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2014 Lexus RC Information


There’s going to be a lot of new information on the Lexus RC over the next few days — I’ll have a full live photo gallery and an interview with RC chief engineer Junichi Furuyama shortly — but let’s start with the press release and a collection of official photos.


Lexus RC in Silver

  • Striking Concept-to-Reality Coupe to Launch in 2014
  • Development Focus on Body Rigidity Ensures Agile Performance
  • New Lexus Dedicated Coupe with the Most Aggressive use yet of the Iconic Spindle Grille
  • New Remote Touch Interface Implements Intuitive Touch-Sensitive Design
  • New Generation Technologies and Advanced Manufacturing Techniques Utilized in Vehicle Development

Lexus unveiled its striking new production-ready RC coupe, scheduled for launch in 2014, at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. The RC raises Lexus’ profile with a broader audience, injecting emotional appeal into the Lexus DNA which has become well known for building quality, refinement and reliability.

Lexus RC Full Red

“Our focus is to strengthen the brand’s emotional appeal through our products and RC is another demonstration of this focus,” said Mark Templin, Lexus International executive vice president. “The emotional attachment of a coupe is found in its purity of design and its engaging driving experience, and with RC the engineers have achieved the balance.”

“We developed RC to deliver extra response that exhilarates rather than overwhelms drivers, in keeping with the true spirit of Japanese hospitality, or omotenashi.,” noted Junichi Furuyama, RC and IS chief engineer.

RC is part of a ride and handling revolution at Lexus, which started with GS mid-size luxury sedan and continued with the new IS sport sedan. The RC is a stand-alone model, rather than a two-door derivative of a sedan. Based on the GS platform, the coupe differs in all dimensions from the GS and IS lines.

The aggressively styled coupe will be available with two powertrains:3.5-liter V6 teamed with an eight-speed sequential transmission and 2.5-liter Lexus Hybrid Drive system.

Design Exterior

Lexus RC Silver Side

The RC has been infused with deeply contoured lines, integrating the widest and lowest application yet of the Lexus spindle grille. It is unique in the Lexus range – 1.2-inches wider, 1.4-inches lower and 2.8-inches shorter in wheelbase than the new IS sedan, providing a road stance that emphasizes the attraction of a luxury two-door vehicle.

Lexus RC Headlight 1

Lexus RC Headlight 2

The unique headlamp design adopts the symbolic Lexus L-shaped motif front and rear. There are two choices of aluminum wheels – a deeply sculpted 10-spoke 19-inch and a muscular five-spoke 18-inch.

A new red exterior paint color is made brighter and shows more contrast thanks to a new painting process.

Design Interior

Acclaimed sports concept vehicles have greatly influenced the RC interior, making maximum use of contrasting colors, materials and lighting.

A purpose-built Lexus-first lighting package provides a great sense of occasion, with illumination that reflects upwards, rather than downwards, to envelop the cabin. High contrast interior colors emphasize design lines and accentuate the elegant cabin. Genuine shimamoku wood highlights – the result of an intense, layered wood production technique refined by Lexus – are used to emphasize the surrounding trim.

2014 Lexus RC Interior

The driver’s cockpit is divided into operational and display zones. The upper zone houses the instrument panel and a seven-inch navigation screen while a layered center console integrates a new Lexus-first Remote Touch Interface.

The seats utilize an integrated foaming construction method, much like the molding of racing seats, to ensure optimum occupant comfort and support which is important in a sport coupe.

Driving Dynamics

The RC’s strong and purpose-built chassis is the latest evolution of Lexus’ objective to achieve a world class driving experience, epitomized by the improved performance of both the GS and IS lines.

Extra thick underbody rocker panels greatly increase the two-door’s rigidity to support driving performance. New manufacturing techniques pioneered in the LS and IS models, including the use of body adhesives, have strengthened the chassis.

Aerodynamic aids, especially on the underbody, contribute to the handling package.

RC uses double wishbone front suspension and multi-link suspension at the rear.

Powertrains

Lexus RC Engine

The dual injection 3.5-liter V6 gas engine produces maximum power of 314 hp at 6,400 rpm, and peak torque of 280 lb.-ft. at4,800 rpm.

An eight-speed Sport Direct Shift with paddle shift transmission adapted from the ISF performance sedan optimizes power delivery and fuel economy. In manual (M) mode full torque converter lock up from second to eighth gears allows for down changes in just 0.2 seconds.

Lexus Engine

The hybrid variant – the first Lexus hybrid coupe – uses a dual-injected 2.5-liter four cylinder engine with a 105kW electric motor driven through an electronic continuously variable transmission with six step gears in a sequential shift-matic feature.

