By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(April 23, 2015) It’s no secret to anyone who reads The Virtual Driver that I like the Lexus IS F Sport and, with reservations, the NX 200t F Sport. However, if you look back a little farther, you will see that this affection does not extend to the GS F Sport.

My September 2013 encounter with the mid-size Lexus sport sedan was, in a word, underwhelming, and bordered on disappointing. The car lacked purity and, as a result, felt like its responses were manufactured, not natural. The electronic revolution has made it possible for engineers to try and make a sport sedan appeal to a larger audience. Flip a switch or turn a knob, and the steering and throttle are more responsive, the ride firmer and the whole car takes on a “new” personality.

Go in the other direction, and everything is dulled as fuel economy becomes the greatest concern. Or leave the switch in the middle, and the vehicle reverts to its natural state.

The problem with these systems is that, no matter how much electronic firepower is behind them, the resulting changes feel unnatural. It’s no surprise, really, as optimizing the ride and handling for these different personalities would require subtle changes in bushings, spring rates and even suspension geometry. Plus, the changes are exaggerated so that the driver and passengers notice the difference, thus proving its value.

This was all true of the rear-drive GS tested in 2013. The car lacked purity of response. It was like it didn’t know who it wanted to be or how someone in that position acted, so it did its best to copy established players. And these players have been indulging in electro-trickery themselves, not always to their benefit.

This time around, all-wheel drive was added to the mix. A good thing considering that the car was dropped off for testing in the middle of winter, though the weather conspired to be crisp, sunny and dry during the GS’s stay. Nevertheless, it’s nice to have the added traction of four driven wheels when the weather can turn nasty at a moment’s notice.

The system is set for a rear-biased 30:70 front:rear torque split under normal conditions, and can switch to 50:50 when slip is detected. The first thing that alerts you to its presence is a slight feeling of bulkiness that appears, oddly, in the form of increased friction and drag when reversing. Though the steering feels a touch heavier, the difference is not massive, a trait that continues on the move.

Acceleration is similarly blunted, but not massively so, and the GS accelerates quickly enough with 306 horsepower on tap. If you are looking for fuel economy (at which point you should be questioning why you plopped down the extra money of the F Sport package), twist the central controller to the right to put the car in Eco mode. This causes the instrumentation to be bathed in a soothing blue light, while the throttle response and engine output are made less intense.

Push the same controller, and the GS enters Normal mode where most owners will stay through the majority of their time behind the wheel. Twist the knob to the right, and the gauge cluster is highlighted by red lighting, and the throttle map and gear changes are made more dynamic. Turn it again to S+ mode, and the suspension and steering response are altered. And in all cases, as you do this, a picture comes up on the center screen that graphically highlighting these changes.

I can only surmise that, since this information is visually intensive, it’s meant for your passengers’ edification, and to inspire awe as to just how many things your car can do. It’s sort of like smartphones where owners vie to have the latest with the most; an electronic version of measuring your manhood without actually having to do so.

However, like those electronic tethers, things often do not work as well as expected. In the case of the GS F Sport, it is that these layers of added capabilities steal the purity, subtlety and overall capability and replace it with — here’s that word again — a manufactured experience. The GS F Sport would be better served by eliminating the dynamic variations and concentrating on improving its abilities and capabilities.

Leave the electronic adjustability to the V8-powered GS F due later this year, and give buyers a V6-powered sport sedan that combines comfort and capability with a purity of feel no longer available in this class of car. Avoid ladling on tech in order to produce a “me too” vehicle, and have the guts and confidence to produce a unique response that cuts to the heart of who you are and what your brand wants to be.

Unfortunately, the GS F Sport isn’t that car, and — so far — Lexus isn’t that brand.

The Virtual Driver