Odd things happen at the drag strip, and this time around, we’re not talking about donks going against Hellcats and Demons or the traditional quarter-mile world record in this or that Pro class. Instead, how do you feel about a V8 sedan-focused encounter that gets interrupted by footage of a Ski-Doo snowmobile going for timeless ET glory?
Over time, we have grown fond of the Drag Racing and Car Stuff YouTube channel because of its tendency to present unexpected things. Those include SRT8 Jeeps doing the monkey business as they attempt to climb the Christmas tree after a failed burnout or a 2JZ-Swapped Fox Body Mustang nailing both the save and race win after huge wheelie. And just about everything in between.
As far as we can tell, the good folks behind the channel are also fond of the unexpected sedan racer and this time around brought us the sights of a fourth-generation Lexus GS (a.k.a. the Grand Sport or Grand Sedan). It’s no ordinary model, though, as we’re dealing with a refreshed GS of the F variety. Another example of a performance sedan gone to seek its fortune on greener pastures, the GS F was present at the strip alongside its owner for the very first time.
Given their inaugural runs, the ETs and trap speeds weren’t too shabby at all. Unlike other D.R.A.C.S. footage, we’re given extensive walkarounds and even some owner presentations of the feature, so we’ll just put on the time stamps for skipping to the action parts. Aside from some solo runs (1:50 and 9:55), the GS F also tests its mettle against an S197 Mustang at the 2:45 mark and a Mercedes-AMG GT from the 13:40 minute count.
The day (and night) brings mixed results, with the Japanese sedan besting from afar the American opponent with a best-off 12.64s/112.4 mph (181 kph) result against the ‘Stang’s 13s flat run. On the other hand, the German rival delivers an even larger 11.1 to 12.8-second gap to make sure there’s a lesson to be learned.
But, folks, each of the three cars was bested by something else entirely (albeit in a solo run). That’s because at the 3:32 mark, we’re bewildered to check out someone riding a Ski-Doo snowmobile! And that thing that dropped the front skis in favor of a set of minuscule wheels manages a very impressive run of 10.91 seconds!
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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