Right now, Lexus makes only two real F models, with powerful engines, and a whole bunch of cars with the F Sport look but not the grunt.
Judging just by the badge, the M550i shouldn't be a match. It's an M Performance model, just like the M240i. But that badge also reveals that there's a V8 under the hood. So the competition is fair, right?
Well, we kind of expected the Lexus GS F to lose because it's a lot slower than the outgoing M5. Thanks to its AWD system and M tuning bits, the M550i is now the fastest version of the 5 Series ever made, at least when it comes to off-the-line sprints.
By now, you already know that TFL likes to test at a mile above sea level. That means there's less oxygen in the air, which usually influences the outcome of races. But the M550i crushes the GS F in such a convincing way that we know it will be faster anywhere in the world... except for manybe around a track.
We really think that a rolling race would have revealed Lexus still has an edge. After all, the 4.4-liter BMW engine makes just 456 horsepower while the 5.0-liter in the Lexus produces 467-hp. Plus it's a whole lot lighter!
Sooner or later, Lexus is going to have its own twin-turbo V8 engine. We don't know if they will ever go down the AWD road. Many people say that the Japanese automaker is the only one with old-school driving thrills that aren't channeled through selectable modes or electronic nannies.
We think the M550i is the least unique M Performance model yet built. I mean, the M240i has those cool seats and the same number of turbochargers as the M2. The M760Li, meanwhile, is the only Bimmer with a V12 (save for the 760Li sister model, obviously). That said, it's kind of a V8 performance bargain.
Well, we kind of expected the Lexus GS F to lose because it's a lot slower than the outgoing M5. Thanks to its AWD system and M tuning bits, the M550i is now the fastest version of the 5 Series ever made, at least when it comes to off-the-line sprints.
By now, you already know that TFL likes to test at a mile above sea level. That means there's less oxygen in the air, which usually influences the outcome of races. But the M550i crushes the GS F in such a convincing way that we know it will be faster anywhere in the world... except for manybe around a track.
We really think that a rolling race would have revealed Lexus still has an edge. After all, the 4.4-liter BMW engine makes just 456 horsepower while the 5.0-liter in the Lexus produces 467-hp. Plus it's a whole lot lighter!
Sooner or later, Lexus is going to have its own twin-turbo V8 engine. We don't know if they will ever go down the AWD road. Many people say that the Japanese automaker is the only one with old-school driving thrills that aren't channeled through selectable modes or electronic nannies.
We think the M550i is the least unique M Performance model yet built. I mean, the M240i has those cool seats and the same number of turbochargers as the M2. The M760Li, meanwhile, is the only Bimmer with a V12 (save for the 760Li sister model, obviously). That said, it's kind of a V8 performance bargain.