The 2021 Lexus RC is a rugged and modern four-person sports coupe available in a track-ready V8 trim.
Once your eyes go beyond the bold, busy front end, the 2021 Lexus RC presents a charming profile. It’s comfortable and supports the two front passengers, but the rear seat only realistically accommodates children, so it works like a sports car, with the rear seat folded down for cargo.
The downside of RC is that it’s flexible; With 3 motors available, it can be as rugged as you need it to be. The base turbo-4 produces 241 horsepower, a V6 produces 311 horsepower, and a giant V8 produces 472 horsepower. The RC has rear-wheel drive, with an all-wheel drive option. There are two transmissions, a 6-speed or 8-speed automatic.
For 2021, there is a new Black Line special edition, which will be produced in a limited series of just 350 cars; it’s based on the F Sport styling with V-6 and adaptive suspension. Plus, for 2021, each and every RC becomes popular with blind-spot monitors with rear cross-traffic alerts and heated external mirrors.
The rear-wheel-drive RC 300’s turbo-4 is rated by the EPA of 21 mpg city, 31 highway and 25 combined mpg. With the V6 and all-wheel drive, you get 19/26/22 mpg. The V-8 scores 16/24/19 mpg.
The 2021 Lexus RC has not been tested by the NHTSA, but the IIHS earned a “Good” rating in all six of its crash tests.
Standard protection on the 2021 RC also includes Active Lane Control, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Overhead Lights and Blind Spot Monitors with Rear Cross Traffic Alerts. The optional protective apparatus includes parking sensors and triple-beam LED headlights on the V-8-equipped model. Model F.
For $43,245, the basic RC three hundred is well-equipped with power-adjustable artificial leather seats, a 7. 0-inch demo screen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/Amazon Alexa compatibility, a 10-speaker audio system for the CD player, and a touchpad interface. The main option is a package that includes a 10. 3-inch demo screen and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.
For $50,645, the RC 350 F Sport comes with the V6 engine, heated and cooled bucket seats, a distinctive grille and attractive dark 19-inch wheels. The wheeled model adds $1,600. The Black Line Edition adds about $1,100.
For $68,450, the RC F is the high-performance model, with its V-8 engine. A Fuji Speedway Edition with brakes and carbon-ceramic braces prepares you for the track.
A 4-year/50,000-mile warranty includes a scheduled warranty for one year or 10,000 miles.
After a few years on the road, the RC’s large hourglass grill will invade us. There’s still a lot to consider, in combination with the RC’s teardrop-shaped air intakes and warmongering headlights that point to the crease along the sides of the car.
Protrusions and teeth are located along the body. The profile is accentuated by a long wheelbase, a low stance and a muscular rear end.
This rear trim is oversized on the high-performance RC F, which also sports stacked quad tailpipes. Adding to its power is giant 19-inch BBS wheels, side air curtains, and an air vent on the hood to cool the big V-8.
The sumptuous interior has very good compatibility and finish, with artificial leather and wood accents as standard. And there’s a lot to cram into the busy dashboard, whose center console holds every single tool imaginable, starting with a tachometer that can slide into the middle position in the tool pool. The panel includes a haptic slider for temperature controls, dials for volume and adjustment, buttons for climate control, and a console touchpad for controlling infotainment.
The front seats just to the right are comfortable and lively, with corporate leather and ArrayRed lumbar and an Alcantara headliner are optional, while aluminum sport pedals and heated and cooled seats come with the F Sport.
The 60/40 split rear seats have so little legroom that you can fold them down as well. This expands the trunk, which isn’t very large either, to just 10. 4 cubic feet.
The base RC 300 engine is a 2. 0-liter turbo-4 with 241 hp. It is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 7. 3 seconds. After a momentary delay, the 258 lb-ft of torque seems strong at 1,650 rpm, but at cruising speed, it takes a few paddle shifters on the 8-speed automatic transmission to make competitive overtakes.
The 3. 5-liter V6 makes 260 hp and comes with a 6-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, and can hit 60 mph in 6. 3 seconds. That’s a huge leap in acceleration, especially for a car that weighs about 3,800 pounds behind. – Wheel transmission.
The RC 350 uses either the 8-speed all-wheel-drive transmission or the 6-speed transmission with all-wheel drive, but its 3. 5-liter V6 is tuned to produce 311 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. Engine worth the additional cost of $3,000 as it reduces the time from 0 to 60 mph to 5. 8 seconds in rear-wheel drive or 6. 0 seconds in all-wheel drive.
But the RC F elevates this car to the prestige of a primary sports coupe. Its 472-horsepower, 5. 0-liter V8 makes 395 lb-ft of torque and hits 60 mph in 4. 2 seconds, stats that can’t be disputed. It’s rear-wheel drive only, comes with the 8-speed automatic transmission with manual mode, and has a limited-slip rear differential to optimize cornering and grip.
There’s also an RC F Fuji Speedway Edition with a carbon-fiber spoiler and Brembo ceramic brakes that hits 60 mph in 4. 0 seconds.
Manoeuvrability in each and every edition of the RC is safe. The independent suspension with double wishbone at the front and multi-link setup at the rear adapts well enough to road situations and weight transfers to ride smoothly and stand firm in a more competitive ride.
The F Sport’s adaptive dampers can make the ride even smoother and more accompanied. The F Sport uses 19-inch alloy wheels and low-profile summer tires, and has additional Sport S and Sport S driving modes that speed up throttle reaction and keep driving company. steering and suspension. With its V-8 exhaust and heavy front end, the RC F is a reminder that the movements of muscular cars are only the prerogative of American brands.
The 2021 Lexus RC can be a discounted price when it comes to luxury coupes, or it can be a fierce and expensive track tool. We’d go to either extreme: there’s nothing to the RC 350’s powertrain and interior, and its handling and handling is excellent. The V-8 is fantastic, but it’s a special car for a specific type of driving environment.
-by Sam Moses with impressions of The Car Connection.