That’s good news for Lexus, as the previous IS F sedan has been replaced by the new RC F coupe, which the company aims directly at the BMW M4. In the past, only V-8–powered four-door sedans were allowed to compete in the series, but it may be opened to different body styles and engine types. Hanley said that Lexus approached the organizers of the V8 Supercars competition, and that “high-level discussions” are being conducted. This news comes from Down Under website CarAdvice, who spoke with Lexus Australia chief Sean Hanley on the occasion of the local RC launch. As far as racing goes, it doesn’t get much more bad-ass than that. Now we hear Lexus could compete in the Australian V8 Supercars series. The F models appeared, then came the awesome LFA. But the Japanese company is through being thought of solely as the perfect brand for green-minded soccer moms. Toyota’s luxury brand had more unassuming beginnings, of course, as the first LS was the ultimate in luxury at its time and the RX was among the first premium crossovers. It brings character and stonking V8 performance to an otherwise conservative Lexus range and, while its appeal against its proven rivals will hinge on price – Lexus Oz warns it will carry a hefty premium over the old $130,000 IS F – the RC F proves an exciting Lexus is no longer an oxymoron.Lexus is reveling in its darker side. It’s not perfect, then, but like the IS F before it, the RC F offers a real alternative to its proven German rivals. And while an intuitive remote touch interface replaces Lexus’s old, clumsy mouse-operated infotainment system, the RC misses out on new technology found in the coming NX, such as remote phone charging and an electric park brake (RC owners have to make do with a dated foot brake). The cabin feels premium and solidly screwed together, but its conventional layout is somehow disappointing given the RC F’s vivid exterior styling. Inside, F-specific bucket seats hug the driver, while Lexus’s reputation for quality is evident. The gearbox is seamless and unobtrusive around town, yet sharp enough when you point the RC F at a track, even though it’s not as fast or intuitive as a dual-clutch. It’s quick, too, hustling the RC F’s not inconsiderable 1800kg from 0-100km/h in 4.4sec. It’s an old-school donk with none of the M4’s futuristic urgency or low-down punch, but that only adds to its character. It barks on start-up and, while lacking torque down low, get it above 2500rpm and it pulls sweetly and cleanly all the way to the 7300rpm cut-out. It might be old, but the big, snarling V8 is a highlight. Translate this to the road and the result is the most engaging, best handling Lexus since the LFA. Nearly all (70 percent) of the RC F’s adaptive suspension is new compared to the standard RC, it’s even more rigid thanks to additional bracing, and a limited-slip diff is standard (a torque vectoring electronic rear diff is optional). It rides on its own version of Lexus’s modular rear-drive platform, taking its nose from the GS, its centre from the IS convertible and its rear from the IS sedan. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying it has presence.ĭon’t dismiss the RC F as simply a door-two IS, though. In a world of conservative, muscular rivals, the aggressively sharp RC F is a polarising breath of fresh air. Chief engineer Yaguchi insists they are still too slow and jerky, so Lexus instead opted to mate the RC F exclusively to its ageing, yet smooth-shifting eight-speed torque-converter auto.īut if the drivetrain is nothing new, the same can’t be said of the RC F’s styling. Under low loads, the big bent-eight is the first engine in the world to slide seamlessly from the normal Otto cycle into the Atkinson cycle – a mode previously only available to hybrids – for a 12-14 percent boost in economy. It’s officially the most powerful V8 Lexus has ever built, but there are brains behind the brawn. Where the Germans utilise new, high-tech, turbocharged engines, the RC F uses the same Yamaha-tuned 5.0-litre V8 as the old IS F, tweaked to produce 351kW and 530Nm. Lexus’s approach, though, couldn’t be more different. This hard-core, V8-powered RC F changes all that.Įager to shirk its conservative, fuddy-duddy image (even Lexus calls itself a “safe brand”) the RC F not only replaces the iconic, now-defunct LFA as the company’s halo model, but boasts track-honed credentials that put it firmly in the crosshairs of the new BMW M4 and upcoming Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and Audi RS5. THE words ‘exciting’ and ‘Lexus’ usually sit together as comfortably as ‘Israel’ and ‘Palestine’.
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