26 October 2011

2013 Lexus GS F-Sport unveiled ahead of SEMA

Lexus will unveiled the F-Sport version of its new GS series at SEMA show in Las Vegas on November 1st. The F-Sport version of Lexus is akin to Bimmer's M-Sport, which offer a host of aesthetic enhancement as well as an improved handling for keener driver.
The GS F-Sport gets new sport front bumper and rear lower valence, rear lip spoiler, unique    F-SPORT mesh grille inserts and F-SPORT badging for external aesthetic enhancement. The signature spindle grille with its trapezoidal contours fully integrates into the deeply sculpted front bumper allowing for efficient airflow. Enlarged air inlets located on the outer edges of the lower grille serve as cooling ducts as well as lending extra dose of aggressiveness. 
From the side, the GS F-Sport projects the image of a sport sedan with a road-hugging wider stance. The tapered lower rocker panel and the short front overhang give the vehicle a sense of motion. Aggressive character line running along the sills blend perfectly with the visibly ready to pounced-like front bumper and kicked-up rear skirting.
The rear bumper features a distinctive exhaust diffuser and centered aero fins to help control underbody airflow. Combined with the L-shaped LED tail lamps, a Lexus design cue, these rear bumper features lend a high-performance appearance. Lip spoiler is featured too at the trailing edge of the trunk lid.
The GS F-Sport exterior looks are completed with 19-inch alloy wheels shod in 235/40 R19 front and 265/35 R19 rear tires. However,the all-wheel drive models will be paired with similarly sized front and rear tyres in 235/40 R19 size. More details and photo after the jump.


The interior is suitably updated too with an exclusive design treatment with smooth striated aluminum trim, unique perforated leather trim, black headliner and aluminum pedals. Also included in F-SPORT package is a new 16-way power sport seat for increased lateral support. The driver's seat include a Lexus-first power side bolsters, thigh support, adjustable seatback and four-way lumbar. 
The rest of the interior is pure Lexus GS which are finely crafted with a host of very accommodating features.  The layout of the sculpted dash gives the driver and front passenger a sense of roominess through its clean center stack and high-resolution center control display placed deep near the front windshield. Most of the comfort and convenience controls, such as audio and climate, were relocated to provide a cleaner and more sophisticated dash layout.

The heart of Lexus GS350 F-Sport remain unchanged. The car is powered by an advanced 3.5-liter V6, with four cams, and four valves per cylinder and dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence. It is the only one with both port and direct injection. The engine produced 306PS@6400rpm and 375Nm@4800rpm of power and torque respectively and this sufficient to propel the large sedan to complete the century sprint is mere 5.7 seconds.  
Justifying the F-Sport tag, the Lexus GS handling has been uprated too. It gets a sport-tuned adaptive suspension, thicker anti-roll bars, new bushing, and bigger brakes up front with high friction pad. The GS 350 with F-SPORT is also available with optional Lexus Dynamic Handling (LDH) system with Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS) for those seeking more agility. This leading edge platform technology offers Lexus' first integration of DRS; Electric Power Steering; and Variable Gear Ratio Steering. Monitoring vehicle speed, steering direction and driver inputs, the system calculates the optimum angle for all four wheels. LDH helps to optimize the vehicle slip angle. Using VGRS in the front and DRS in the rear, the system can independently manage both front and rear wheel steering angles to help improve turn-in response, rear grip, vehicle control and overall agility when cornering.


The GS 350 with F-SPORT package features two new colors: Riviera Red and Liquid Platinum, and also available in Starfire Pearl, Nebula Gray Pearl and Obsidian. For the interior, a striking Cabernet Red leather interior also available for a touch more sportiness. 

The car will be officially unveiled on 1st of November at SEMA autoshow. Some more photos can be found below.