[majin ssj eric]

Just picked up a 2013 Lexus GS 350 F-Sport today in Starfire Pearl with the Flaxen interior (basically the color of a baseball glove). Got a great deal on this car as Lexus is aggressively incentivising it at the moment with a $2500 rebate and the dealer was receptive to invoice pricing. My guess is that the new style is off-putting to traditional Lexus buyers and the younger demographic they are shooting for are still not impressed enough to ditch their Audis/BMW's. Its too bad because the GS 350 F-Sport is one of the best driving cars in the segment. I am coming from an Infiniti G37S/Lexus IS 350 and cross-shopped the BMW 528i/535i, Audi A6, and Infiniti M37S.

First off let me tell you guys that I am a huge fan of Lexus's new L-Finesse styling (other than in the new IS) and the GS is the perfect implementation of it IMO. The spindle grille is bold and aggressive and has grown on me much like the Audi grilles ended up doing. The back of the car is very reminiscent of the current IS and that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. Things are a little plain along the sides of the car but there is a nice character line along the side skirt that reminds me of the E92 M3 in a way. Inside this new GS has one of the nicest interiors of any car in any segment with rich, opulent surfaces everywhere. The center console has a nicely padded knee rest covered in stitched leather, the door panels are swathed in leather and soft-touch surfaces all the way to the bottom, and the exquisite metal work around the classy analog clock bring to mind the finest Breitling has to offer.

Maybe I'm just weird but one thing I really pay close attention to in every car I drive is the gauge cluster and the GS doesn't disappoint in this regard. I love the simple layout with the high-res trip LCD between the speedo/tach and I'd definitely place it on par with the excellent cluster in the F10 (though admittedly with less functionality). The driver seat is a very nice place to be with 16-way power adjustability including side bolsters and thigh extension (too bad Lexus skimped on the passenger seat and its mere 8-way adjustments). Of course the seats are heated and cooled and I can say that the cooling is very good (while the heating automatically turns itself off way too much). In the back leg room is on par with the class though quite a bit more cramped than my Genesis sedan. Also of note is the increased road noise in the F-Sport which I didn't notice in the standard GS. This is of course attributable to the wide 19" summer tires which also contribute to a slightly stiffer ride quality as well.

The technology features of this car are fairly standard for the class and include such de rigeur items as rain-sensing wipers, rear sunshade (the F-sport eschews the side window shades of the lux package), blind spot monitoring, and back up camera with park assist. One notable feature of my new GS is the massive 12.3 inch nav screen which is even more massive than that of the 5-series. The screen is suitably high resolution and the navigation of menus is made easy with Lexus's mouse interface which I really love. The haptic feedback makes it a snap to zero in on your intended target and clicking on menu buttons is just as intuitive as using a mouse on your PC. I didn't get some of the other features such as rear steering, HUD or the Mark Levinson sound system but the standard stereo is very impressive in clarity and bass response. Even at max volume distortion is kept to a minimum and there is a 3-way EQ that allows for bass, treble and the all-important midrange adjustments.

Fortunately things get even better once you press the Start/Stop button. The 3.5 liter V6 is mostly the same as in the last GS/IS 350's and that's a good thing. Power is more than adequate and it is literally sewing-machine-smooth. What I love about Lexus's new implementation in the GS 350 F-Sport is the special intake sound chamber which does a fantastic job of highlighting the sporty nature of this engine while also keeping things subdued in regular driving. Steering feel on the F-Sport is commendably weighted, especially in Sport+ mode which firms everything up including the adjustable suspension and throttle response. Road feel is somewhat lacking but that seems to be the case with most cars in this class these days. Overall I'd say the GS 350 F-Sport performs brilliantly and goes a long way toward erasing the grandpa image of its direct predecessor.

The GS 350 comes in a few different flavors and trims. I had no interest in the 450h as I despise hybrids so I can't really comment on it. The dealer actually gave me a luxury package GS to drive for a few days initially and it differs in several ways from the F-Sport. Obviously the body kit is toned way down on the standard car and it comes with less aggressive 18" wheels and all-season tires. Inside the luxury package offers several features unavailable on the F-Sport such as AFLS (active headlights), side sunshades for the rear doors, rear stereo/climate controls, and full adjustments for the passenger seat as well as driver. The luxury package still includes the Sport+ mode with adjustable suspension but the tuning is different from the F-Sport's. Whereas the F-Sport lacks in some of the luxury features it makes up for it in performance upgrades. Already mentioned are the 19" sport rims with summer tires but the F-Sport also gets upgraded 14" brakes up front and stiffer variable suspension and steering. There is also special badging and a much more aggressively styled body kit that remains tasteful (unlike the IS-F IMO). Inside the F-Sport gets an exclusive black headliner as well as textured aluminum trim in lieu of the standard wood. The steering wheel is also unique with an F-Sport badge and full leather covering.

