Video: Listen to the Lexus GS F's 467 Horsepower V8 Engine

[CIF]

Also I'm not sure what you mean by "high reliability". I agree that the German engines have higher maintenance cost but I'm not sure if they are less reliable if proper maintenance is done. And I'm not sure someone spending 80-100K for a performance sedan is overly concerned with cost of ownership, to a point of course.

What I meant was a very literal idea of high reliability. For example, with the IS F and LFA, these are cars that can be driven to a track by an owner, raced HARD all day at the track in fully stock configuration, then driven back home by the owner without problems. Before the IS F, I don't recall any AMG or M cars having that sort of reputation (excluding the G-Class AMG, which is of course not a car, but an SUV).

So in other words, the Lexus F cars provide the very high reliability you expect from any Lexus model, except they provide this reliability while simultaneously delivering very high performance levels.

 

[mmcartalk]

What I meant was a very literal idea of high reliability. For example, with the IS F and LFA, these are cars that can be driven to a track by an owner, raced HARD all day at the track in fully stock configuration, then driven back home by the owner without problems. Before the IS F, I don't recall any AMG or M cars having that sort of reputation (excluding the G-Class AMG, which is of course not a car, but an SUV).

So in other words, the Lexus F cars provide the very high reliability you expect from any Lexus model, except they provide this reliability while simultaneously delivering very high performance levels.

M3s could be driven hard on the track (indeed, to an extent, that's what they were designed for).....but you're right, they were usually well below the level of a IS-F in reliability.

 

[CIF]

M3s could be driven hard on the track (indeed, to an extent, that's what they were designed for).....but you're right, they were usually well below the level of a IS-F in reliability.

Yes that's true, but I'm not fully confident any M3 generation had a reputation of very high reliability. From my own limited BMW knowledge, I know that different M3 generations had different reliability issues.

 

[mmcartalk]

Yes that's true, but I'm not fully confident any M3 generation had a reputation of very high reliability. From my own limited BMW knowledge, I know that different M3 generations had different reliability issues.

The last M3 I test-drove (though it was several years ago), right out of the factory, sitting on the lot, had intermittently-defective power-driver's seat-motors (it took almost 30 minutes of control-jiggling to get the seat where I wanted it), and a center arm-rest in the back seat that pulled right out of the seat itself and dropped down on the floor (somebody at the plant taking to many coffee-breaks). But Good Night, once I did get that seat where I wanted it, would that car handle....it was amazing. Among sedans, at the time, I think only the Mitsubishi Evo was in that same handling league...and the Evo paid even more of a penalty in ride comfort than the M3. An Evo over bumps was like a go-kart over railroad tracks.

 

[TripleL]

Car is fantastic, I cannot wait to see one in person!

 

[IS-SV]

I enjoyed that, always sounds nice in enclosed area.

 

[CIF]

The last M3 I test-drove (though it was several years ago), right out of the factory, sitting on the lot, had intermittently-defective power-driver's seat-motors (it took almost 30 minutes of control-jiggling to get the seat where I wanted it), and a center arm-rest in the back seat that pulled right out of the seat itself and dropped down on the floor (somebody at the plant taking to many coffee-breaks). But Good Night, once I did get that seat where I wanted it, would that car handle....it was amazing. Among sedans, at the time, I think only the Mitsubishi Evo was in that same handling league...and the Evo paid even more of a penalty in ride comfort than the M3. An Evo over bumps was like a go-kart over railroad tracks.

Yes, handling attributes are well-known for older BMWs (but the newest BMW models have lost their handling edge). The issues you mention during your test drive are absolutely inexcusable IMHO, for a car at that price level, and that class of performance luxury. Such issues would be automatic deal-breakers for me.

 

[mmcartalk]

Yes, handling attributes are well-known for older BMWs (but the newest BMW models have lost their handling edge).

I agree with you on that...older BMWs were classic driver-centered products. I haven't had much personal experience with some of the newer ones, but, in general, reviews on them have not been as good as on the older ones.

The issues you mention during your test drive are absolutely inexcusable IMHO, for a car at that price level, and that class of performance luxury. Such issues would be automatic deal-breakers for me.

Back when I test-drove that M3, BMW's, though worshipped by the sport-oriented community, were also known for electrical gremlins...even in the more expensive models like the M-series. When the X5 first debuted, for example, BMW had to replace some expensive engines and other components because the cooling fans crapped out, overheated the engines, and caused some fires.

I don't want to get too far off-topic, though...the GS-F's engine.