About the Lexus GS F
Dr Vader purchased this Lexus GS F used for $92,000 (including all on-road costs) in 2021. Dr Vader would buy this car again because: “A spiritual successor to the E39 M5, the GS F stirs the soul by marrying a characterful NA V8 with modern safety and luxury. The anti-Lexus Lexus. The Grand Seiko of cars. Rarer than an F8 Tributo or Huracan. If you know, you know.”
How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.
A key advantage of retaining the venerable IS F engine from the previous decade is dependability. The simplicity of the drivetrain is polar opposite to that of the mind-bending 2023 C63 S E, to quote Mercedes-Benz: ‘The drivetrain is the most complex thing you can imagine to have in a car”.
And it’s a Lexus. My car detailer rated the build quality above Bentley. The carpet pile is more plush than a soft toy. Takumi craftsmen wet-sand each of the five coats of paint by hand. It is baked four times. I could go on…
What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?
Very few people, including car people, know what it is, and I love that it doesn’t draw attention. Actually, I like that somebody once said to me “that’s so much nicer than a normal Camry” LOL.
My local Lexus dealer, like most prestige car dealers, overcharges for servicing – eg $6000 for four brake discs and pads. A good independent mechanic is recommended, and it doesn’t require much specialist knowledge like some Euros.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
The turbocharged Audi S6, Mercedes-Benz E43/E53 and BMW M550i are all faster, for similar money. But that misses the point – Chris Harris’ YouTube comparison with the M5 is worth watching. Used values remain high, but this is offset with lower running costs.
Apple CarPlay is a glaring omission, but fixable with an aftermarket retrofit.
What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?
0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds isn’t ‘fast’ by current German standards, but it’s more than enough for public roads.
The lack of torque down low along with the omnipresent V8 noise make this car feel faster than it is, which works really well in Australian conditions. You don’t have to double the speed limit for it to come alive, because it’s engaging at all speeds.
The Yamaha-tuned engine is exquisite. Jeremy Clarkson compared the sound to a 458 Italia. I disagree. It certainly sounds exotic; with an aftermarket exhaust, it’s on par with a Maserati Quattroporte V and better than an E63 S. Goosebumps.
I’m averaging 15L/100km, which is not unreasonable for an executive-sized NA V8.
What do you think of the technology in your car?
The widely-criticised Lexus ‘mouse’-controlled user interface is well behind par but you get used to it, there are plenty of physical buttons to use as a workaround, and it’s not the dealbreaker I imagined it to be.
Pros include superb headlights, features like rear seat heating and a lean options list, adaptive redline, genuine torque-vectoring diff, rev-matching during spirited driving, excellent stereo, rear torso airbags which few manufacturers offer.
Cons include the fact seat cooling could be better, adaptive cruise cannot be activated in manual shift mode nor under 30kmh, and there’s no engine stop-start.
What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?
The RWD GS F was developed at the Nurburgring and it’s far more capable than one would imagine.
Handles better than the RC F and LC500 IMHO. It’s sharp, engaging, and fun to drive with a depth of engineering that shines through the harder you push. TVD allows you to choose playful-vs-planted.
Stiffer LCA bushings are a hugely popular mod to sharpen the steering to BMW levels of feel.
MY17 models onwards gained adaptive suspension for a more comfortable ride. It can still be very firm – you will instantly recognise this is no ES250 – but never harsh or lacking composure.
Do you have any additional comments about your car?
The GS F is a slow-burn that gets under your skin. A keeper.
I came from a manual 987.2 Boxster, and I don’t miss it. Really.