Pros:
-Aggressive exterior styling
-Impeccable fit and finish both in and out
-High quality interior materials
-Lexus's navigation interface out iDrive's iDrive
-Value for money especially with current discounts
-Adjustable performance that rivals anything from Germany in Sport+
-Excellent engine sound in the cabin
-Standard stereo is very good and the ML is about as good as it gets

Cons
-Aggressive exterior styling
-Rear seat space and comfort could use some work
-Road feel somewhat lacking
-Still needs more power to effectively compete with BMW/Audi upper end
-More road noise than expected

Lastly, I'd like to mention my dealer experience at Lexus of Orange Park in Jacksonville, FL. I walked onto the lot last Wednesday hoping to test drive both an ES 350 and GS 350 for comparison. The salesman was very nice and allowed a quick spin in each car. After a quick examination of my trade (our 06 IS 350 we also had purchased from LoOP) I explained that my wife needed to be able to drive the cars as well and he promptly offered to let me take the demo GS home for a few days so she could try it. Upon returning the GS he also gave me an ES for another couple days so that we could both get a good feel for the cars. I was very impressed with the entire experience as they went well beyond the normal dealership protocol to accommodate us. Upon returning we informed them that we had decided to go with the F-Sport GS and that I had prepared a detailed lease offer for them to look over. Incredibly the sales manager pretty much accepted my offer of $200 over invoice minus the $2500 rebate bringing my negotiated price to well below invoice. Monthly payments ended up at $625/mo for 36 months (15k a year) with $1700 drive off. All in all I am very satisfied with the deal and would highly recommend Lexus of Orange Park to my family and friends.

Now onto the pics! I have to apologize for the location as I didn't have time today to do a proper photo shoot. Just grabbed the D5100 and snapped some in the Wal-Mart parking lot:

[py0413]

Nice GS! Congratulations. Now enjoy it and let us know more as you spend more time behind the wheel.

Yeah, the new GS isn't selling as good as the last generation but I think it really is one of the best looking cars around today. Last year I was planning to trade my RX350 in for a GS, but I guess the salesman thought he had sold many cars and didn't bother to earn my business so I went for something else. Maybe it's not that car's rather it's the way those Lexus sales trying to sell the car made some negative impact.

[SaMaster14]

Nice car. A relative has one, I don't think its the FSport though.

Nice car, so much technology in there, and an extremely comfortable ride.

I'll be honest though, it's not that fast or exciting... Definitely not a car for me personally. Love the looks and the interior though!

[gonzo]

Nice review.
I was able to read it without one cuz, dunno, tho ...on and on.

Very impressed with the interior.

[TK-421]

Very nice, I love the new GS. And the price doesn't seem all that bad either.

[Nang Vann]

Looks sweet, nice n simple

[lsmkr01]

I like it

[Disciple7]

No offense but the Wal-Mart parking lot was the best place you could take photos? At least go to Target!

[chumley]

The interior is great! Clean, modern, looks high-quality.

My only complaint on these is exterior styling. The Asians just seem to be going for that organic looks that neither offends, impresses nor distinguishes one car from another.

[Uber V8]

I love how agressive these look from the front. If it could have the IS-F engine and tranny....wait isn't that coming soon?

[NemesisX]

Originally Posted by FwdFtl

I love how agressive these look from the front. If it could have the IS-F engine and tranny....wait isn't that coming soon?

Well, so far the only confirmed one is a new successor to the ISF called the "RCF" -

[hellrotm]

My neighbor just traded in his 535i for the same car. Said they have incredible deals going on. He would have gotten a new 5er, but the dealer would not negotiate. He isn't really a car guy, it is just transportation for him.

[Inspired]

Wow, that looks sweet. One of the best interior I've seen.

How do you switch cars every few years? Seems like you had a IS350, Genesis, 3 series, now GS350?

[LSPowered]

Not enough car for the $ IMO. Congrats & enjoy it.

[majin ssj eric]

Originally Posted by Inspired

Wow, that looks sweet. One of the best interior I've seen.

How do you switch cars every few years? Seems like you had a IS350, Genesis, 3 series, now GS350?

Never had a 3 series (well had an E30 way back when) but did have a G37. I have car ADD...

[FVM3]

the interior looks nice

[LSPowered]

Originally Posted by NemesisX

Well, so far the only confirmed one is a new successor to the ISF called the "RCF" -

IS-F wasn't enough performance for the $ IMO. I hope the RCF is A LOT better.

[mdosu]

did you get invoice?

[b0bab0i]

Originally Posted by NemesisX

Well, so far the only confirmed one is a new successor to the ISF called the "RCF" -

that is a bad photoshop man.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by LSPowered

Not enough car for the $ IMO. Congrats & enjoy it.

$56k (MSRP)
You can pay that much for a loaded F30 328 MSport...talking about overpriced

[b0bab0i]

Originally Posted by dr335is

$56k (MSRP)
You can pay that much for a loaded F30 328 MSport...talking about overpriced

$56k for a 4 cylinder entry level luxury vehicle?

[Inspired]

Originally Posted by dr335is

$56k (MSRP)
You can pay that much for a loaded F30 328 MSport...talking about overpriced

Damn, 56k for a 328? That is overpriced. I rather pay a couple thousand and have a stripped m3