While competitors fall all over themselves releasing new crossovers and variants of existing crossovers and crossovers that shouldn’t even be crossovers, Lexus decided instead to update one of their worst-selling cars with a limited-edition hardcore track package.
I love it.
After enduring the wave of criticism that launched the RC F, when media and consumers alike called the coupe fat and expensive and underpowered and unable to compete against the Ms and AMGs of the world, Lexus shaved off 176 pounds for the new Track edition, revamped the engine and transmission, reworked the entire front suspension, and developed a bespoke tire with Michelin.
And I love it.
As luxury automotive design leans more conservative and the front grille becomes the only place for designers to express themselves and everything descends into blandness, Lexus goes hog-wild with garish exposed carbon-fiber and slaps a GIANT wing on the trunk lid.
Still, I love it.
The Lexus RC F Track Edition is absolutely the wrong car at the wrong time, it defies all logic and should have died in that first proposal meeting. Lexus regional offices around the world should have pushed back until the RC F Track Edition withered away to nothing, screaming about the need for new crossovers and the misuse of development funds. This coupe should not exist.
But it does, and I love it.
The RC F Track Edition is only available in two colors (Ultra White & new Matte Nebula Gray). It will likely cost an arm and a leg with all its carbon fiber and carbon ceramic brakes and Alcantara insides. Lexus USA only expects to see 60 units in total for 2019. Every additional fact makes it feel more and more ridiculous.
Regardless, I love it.
This is not a car that will set the world on fire, but it is a signal flare that Lexus has no plans to give up on the RC F just yet. The critics could have stifled any hope, the engineers could have been railroaded, upper management could have moved on from the coupe with little resistance. Instead, Lexus applied their trademark Kaizen principle of constant improvement and refactored the hell out of the RC F.
Sometimes, things don’t have to make sense. Sometimes, desire overrides logic. Sometimes, you see a car like the RC F Track Edition with its messy messaging and unclear future and you remember why you fell in love with cars in the first place.
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