The new F Sport version of the Lexus LS500 is set to arrive in South Africa soon, but we’ve already unearthed local pricing for this latest variant in the Japanese brand’s luxury saloon range.
Interestingly, priced from R1 975 900, the LS500 F Sport is actually some R175 200 less expensive than the standard LS500 (which is priced from R2 151 100). Strange, but these are the figures currently listed on Lexus SA’s website.
Lexus says the F Sport version offers an “engaging driving spirit through carefully applied chassis tuning and enhancements, while still emphasising exceptional comfort”.
Exterior design features include a special front grille, “F Sport” badging on the fenders and model-specific 20-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, you’ll find front seats exclusive to the F Sport model (and trimmed in “smooth leather”) along with scored aluminium trim elements, a three-spoke F Sport steering wheel as well as a speedometer and tachometer in a movable meter with a ring that slides to display information. Alloy pedals plus an F Sport shift lever are also included.
The LS500 F Sport furthermore gains the latest generation of the Japanese firm’s “advanced chassis control”, which Lexus says implements “co-operative control” of all vehicle subsystems – braking, steering, powertrain and suspension – to adjust basic longitudinal, lateral and vertical motion as well as yaw, roll and pitch. Larger brakes, variable gear ratio steering, dynamic rear steering and sport-tuned air suspension were also listed when this model hit the global stage back in April 2017.
As with the existing LS500, power comes from a twin-turbocharged 3,5-litre V6, which delivers an unchanged 310 kW and 600 N.m to the rear axle via a ten-speed automatic transmission.
