A great driving experience

The luxury division of Lexus has long been fighting hard against German rivals like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, in all of the segments it is present in.

While most of the competition is in the saloon segment, Lexus has been challenging the Germans with fire-breathing cars like the IS F and the mighty LFA.

Production of the LFA has ended, with 500 units being built, and Lexus has decided to continue the tradition with the RC F, which is a more affordable model compared to its predecessor.

And while the IS F is a sedan that competes against the likes of the BMW M3, the RC F will be going up against the M4 in the coupe category.

An official launch event isn’t happening for the RC F in Thailand, although according to Lexus executives, orders can be placed for the car, which would be sold in the Bt10-12 million neighbourhood.

I got a chance to drive the RC F (and the base RC model) some time back in a test drive event held in New York, and had mixed feelings about the car.

Seeing the real car for the first time, I felt that the awesome exterior design instantly draws attention with its futuristic sportiness. I’m not a fan of the Lexus spindle grille design for the front end, but this really looks good on the RC F, while the headlight design is also super cool. Wheels are dark 19-inch BBS rims with low profile tyres, giving the car a serious stance.

It’s not difficult getting in and out of the cockpit, and the seats are nice and cuppy. The interior design isn’t as striking as the exterior, although you can be sure the quality of materials and craftsmanship is amongst the best in the world.

There is a choice of interior trims available for the RC F and while many look great (such as the manly carbon trim), some look kind of a flowery and strange.

The RC F is a two-plus-two car, which means that two normal-sized humans can sit in front and two small-sized humans (perhaps canine) can sit at the back. Nevertheless, when on seats up front you don’t feel cramped and the visibility is great.

The equipment level is several pages long – it comes with everything ranging from multi-information display that not only shows the regular information like fuel consumption and driving range, but also consist of a lap timer, torque distribution, G-force, rear wing position and tyre pressure, to all sorts of luxury features.

And of course there’s a Mark Levinson system option delivering high-end sound quality.

The RC F is powered by an aluminium V8 engine, which unlike the BMW, doesn’t get a turbocharger. Lexus says no problem, and the non-aspirated 32-valve powerplant is capable of pumping out a whopping 467 horsepower and 527Nm of torque, while delivering a fantastic sound along the way. Put it in manual mode and there’s an audible alert when reaching rpm limit.

It is capable of propelling the car from rest to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds. The top speed is claimed at 273km/h.

It doesn’t get a double clutch transmission like most sports cars from Europe, and mated to the V8 is a quick-shifting 8-speed automatic gearbox with steering wheel paddle shifters that made driving the car in a circuit a rather easy task.

And we did drive in a circuit called Monticello that is a beautiful but deceiving track that really puts the car’s chassis and brakes to a gruelling test.

On the way to the circuit, we had a chance to drive the RC F on public roads and it showed traits of a good track car. The suspension felt nice and stiff (oh yes, you can feel that pothole) and it handled very well. The steering was precise and well-weighted, and the RC F held on to twisty corners without showing signs of weakness.

But during the laps around the track, you can easily yearn for a little bit more oomph from that V8. There are several drive modes to choose from, including track mode, but still the suspension turns out to be a little too soft, considering you’re in a real track.

Nevertheless, the car also comes with a torque vectoring rear differential that helps it get out of corners with better traction. There are also a long list of settings for the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management and the engine/transmission that suits any type of driving, whether on the public road or in the track.

Unfortunately the RC F doesn’t get ceramic brakes and the Brembo brakes provided surprisingly doesn’t hold up too long in heavy car like the RC F (simply because it is loaded with so much equipment) running around in a circuit like Monticello, comprising ups and downs, blind corners and a sharp hairpin with maximum braking for entry.

Lexus engineers say that the RC model was designed for all levels of drivers, and in this sense it is very true. This is a car that delivers a great driving experience, with its flashy design, good handling, tons of technology and the user-friendliness of a Lexus.

 

 

Lexus RC F specs

Engine: DOHC 32-valve V8 VVT-i

Displacement: 4l969cc

Bore and stroke: 93.9 x 89.4mm

Compression ratio: 12.3:1

Max power: 467hp/7,100rpm

Max torque: 527Nm/4,800-5,600rpm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Ratios: 4.596/2.724/1.863/1.464/1.231/1.000/0.824/0.685

0-100km/h: 4.5 secs

Top speed: 273km/h

Suspension (f/r): double wishbone, stabilizer/multi-link, stabiliser

Steering: electrically-powered rack and pinion

Turning circle: 10.8 metres

Brakes (f/r): vented disc/vented disc

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 4,704

Width: 1,844

Height: 1,389

Wheelbase: 2.730

Track (f/r): 1,555/1,560

Weight: 1,795kgs

Wheels: 19-in alloy

Tires: 255/35 R19 (front)/275/35 R19 (rear)

Fuel tank capacity: 65 litres

Price: n/a