By Mike Torpey on 2015-06-09 - Driving Force news editor and responsible for organising our daily output. He was staff motoring editor of the Liverpool Echo for 20 years.
Lexus poised for
festival fling
THE new high performance Lexus GS F will make its European public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed later this month.
It is the latest Lexus to carry the brand's F performance badge and will show off its pace and handling on Goodwood's hillclimb course with Toyota Gazoo Racing driver Mike Conway at the wheel.
Though it shares the same platform as the Lexus GS, the GS F benefits from extensive enhancements throughout, including the engine, which features a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 unit producing a whopping 467bhp and 530Nm of torque.
That's matched to an eight-speed automatic gearbox with manual shifts, and the company's Torque Vectoring Differential - which debuted in the RC F - is part of the GS F's standard specification, helping hone the car's handling.
Its three different operating modes comprise the default Standard, for a balance of agility and firmness; Slalom, emphasising nimble steering response and agility; and Track for delivering stability in high-speed circuit driving.
And although the confines of the Goodwood hill won't permit a full-blooded drive, the car's sound, turn of speed and sharp styling promise to make a big impression.
The festival date follows the car's world debut at the Detroit Motor Show earlier this year and first European appearance at the Geneva show in the spring.
While the GS F's Goodwood bow is an indication of its appearance on the road, details of a production version for the UK won't be announced until later in the year.
Also on show at the festival, which runs from June 26-28, is the Lexus LFA supercar and the RC F GT3 competition car being campaigned this season by Frey Racing in the VLN endurance series in Germany.
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