Reviewed: GS 350 F Sport

The old Lexus GS had a pleasant if somewhat unobtrusive persona. That might not have worked too well in its favour in a segment dominated by increasingly aggressively-styled German cars.

The latest GS, now into its fourth generation, hopes to change the equation.

It is designed from ground up with improved driving dynamics and front styling borrowed from the uber aggressive-looking Lexus LF Gh concept car.



Available in four variants, the GS with its low slung appearance, short overhangs and spindle grille styling within a protruding “predator-like” front bumper looks eye-catching enough – even in the entry level versions.

Our test car from Lexus Malaysia was however the GS 350 F Sport. This was effectively the top dog variant which takes things a little further.

Quite menacing does it look with its mesh grille, enlarged front side bumper grilles, lower lip spoiler and dark alloy wheels.

But the F Sport in this case is more than just a 3.5-litre V6-powered flagship variant with extra cosmetics.

An enhancement that goes beyond skin deep is a rear wheel steering system called Dynamic Rear Steering that adds a new level of handling finesse to the F Sport line.

To put it simply, a computer system will steer the rear wheels of the F Sport in the opposite direction of the front wheels at low speeds so the vehicle can make tighter turns and get an unprecedented level of manoeuvrability for a long wheelbase vehicle.

At speeds over 80kph, the rear wheels will turn the same direction as the front ones, so the F Sport is able to change lanes faster and more fluidly.

I remember testing two other locally available cars with rear wheel steering – the BMW 535i and 740Li – and was then impressed by their lithe cornering and turning agility.

The F Sport’s rear wheel steering credentials are no less pleasing.

The rear wheel steering system easily allowed me to blast F Sport through the twisty uphill stretch of Genting Highlands gracefully bereft of screeching rear wheels – something I usually encounter in cars with fixed-angle rear wheels.

At hairpins, I could feel the rear wheels turning in opposite directions of the front wheels and gently loosening up the rear of the car a tad without any hint of the rear tyres losing grip or squealing.

Inside, the car has full leather upholstery, feels premium with fine detailing on buttons and switches, and is roomier than the outgoing model.

Its completely redesigned dashboard now features an analogue clock for a bit of the classic charm and a 12.3-inch Electro Multi Vision centre display screen which Lexus claims bragging rights to as the world’s largest such display in any car.

This XXL-size display easily dwarfs the 8.0- or 10.2-inch screens which are the standard fare in many of the F Sport’s Continental rivals.

I like that idea that two thirds of the screen are dedicated for GPS use which allows for easy reading of navigation guides and the remaining third for the trip computer, audio, climate control or even vehicle set up info.

Put the car into reverse and the display turns into a rear view camera screen.

The front and rear leg room are aplenty and the driver’s seat comes with 16 adjustment points from slide, recline, side bolster grip to even thigh support.

Lexus claims the F Sport, which has a low drag co-efficient of 0.27, is a comfortable and fast cruiser with a top speed of 235kph and can do the 0-100kph sprint in six seconds.

Power is transmitted via a six-speed automatic to the rear wheels from the silky smooth 3.5-litre V6 engine that delivers 312bhp and 378Nm of torque.

The F Sport rides smooth and quiet at low speeds but turns into a proverbial Mr Hyde with a muffled sports cars-like racy note when driven with a heavy foot.

The electric power steering with variable gear ratio steering is light at parking speeds but firms up for more feedback from moderate to fast driving.

Depending on the driver’s mood, there are four drive modes to choose from – Normal, Eco, Sport S and Sport S+ – selectable from a dial at the centre console.

The Normal mode is considered the F Sport’s default setting and provides a balance between fuel economy and smooth performance.

Switching to Eco mode numbs the throttle a bit so you do not revv the engine unnecessarily and waste petrol.

Sport S will hold gear upshifts to enable the driver to exploit more power from the upper reaches of the rev range for a zestier drive.

Activate the Sport S+ mode and a few more things happens – the F Sport’s suspension stiffens up and power assistance to the steering wheel is reduced so the driver gets more steering feel.

As long as any of the Sport modes are engaged, the backlighting of the instrument panel stay red instead of blue in Normal and Eco modes.

Safety features include 10 airbags, Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management, traction control, hill start assist, brake assist, bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, keyless entry with start/stop, 18-inch wheels, cruise control, front ventilated/heated seats and Mark Levinson audio system with 17 speakers.

Priced on-the-road without insurance at RM464,800, the F Sport is definitely a slightly less expensive but yet fresher take with newer equipment thrown in compared with its Teutonic rivals.