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From the road to the track
Explore the market and locate that, between luxury sports sedans and coupes, only Lexus and Genesis have kept the V-8 natural suction alive. Imagine telling someone 20 years ago that the free-breathing Lexus V-8 would outperform those of BMW, Cadillac and Mercedes. But that’s where we are, and the RC F 2020 is even better.
This is, of course, the result of Lexus’ fear of 3 things: high-demand engines, new generation and the relentless upgrade cycle practiced through its competitors. The Germans, The British and the Americans did a steam iteration after an iteration of turbocharged V-8s, six supercharged and 4 overloaded. But Lexus stands firm, promoting more and more cars with its familiar 3.5-liter atmospheric V-6 and keeping its glorious 5.0-liter V8 N/A silent.
This is also evident elsewhere. The worst facets of RC F come from its age and the strange trace of its development. In a way, it’s a Frankenstein creation, with torn foundations from the existing GS, the existing IS, and the past generation’s convertible IS. Its gearbox is the old eight-speed Aisin automatic, not the new 10-speed gearbox located on the LC 500. Its interior, which is not impressive when it debuted five years ago, remains virtually unchanged.
In practical terms, this means that infotainment is exasperating; Finding a station on the satellite radio or converting the vehicle configuration is a huge task. CarPlay works, however, since the board demo is rarely very sensitive to touch (yes, really), you’re stuck with the nerve and vague touchpad controller. And because the bulbous interior is controlled by plastics, the cab doesn’t seem suitable for a $65,000 car.
Too bad, because the RC F I drove had another $24,000 in options, which raised the total value to $89,960. This puts it inside the territory of the BMW M4, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and the Mercedes-AMG C63. All these cars have more charming interiors, even if the quality of the Alfa leaves something to be desired.
Most importantly, those cars are sharper and lighter than the Lexus. The challenge is not just the weight. The LC 500 beats the RC RC 3902 lb, but feels calmer and more accurate. The challenge is that the suspension, chassis, brakes and transmission have not been adjusted to cope with the mass. Despite the huge Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 255 /35R-19 tyres at the front and 275/35R-19 at the rear, the RC F is not as solid under violent brakes or as inspiring in corners as sports sedans.
The transmission, left to its own devices, is ready to mount the reports and indecisive on secondary roads. The gear settings are fast, but combined with a lazy throttle reaction in Normal or Sport mode, the transmission makes the RC F feel slow in the city. Some of that is real; The RC F V-8 cannot be adjusted to the torque or force of a C63 or M4, with slower times from 0 to 60 and quarter mile.
But even if it doesn’t provide offline acceleration that accelerates the pulse of a German sports sedan, 5.0 offers much more commitment. Blows and roars on its 7300 rpm red line, delivering 385 lb-ft of torque and 472 horsepower as directly as possible. It’s to settle on the road, accentuating the RC F’s wonderful tourist prowess, while barking alive with two clicks of the left paddle.
The other dynamic magic comes from the torque vector differential, an optional update compared to the popular limited slippage. This allows the RC F to provide more force to the outdoor wheel in one lap, getting a better guide reaction and making the most of traction. If left in Track or Slalom mode, particularly improved turns, helping the car turn around corners and make its way. It’s helping to make up for the car’s lifeweight bias.
Taken alone, the torque vector motor and differential are exceptional elements that would be very useful for any car. In general, however, the RC F does not live up to its maximum production components. Driving is adamant enough to remove giant tourism from your skill list, however, suspension, guidance and brakes can feel replaced on the most entertaining roads. The engine is a masterpiece, but is retained through a transmission that does not know what to do, bolted to a car whose weight decreases each other’s response. The Lexus would possibly end up being the most reliable long-term car in its segment, and in fact has the most attractive engine, however, the RC F cannot offer the overall dexterity we expect from a sports coupe of approximately $90,000.
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