Sports Sedan 0-60 Showdown: Lexus GS F vs. BMW M550i xDrive [Video]

If you’re in the market for a fast sports sedan, then you’re pretty spoiled for choice. Whatever you decide, you’re bound to get a car that’s comfortable, has all the latest tech, and puts out enough power to throw you back in your seat. When it comes to features, it can be fairly difficult to split cars in the same class apart. In this video, however, we show you that there is one area where you can split class rivals apart: speed. Today, the choice of which sports sedan to buy comes down to speed. Which one is faster: the Lexus GS F or the BMW M550i xDrive? Check out the video above to find out!

2018 Lexus GS F

The first contender in this sports sedan speed showdown: the Lexus GS F. This car makes 467 horsepower at 7,100 RPM and 389 lbs.-ft. of torque at 4,800-5,600 RPM. That high-revving power comes courtesy of a 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated V8. Even better for enthusiasts, that power is sent to the rear wheels. As our man Andre demonstrates, the GS F fires out enough power to make for some exciting burnouts, should you choose to have some fun. Under the best conditions, Lexus says the GS F can get from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.

TFLcar’s tests at IMI Motorsports Complex in Dacono, Colorado take place one mile above sea level. Bearing that in mind, both cars are going to struggle a bit more than they would under optimum conditions. In the end, the Lexus makes the 0-60 run in 5.54 seconds, per our tests. That’s nearly a second slower than Lexus’ claimed lap time, likely due to the elevation and the fact that the GS F’s power and torque come at the top end of the rev range. On the other hand, the Lexus is a winner for driver involvement and burnout action, since it is rear-wheel drive.

For more on the Lexus GS F, head over to this TFLcar review!

2018 BMW M550i xDrive

The BMW M550i xDrive comes into the came slightly down on the Lexus GS F in terms of power. It’s 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 churns out 456 horsepower at 5,500 – 6,000 RPM and 480 lbs.-ft. of torque at a much lower 1,800 RPM. While you can get the most out of the Lexus high up in the rev band, this car is more of a brute in terms of its power delivery. Unlike the Lexus, the M550i xDrive is all-wheel drive. So, while there may be less tail-out action, the BMW can make better traction of the line for acceleration runs. According to BMW, the M550i xDrive can make it to 60 in 4.3 seconds.

In the sprint for sports sedan glory, the M550i also wades into battle with a 300 pound weight disadvantage over the Lexus. However, despite that and making less power, the BMW rockets to 60 in 4.4 seconds. It’s the clear winner over the GS F, due to the fact that it has great low-down torque, as well as all-wheel drive traction off the line. Its turbochargers also helped make up the power loss that hinders the naturally-aspirated GS F at altitude.

If you’d like to see more of the BMW, check out this review!

Which Sports Sedan to Have

In this particular test, the BMW M550i is clearly faster to 60 than the Lexus GS F. However, were we testing at sea level, these cars may have been a lot closer in terms of acceleration. Despite the result, the Lexus GS F may appeal to some folks over the BMW, as it is a more involving experience. Let’s face it, rear-wheel drive engagement and burnouts never really go out of style. Then again, others may prefer the off-the-line acceleration and grip of the all-wheel drive M550i.

Which of these two would you prefer? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to subscribe to The Fast Lane Car on YouTube and check back for more news, views, and sports sedan reviews!