Lexus continues its pursuit of perfection by rounding out the GS sport sedan’s lineup with the GS F. The GS F goes beyond the sporty GS F SPORT by offering 467 hp and 389 lb-ft of torque from its 5.0-liter V8. The GS’s spindle grille becomes massively oversized on the F model and is flanked by gaping intakes in the corners of the lower fascia. Once upon a time the entire Lexus lineup was accused of being bland and anonymous. Love or hate the GS F’s looks, it can not be accused of subtlety. Gears are shifted via an eight-speed automatic with manual-shifting capabilities. To further perfect the driving experience the GS F features a Torque Vectoring Differential (TVD) that is also shared with the Lexus RC F. The TVD strives to enhance the car’s agility and steering responsiveness. While the GS F isn’t quite the full fledged super sedan that rival Cadillac revealed across Cobo Hall, this may be the type of precision performance sedan that will keep Lexus loyalists in the fold.
Lexus Caters Less to the Realtors and More to the Racers
Over the course of the last decade Lexus seems to have become the official conveyance of realtors across the country. Realtors seeking an isolated, quiet, plush yet inoffensive cocoon to shuttle prospective clients to and fro have adopted the Lexus lineup as their transport of choice. Until recently the company seemed content with the reputation they’ve earned as a builder of reliable but staid luxury vehicles. But now executives are convinced that to grow the brand and attract some interest from Audi, Mercedes and BMW drivers they’ll have to add some sport to their currently soft sedans and after a day spent throwing the new 2013 GS lineup around the infield road course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, we can confidently report that they’ve done just that. Read more…
The revival of the Buick Regal name is surprising, largely in that it seems like the model name has been gone for only a couple model years. In fact, the Regal was last used on Buick’s version of the w-car platform in 2004. It was a buckets and console version of the mild Buick Century. The new car is a departure for Buick in that it will offer no V6 and a choice of manual or automatic 6 speed transmissions. Buick is marketing the LaCrosse as a Lexus competitor. If that is the case, this car seems to take aim at the Acura TSX – at least in powertrain configurations. Based heavily on the Opel Insignia, the car was thought to be planned as the replacement for the Saturn Aura. Since the Saturn experiment has now been terminated and Pontiac eliminated, the time was right for Buick to offer such an agile small sedan. Read more…
At Least It Looks The Part
To most people that is. Maybe it’s the old age, maybe it’s the lack of coffee, or maybe it is the fact that this is the base model, but whatever the case was, the Eclipse did not impress me as I had hoped. That does not mean that the Eclipse is not worth your attention, on the contrary, I am convinced the Eclipse is a player. The visual appeal is there, but the substance simply lacks. Read more…
If you want a glimpse at the future of automobiles, take a ride in this Lexus.
It’s not a “car of the future” in the sense of GM’s Autorama show of the 1950s, which featured cars with wild styling and out-of-this-world gizmos that never made it into your garage. Read more…
