Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
If you are looking for a luxury family car that can also handle the track, then the 2019 Lexus GS F will quench your thirst. This luxury sedan is amazing. It is a wonder to look at and an adrenaline rush to drive. We got a little extended time with this review, so we made sure to get it out to a few events so the public could weigh in.
The Lexus GS appeared to consumers in 1993 but launched in 1991 as the Toyota Aristo in Japan. In the luxury line of vehicles, the GS falls between the IS and the LS. This model GS that we received to review came with an extra treat being that it was an F sport model. When you see the F badge on a Lexus vehicle, just know that you are going to experience the high-performance vehicles that Lexus produces. The “F” refers to Flagship and Fuji Speedway, which is the chief test site of Lexus performance vehicle development in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
The GS F has the same body as the rest of the GS lineup, but with a few added features that help it stand out. When walking upon the GS F, the exterior lights illuminate the surroundings. On the side of mesh grille there are big air intakes. The chrome has been replaced with gloss black on the GS F. Premium triple-beam LED headlamps, LED taillights, a carbon fiber spoiler, and stacked quad exhaust tip just to name a few. The quad exhaust is tuned to turn heads on every start of the car. It is more than just for looks. The LED headlamps create and L shape, which I thought was a pretty cool design. The GS sits on 19-inch hand-polished split-10-spoke forged alloy BBS rims. Standing out right behind the wheels are the orange brake calipers.
With a vehicle of this caliber, paint protection of the Flare Yellow hue on this monster is a must. Lexus engineers achieved a high-density surface coating for the paint. The coating resists the effects of sunlight and acid rain and requires no special treatment or maintenance.
The Interior of the GS F definitely fits the sporty theme. Lexus fit the GS F with high-back sport, 10-way power front seats. Lumbar support is included for added comfort. The embossed “F” on the headrests is a fierce design element that accents the stitching patterns on the seat and seatbacks. The front seats are also heated and ventilated. The seats offer separate heaters and fans in the seat cushions to providing more comfort. The pattern’s shape and position were created to help provide greater muscular support and grip in high-G force situations. In situations like this, driving position is spot-on. The interior also features a shift knob and steering wheel trimmed in hand-selected perforated leather.
The Lexus Enform App Suite in the GS F is on par with the rest of the Lexus lineup. I still find the remote Touch distracting to use but after some time you get the hang of it. The location of the remote is fine, but it is sensitive and easy to overshoot your selection. This is the frustrating part for me. I loved the 12.3 -inch display. That is larger than most tablets on the market. The high-resolution and split-screen multimedia display lays out your audio selection, climate controls and much more depending on the app you are in. The Navigation system is on point. On top of getting directions to your destinations, the system offers up-to-date traffic and weather information, 3D city views, and simulated views of approaching highway junctions. The best feature for me is that it displays the current speed limit. In this GS F, it easy to go above the speed limit without being aware so that constant reminder is needed. The voice-activated Navigation System can display information in English, French or Spanish as well as automatically identify nearby gas stations if you begin to run low on fuel. The 17-speaker, 835-watt Mark Levinson® premium surround sound audio system is insane. The system features Clari-Fi technology that restores audio quality from compressed music which helps it rival some studio audio systems. Unfortunately, there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in the car.
Driving the GS F was amazing. The GS F has a 5.0-liter V8 that makes 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque. An 8-speed sport-optimized transmission and an advanced electronic torque vectoring differential (TVD) delivers a large amount of power to the rear wheels. The Brembo brakes bring the GS F to quick stop when needed. The huge slotted 14.9-inch front brake rotors are clamped by six-piston mono block calipers and 13.5-inch rear slotted rotors with four-piston calipers. The adaptive sport-tuned suspension allows for impressive control, minimum body roll and a comfortable ride. I loved the race-ready/track inspired gauge cluster. The full-color LCD multi-information display within the gauge cluster allows you to quickly get performance data such as Variable Drive Modes, gear position and more.
It’s important that performance cars are equipped with the best safety features to avoid accidents. Features such as a reversing camera with guidance lines, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams and full-speed dynamic radar cruise control are all standard in the GS F. Lexus has also equipped the GS F with a 10-Airbag System. The Lexus Enform Safety Connect gives you Roadside Assistance and is complimentary for the first 10 years of ownership. As fast and as sporty as this car is, I still used it as a family vehicle with my young children. The outboard seats have latch anchors and there is decent room for a rear-facing child seat.
The Lexus GS F sits in a strong performance brand class, such as the Mercedes AMG, Audi’s S/RS, Cadillac’s V-series and BMW’s M division. The GS F a decent gas mileage coming in at 16 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg combined. The model Lexus GS F that I tested came in at $89,738.00 which is competitively priced against its’ rivals. Overall, the GS F was an absolute pleasure to drive. Great job Lexus. Please enjoy the photo gallery.