The RC coupe will be offered in rear wheel drive and all-weather drive (AWD), however availability will vary by market.

The sound generated by the engine has been tuned to ensure it delivers a stirring exhaust note under spirited driving conditions.

Advanced Technology

2014 Lexus RC Interior

The RC offers several advanced technology features including an updated Spot Monitor and new Remote Touch Interface (RTI).

RC is the first Lexus to adopt the revised Blind Spot Monitor system which detects vehicles that are approaching from behind at a higher speed and from a greater distance than is covered by the current system.

The innovative touch-sensitive Lexus Remote Touch Interface for audio and navigation systems is particularly important in a coupe in which tactile reaction is a desirable part of the driving experience.

Lexus RC: First GenerationPhoto Galleries
Comments
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    Dave C
  • November 20, 2013
Fingers crossed for a reasonable price point.
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      Clubae86
    • November 21, 2013
    As Lexus has stated in the Specs. It's kind of a Love child born by using both IS and GS parts bin. So starting price for the RC350 should be a bit more than the IS and less than the GS. That would make sense right? I wonder if there will be a RC250 variant like the IS thou. So around $41K-$45K ish? USD This is not official Lexus prices only pure guess of mine. I can't see it going much more than that.
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    jkobb
  • November 20, 2013
EXCITED!!!!
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    k3vo
  • November 20, 2013
Does "Striking Concept-to-Reality Coupe to Launch in 2014" mean that some of the features on the cars shown will not make it to production (Like the LED headlights)?
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      jerry
    • November 20, 2013
    I think "concept to reality coupe" is referring to the car's origins as a concept car (LF-CC). The car in the pictures above is the production car.
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    ApplesX
  • November 20, 2013
No information on a F-Sport? I find it odd that the IS was first shown off in F-Sport trim, but the coupe is not.
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      jordan
    • November 20, 2013
    i think maybe they wanted to showcase the hybrid platform, then in January when the RC F is shown it has a more extreme impact. but who knows
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    Сафиуллина-Мохамед Ибрагимов
  • November 20, 2013
That's pure amazing So now all the universe waiting for the IS-F Nice job Toyoda San We waiting for the supra
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    justin
  • November 20, 2013
at least they gave it a bit more power...
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    matisse
  • November 20, 2013
Can you please update us with engine options in Europe?
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    05RollaXRS
  • November 20, 2013
Cool to hear it got a significant power boost. 314 HP sounds quite nice for a sports coupe naturally aspirated from the 3.5 Liter V6. That is 90 HP/Liter naturally aspirated. I hope it will be high-revving as well revving up to 7500 - 7800 rpm. That would be sweet.
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    BlackDynamiteOnline
  • November 20, 2013
Looks better in Silver, but still a major disappointment..... BD
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      F1orce
    • November 20, 2013
    I don't see the issue. As the actual car looks better than the concept.
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    • R
      RAL
    • November 20, 2013
    The LF-CC retains L-Finesse whereas the RC tries too hard and fails.
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      Thomas
    • November 21, 2013
    RC isnt based on the LF-CC.
    D
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      ddfdf
    • November 21, 2013
    Yes, it is!
    K
    • K
    • November 21, 2013
    ? Of course the RC is based on the LF-CC.
    S
    • S
      sdsdxs
    • November 21, 2013
    Right! LF-CC was much more smother.
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    OlFius
  • November 20, 2013
Still a bit disappointed, it's not what I expected for a total new introduction. The rear is ok, but the front... Every time I look at these pictures, I think to myself: go to Lexus website, select the RC Car Configurator. Starting with the basic setup, these pictures, select the option 'F Sport' and select the wheels of the LF-CC. That's better ! And how does the rear looks like (of the RC300h) ? Probably without the exhausts. I'm curious to see it.
    O
    • O
      OlFius
    • November 21, 2013
    And the RC300h has exhausts !!! And that looks good ! Strange, why is this not possible for the IS300h ?
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    Bobby
  • November 20, 2013
I find it pretty awesome, definitely a car that grew on me. Bravo Lexus. But I'd be the market for an F -Sport or full F so let's see that!
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    MT
  • November 21, 2013
The only bad thing is the 300h. This car looks like an insanely fast car. And then it takes 9 seconds 0-60. I really have hoped for a 450h.
    M
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      mike
    • November 21, 2013
    That is the point: balancing act is not over between performance and economy.
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    Matt
  • November 21, 2013
Looks amazing but dissapointed it didn't get the 12" screen from the GS and also the IS F Sport cluster. Hopefully available on models in the range
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    asdub
  • November 21, 2013
wow both inside and out!!

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