For the new model year, Lexus Australia has rolled out the Japanese firm’s Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system as standard on the RC-F sports car and GS-F sedan. AVS, or adaptive dampers to the rest of us, adjusts, monitors, and controls the damping force required on each wheel based on driver input and road conditions.
The AVS uses several sensors at once to optimise the damping required. The setup keeps the car composed and flat in situations where a lesser-specced vehicle may lean and pitch, like during hard cornering or heavy acceleration. The AVS can be fine-tuned to the driver using the Drive Mode Select, which cycles through four modes (Eco, Normal, Sport S, and Sport+) based on preference.
The first three modes will see the F-cars lean more toward comfort, while still providing the best stability possible. But in Sport+, everything gets dialled up to 11, with outright performance as top priority. It even mucks about with the engine and steering, giving drivers a more focused feel.
Aside from the AVS, 2017MY GS-F & RC-F cars get new hues, with grey for the sedan and black for the coupe. There are also new alloy wheels with a twin-7 spoke design, bearing a machine finish. No changes to the 5.0-litre V8 under the bonnet of both cars.
Prices go up though, with the sedan seeing a $2,000 price hike, while the coupe jacks up the asking price to $3,000. We’re told, however, that the range-topping RC-F Carbon, which comes with a suite of driver assistance tech and an excellent Mark Levinson sound system, sees a massive $9,000 jump in asking price.
The GS-F is now listed at $153,540, with an additional $2,960 needed for semi-aniline leather. The Lexus RC-F starts at $138,240, with the Carbon model demanding an additional $9,067.
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