2015 Lexus GS F Spy Photos: COMING SOON...

What It Is: Lexus’s next high-performance F model. It’s based on the current GS mid-size luxury sedan and is captured here wearing almost no camouflage. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the GS F, which will join the RC F in the sporty corner of Lexus showrooms next year—we spotted the car nearly uncovered more than a year ago, and a Japanese magazine also furnished convincing images and info around the same time.

Why It Matters: The GS F is an important addition to Lexus’s magazine of ammo, as it finally establishes the brand in the high-performance mid-size sedan segment. For the first time, Lexus will have something to lob at the BMW M5, Cadillac CTS-V, and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG. Just as important, the GS F will be among the marquee debuts of the 2015 Detroit auto show. As of this writing, Lexus has released two teaser images of the GS F—sans stick-on camouflage, of course—ahead of the big reveal. The GS F won’t be the newest kid on this particular high-po block, however, as Cadillac is expected to pull the covers off of the 2016 CTS-V at Detroit, too.

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Platform: Like its peers, the GS F borrows heavily from its pedestrian sibling, in this case the GS sedan that was redesigned for 2013. That car’s rear-drive architecture will be stiffened and fitted with a firmer suspension, and the body will gain wider fender flares and receive serious aerodynamic attention. The F model also looks to get a meaner front fascia that riffs off of the RC F’s with its sharply diving hoodline and three-dimensional grille. Everything forward of the GS F’s A-pillar looks to be unique, including the vented front fenders and hood. Viewed from behind, the GS F’s only giveaways are its F-signature stacked exhaust outlets, a tiny diffuser, and a neatly integrated lip spoiler. We can’t imagine this prototype’s off-the-shelf mesh wheels will carry over to the production car—especially given the RC F’s wild rolling stock—but the gigantic, slotted brake rotors behind them certainly will.

Powertrain: When we first learned of the GS F, the initial thought was that it would pack 459 horsepower. Yet the 5.0-liter V-8 destined for the GS F makes 467 horsepower and 389 lb-ft of torque in the RC F, and the GS F’s position above that car should be reason enough to expect something like 500 horsepower. Whatever the final output, it will spin the rear tires through an eight-speed automatic transmission; sorry, Save the Manuals fans, but it’s highly unlikely that there will be a manual transmission option.

Competition: BMW M5, Cadillac CTS-V, Jaguar XFR, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.

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