When you think of Lexus, sports cars may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but after driving the GS F and RC F, you’ll agree that Lexus deserves the rank it has earned with true driving enthusiasts.
With F standing for Fuji Speedway, the chief test site of Lexus performance vehicle development, the GS F and RC F will attract new buyers to the Lexus brand; but some of the loyal base who drive Lexus vehicles for their street comforts and great residual value may get a wild streak and opt for these sporty options. They’ll find the adaptive sport-tuned suspension much stiffer, yet the ride still quite comfortable. The steering precision will boost driving confidence, and they’ll appreciate that cabins are just as luxe and well-equipped with features and driver aids as any other Lexus. Trading for a more aggressive and chiseled looking vehicle will turn a different set of heads than those who might have envied their previous Lexus model. They’d better watch the head turns quickly, because they’ll be zooming by with Lexus’ most powerful V8 engine to date. No worries, the Brembo brakes are there when they need them.
Both the four-door GS F sports sedan and the 2-door RC F coupe share the same non-turbocharged V8, eight-speed automatic transmission, rated at 472 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque. The GS F reaches 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, a particularly impressive rating for a sedan without a forced-induction engine; the RC F does it in 4.2.
Which of these vehicles you choose will most likely depend on whether you’ve got kids to haul and need the back seat. Arguably, the RC F is the one that garners the most looks, and its high-back sport seats make you comfortable whether you’re cornering aggressively or settled in for the long road trip. Either will cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $85K to $90K.
Beverly & Steve Smirnis are members of the Texas Auto Writers Association and the Texas Motor Press Association, reviewing vehicles and casting their votes at driving events where the Truck of Texas, Car of Texas and Off-Road Truck of Texas are some of the titles awarded. Follow their automotive blog on TheSavvyList.com/TheSavvyDriver
