2017 Lexus GS F: Rolling with the Big Boys

Lexus unleashed this BMW M5 fighter last year, and it’s back for 2017 with better handling and ride control thanks to new adaptive suspension. I mentioned the M5 here, just because it rolls off the keyboard so eloquently, but in reality, Lexus is fighting the Germans on multiple fronts including the Audi S6 and the 2018 Mercedes-AMG E 63, not to mention the North-American Cadillac CTS-V.

Can it really peel away some of the German faithful? The Europeans dominate this segment and Lexus is the sole Japanese automaker who has an entry in this class. Acura’s RLX has no performance equivalent to these high-powered machines, nor does Infiniti’s Q70. Maybe one day we’ll see an RLX Type R or Q70 Red Sport, but I’d say the chances of this happening in the near future are next to nil.

• Also: 2016 Lexus GS F: Akio’s Daily Driver
• Also: 2016 Lexus GS gets boosted 4-cylinder, exterior makeover

Priced at $100,040, the 2017 Lexus GS F has no option packages. The logic makes sense as people shopping for this vehicle will likely take most of the optional features anyway. An array of exterior colours is available to satisfy even the most brazen among us, including Molten Pearl (basically bright orange). Bright orange on a big sports sedan is a bit odd, but if that’s too much, you can opt for Matador Red Mica (pictured) or Ultrasonic Blue Mica in addition to the greys, whites and blacks more commonly associated with the brand.

The heart of the GS F is its naturally aspirated, 5.0-litre V8 engine, complete with forged connecting rods and titanium intake and exhaust valves that allow a 7300-rpm redline. The result is an engine that delivers 467 horsepower and 389 lb.-ft. of torque. Revving the engine this high made me reminisce of my days racing high-revving Hondas—though actually having torque unlike those old Hondas was fun. Lexus’ variable valve timing system (VVT-iE) enables the engine to operate in an Atkinson cycle at cruising speeds and can switch to the Otto cycle for higher performance levels when accelerating.

It’s somewhat similar to Honda’s VTEC system, though not identical, but in layman’s terms, you get a performance kick at a certain rpm (4000 rpm on the GS F). It makes you just want to rip the heck out of this car at every opportunity, particularly to hear that sound. The exhaust system emits a rumbling baritone note, and something called active sound control electronically boosts the sound in the cabin via the speakers. If this bothers you, the system can be turned off, but I didn’t care that it was artificially augmented and you won’t either. There are some areas of improvement, such as the lack of torque at low rpm, and that peak power is still a hair below the competition.

The GS F comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and offers a smooth shift feel without hesitation. In fact, Lexus went to great pains to make this happen with the aid of what they call G-force Artificial Intelligence Shift Control (G AI-SHIFT). When driving in the SPORT S mode, the system selects the suitable gear for sporty driving by monitoring the vehicle’s G sensor while simultaneously tracking throttle opening. It can also blip the throttle on downshifts.

The available torque vectoring differential is a wonderful piece of hardware. Using a switch on the centre console, the driver can select one of three distinct settings to best suit driving conditions. STANDARD delivers a high level of control and agility for everyday driving; SLALOM places additional emphasis on steering response, giving the vehicle a more agile character akin to one with a smaller wheelbase. TRACK enhances high-speed handling.

There was ample opportunity to push the vehicle safely and legally, but it just begs to be opened up on a road course and be explored further. I would have liked some track time with the GS F, but sadly that’s out of the scope of this review (it was still winter anyways). One thing that’s missing is available all-wheel drive. You can get it on lower-trim GS models, but not the GS F.

Lexus’ interior is of high quality as you’d expect. Racing bucket seats wrapped in leather and embroidered with the F are perfect to hold you in place. Carbon fibre trim adorns a number of surfaces, and the door trim, the centre console and the base of the driver interface feature nice metallic silver trim. The “F”-badged three-spoke steering wheel, the shift knob and foot pedals are all exclusive to the GS F.

Where Lexus stumbles is the infotainment system. This critical part of the vehicle should be easy to operate in order to keep the driver’s concentration on the road. The crux of the issue is that the system is controlled by way of a laptop-style trackpad on the centre console, which manipulates a cursor on the screen.

Rather than a standard menu system, you’re stuck trying to hover the cursor over the correct function. Often times you think you’ve got it, only to have the cursor jump to some other button when you attempt to press it. It’s incredibly frustrating to use and particularly dangerous to operate while driving. At the end of my week, I was getting more accustomed to it, but I still can’t give the interface a passing grade.

There are some press cars that I’m indifferent to, and after seven days behind the wheel I’m already looking forward to the next vehicle. The 2017 Lexus GS F was absolutely not one of those cars. In fact, I was dreading the day I had to give her back because she satisfied so many needs: great looks, capable of transporting five adults, wicked performance, a fantastic interior and the list goes on.

Lexus has developed a vehicle very capable of hanging with the best of them, though it’s got a few more steps to go before it truly reaches that level.