2015 Lexus RC F

2015 Lexus RC F

  • Posted on: 18/02/2014
  • By: Author

Applied with varying degrees of success across the maker’s lineup, Lexus’s trademark spindle grille has never appeared more at home than it does on the 2015 RC F that debuts at this year’s Detroit auto show. Maybe it’s the mesh grillework, woven from countless tiny “F” emblems, or the way its lines flow through the hood and directly to the A-pillars, but the unmistakable beak has finally found its ideal body type. Subdued only slightly in comparison to the LF-CC concept’s mouthpiece, the production-spec RC F’s grille, perhaps more than anything, accurately foretells onlookers of the authority that resides behind it: a 460-hp, 5.0-liter V-8.

At that output, and producing 380 lb-ft of torque, the RC F is the most powerful production Lexus ever made that wasn’t called the LFA. The eight-cylinder backs up to an eight-speed automatic, which routes power exclusively to the rear wheels—make no mistake, Lexus’s new F model has one goal: “pure driving enjoyment,” according to Lexus deputy chief engineer and F Group manager Yukihiko Yaguchi.

Of course, there are undeniable similarities between the RC F and the standard RC. Yaguchi tells us that rather than Lexus developing the standard model first and then modifying it to meet performance targets, that the RC and the RC F were developed simultaneously. Each car had its own dedicated development team, but the standard group was given design and construction conditions so as to allow for the F model. (Even still, the raised hood and engorged fenders necessary for the fitment of the V-8 are easily spotted; that those pieces add aggression to the car’s look is a happy accident.)

The prominent ducts in the lower front fascia and aft of the wheel wells are the result of the styling team being told to handsomely incorporate functional additions, and are an F model exclusive. (Performance add-ons whose integration occurred beneath skin level include an oil cooler, body bracing, and wider tires.) The rear fascia is F specific, too, with deeply cleaved corners sitting just above stacked quad tailpipes. Lexus tells us that a carbon-fiber package will be available, which will include a roof and spoiler made from the lightweight weave, and in certain countries that aren’t abbreviated “U.S.,” a carbon-fiber hood.

A large, centrally mounted tachometer anchors the instrument cluster, and is flanked by a speedo to the right and an information screen to the left. The entire cluster changes depending on which drive mode is selected: Eco, Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus. Drivers have a bespoke, fat steering wheel to grip; rubber L-shaped stamps are stuck to the metallic pedals; and F logos are embossed on the front seats, which are wrapped in one of five available shades of leather upholstery. Yaguchi tells us that the distinctive stitching on the seats is inspired by the form-fitting base layers worn by modern athletes.

A veteran of Toyota’s Supra program, Yaguchi says that the RC F’s development team was charged with producing a high-performance model that was more flexible and confidence-inspiring than the Supra. He insists that the team was given no benchmark vehicle or target demographic, merely the blessing to “engineer a car [the team] would enjoy driving.

Despite Lexus’s non-competitive stance, it’ll be hard not t

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