-City, 24-Highway, and 19-Combined. The Energy Impact Score is just a bit worse than average at 17.3-barrels of yearly oil use with CO2 emissions of 7.8-tons.
The GS F is not exactly a performance bargain either, with base pricing of $85,390.
So the 2016 Lexus GS F may not be as big of a step up as other previous Lexus performance cars, but it is no doubt an important one. It’s well-seasoned enough to spice things up, without letting the performance flavor overwhelm the rest of the Lexus luxury dish. We predict the brand’s fans, old and new, will lap it up.
Specifications
- Engine: 5.0 liter
- Horsepower: 467
- Torque: 389 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 4.5-seconds
- 1/4 mile: 13.0 seconds @ 111 mph
- EPA: 16 mpg city/ 19 mpg highway
- Energy Impact: 17.3 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 7.8 tons/yr
2024 Porsche 911 Dakar
Porsche Jacks Up 911, Hijinks Ensues
It’s clear that Porsche engineers spend a lot of time sitting around thinking how they can make the 911 even better, as well as more unique. After all, they’ve been doing just that for over 60 years now. Well, their latest brainstorming session has resulted in this jacked-up all-terrain brute, the 911 Dakar, a 911 whose performance begins when the pavement ends.
If you think the idea of a Porsche 911 suited for desert racing sounds silly, you should know that 911s competed in the Paris-Dakar rally for years, and Porsche actually won it back in 1984 when they were developing the all-wheel-drive system we all now enjoy in the Carrera 4. And it is that car on which this very limited-edition Porsche 911 Dakar is based.
Not only has it been raised by more than 2 inches, but its hydraulic lift system has also been enhanced to get to its max 7.5 inches of ground clearance in just 9 seconds. It has a modified dual radiator setup to improve approach angles, unique front and rear fascias, stainless steel rocker panels, fender flares, and special Pirelli Scorpion dual carcass all-terrain tires on 19- and 20-inch wheels.
There wasn’t much to challenge this thing in our neck of the woods, so Porsche actually flew us to Africa to get a taste of its capabilities.
DAVE SCRIVENER: “In 35 years of doing this business, I never thought I’d see myself off-roading a 911, yet here I am, traversing the sandy paths and dunes of Morocco in a 911 Dakar. This is not just a trim package, this car actually has some off-road chops for, you know, soft roads, sand dunes, things like that. This thing is very well equipped to handle this kind of terrain.”
Amazingly, it still feels like a 911.
Now, you don’t have to go to the African desert to enjoy it, but it sure helps, as carving fresh lines through sand dunes is pure thrill. The Carrera 4’s all-wheel-drive system has gotten significantly reworked with added Rallye and Off-Road modes, and the 911’s heavyweight rear seems to be a real benefit here rather than a hinderance as it can be on pavement.
Amazingly, it still feels like a 911, though it is a bit of a unique driving experience as there’s no cringing whenever you see rough pavement or speed bumps coming your way. It’s also one of those cars that has you thinking about all the cool places you could be driving it when you’re stuck in traffic, and it’s one 911 that looks better dirty than clean.
The rear-mounted 3.0-liter flat-six turbo engine gets a unique air filter housing, and outputs 473 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. It works exclusively through an eight-speed PDK which gets a new Rallye Launch Control feature for making fast getaways on loose surfaces. Our Mason Dixon test track offers plenty of traction, so we stuck with traditional PDK launch control and it continues to impress.
We hit 60 in 3.0 seconds and finished out the quarter in 11.3 seconds at 125 mph. There was maybe a little less pavement grip from the tires, but otherwise, the handling experience was amazingly 911-like. The same could be said for braking. Stops of just 93 feet from 60 mph.
There’s much familiarity inside the Dakar’s cabin, perhaps too much if you’re looking for a totally different 911 experience. Priced at $225,100, the 911 Dakar is a massive investment, but it’s also limited to just 2,500 units, so you’ll have the coolest 911 in your neighborhood for years to come
Turns out conquering pavement was not enough for Porsche engineers, so they created something unique and amazing that somehow still feels just like every other Porsche. 911s have always made you feel like you can go just about anywhere and do just about anything; now with the 911 Dakar, they’ve delivered one that actually can.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 3.0-liter flat-six turbo
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic PDK
- Horsepower: 473
- Torque: 420 lb-ft
- 0-60 mph: 3.0 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 11.3 seconds at 125 mph
- Braking, 60-0 (avg): 93 feet
- Price: $225,100