1st Generation Lexus RC 300, 350, F and Track Edition Megathread

PeterF

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Hi everyone! It's been awhile since I've made any comments. Here are mine.

First, I must preface my comments by saying that I have become quite the track junkie with my 2014 911 C2S. So much so that I moved from novice to advanced with a number of track groups and am not going to start as an instructor with a motorsports group.

I was hoping for a TRUE TRACK edition version of the RC F. While I really like the way it looks, I think that they have compromised with this car by keeping too much of the luxury. If you really want to seriously track a car, then you don't care about all the cushions, stereos, infotainment system, and back seat. There is much too much extra weight on this car. I would have had 3 models / builds. The basic RC F (spruced up with some of these extras), a RC F with the additional carbon fiber and maybe a spoiler that was a little smaller than the one they have here (for those who want a car that looks like its for the track, but really don't want to drive it on the track much if at all) and a true track edition that would have more carbon fiber, no back seat, no high end stereo, only the basic safety system stuff, without the excess leather and cushions, and keep the rest on the current edition. They should have shedded more like 300-400 lbs, not 176. Also, if you want to track a car, then its not a good idea to have carbon ceramic brakes because you were go through brakes readily and these things cost way more. Have some large slotted steel/iron disks with huge pads. I'm looking for another car to add to my 911, but I won't buy this one. A Porsche GT3 and above are really too expensive, and clearly out of the RC F's league. They want the RC F track edition to compete with the BWM M4 but I bet the M4 will track better and beat it as well

The best new and exciting dude out there is the new 2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500. That car is badass and has upgraded transmission (that apparently compares with Porsche PDK in terms of fast shifts), upgraded suspension (they promise far better cornering that the GT350R), a major upgrade to the engine (now with more than 700 HP, supercharged), and other additional tech and fun. the Shelby Gt500 will likely be cheaper than the RC F track edition and it will absolutely stomp it on the track (and it looks fearsome).

I drive at up to 15 different events a year and I bet that I will never see the Lexus Track Edition on the track. I have seen an RC F once in the past 2 years and most cars beat it (911s, M4s, corvettes, high end camaros, Mustangs etc. It would beat most M3s if the driver is talented.

I think they made this "track edition" for people who want to drive a Lexus that kinda looks like a race car, with a big wing, who fantasize about driving in track event, but are not seriously interested in driving very fast and pushing the car at the kind of track events held by PCA, 10-1oths, Chin, MVP, etc.

so, I am disappointed, but not surprised. Lexus does the best job at comfort, luxury, and reliability, and the F cars are very fast, sound fantastic, look cool, but they are not built for serious track driving. Porsche has that down in spades. BMW has the M4 GTS, and Ford Performance has some serious irons in the fire with their upper end Mustangs as does Chevy with their corvettes and upper level camaros.
 

ssun30

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Here's the important question: the LC500 beat the old RC-F on track despite being a whale in size and weight. Will the refreshed RC-F (not the track edition) beat the LC500 or will GA-L prevail again?
 

Faisal Sheikh

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Here's the important question: the LC500 beat the old RC-F on track despite being a whale in size and weight. Will the refreshed RC-F (not the track edition) beat the LC500 or will GA-L prevail again?

RCF is already quicker especially with TVD. LC500 is slower both in straight line and handling because of 350 lbs, size and understeer. On one fast track, it was a full 3 second difference. LC500 is more luxurious, ofcourse. LCF would be a whole different conversation.



 
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James

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Reading some of what you guys say I'm not totally surprised that Lexus doesn't go for a top 60 time or biggest engine/HP. It's not what they are best at and they have never really gotten into lap times and fastest car. Honestly does it matter if you can go 0-60 in 3.5 seconds or 3.96...probably not to the average driver or even a sports enthusiast he cares about the car on the road. 3.96 is still fricken fast and so is the new RCF at what 4.2? I think the biggest thing is they just can't be so outclassed it's not even close. A few .1 of a second who cares but a full second slower is where the problem is. I know on one of the threads about the SUV's 0-60 is more of a problem that they will have to solve as those are starting (okay starting is probably a nice way of putting it) to get pretty far behind and without a bigger engine option in any of the SUV's big difference with some of the competitors.

On that last question from ssun30 the RCF should beat out the LC right? I mean losing that weight should only help the RCF right?

Anyway regardless of LC or RCF faster thank god we can even have that conversation! I was really worried that they were going to go back and focus on sales and improvement there on more base models. The RCF, LC and LCF or LSF if we ever get them are very important to the lineup if Lexus ever wants to even continue fighting the big 3 Germans on higher models. It's hard to break their grasp that they have with fast cars but Lexus can't stop. The last few years have shown that they want to continue so they need to stay focused that when we have a brand new RC or IS that there needs to be an F with it. People need to see them on the roads and have their heads turn. They need to be heard on the street where people are looking for that amazing sports car and be wowed with what they hear coming from a Lexus. People have the it's just a Lexus no way it can be fast or fun that's a hard mindset to change but if they want to change that mindset they have to stay the course and honestly one of Lexus's biggest gaps still is that higher engine. They have to have one of those in almost every model. You're not going to sell many but you have to expect that! Our F brand is still really young and look at what they have done so far. Not bad. But will they keep the course? I think that's the biggest question and after NAIAS it looks like it...
 

Will1991

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One of the best parts from this updated RCF is knowing what Lexus engineers are able to do and imagine what's coming for the LCF :innocent:
 

krew

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First Impressions: The Lexus RC F Track Edition

19-01-23-lexus-rc-f-track-hero-1024x571.jpg


View the original article post
 
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RAL

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I love it! I absolutely love it!! The more I look the more I want! I’ve never understood the Matt grey look and have argued with many people against it...I guess I’ve just become a hypocrite.
No, you've just changed your mind ... ;)
 

Faisal Sheikh

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The most underrated GT-sports coupe in the market

Being an RCF owner, it really is. When it came out in 2014, despite the weight difference, it was almost neck-and-neck with the M4 around the track with Randy Pobst. Over time, BMW updated the M4 with the competition package, but RCF is pretty much the same for the last 4 years with minor tweaks so it is a very welcome change to have these updates.

I got a chance to drive an M4 a few months ago and while it had much more midrange punch than my RCF, once the RCF is in high rpms, it was difficult to tell which car was quicker from a perception perspective since at high revs RCF feels like a proper 500 HP league car at high revs. Biggest let down of the M4 was the engine/noise/exhaust, which was absolutely garbage especially coming from an RCF. It is not the type of engine when your friends ask you to turn on so that they could hear the noise and you would want to proudly oblige.
 

maiaramdan

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Agree Sir,

I have another underrated Lexus the GS-F and every time I drive AMG, M or RS I start to take the surprise face , WT* happen why they always say that this is a bad one compared to the others
 

Faisal Sheikh

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Agree Sir,

I have another underrated Lexus the GS-F and every time I drive AMG, M or RS I start to take the surprise face , WT* happen why they always say that this is a bad one compared to the others

Unfortunately, RCF fell victim to a handful high profile reviewers who factually got majority of the facts wrong (Chris Harris, Doug DeMuro and Clarkson) while many very balanced reviews like these, don't seem to have the same audience outreach that these high profile reviewers do.

I am very happy Lexus did not fall for it and realized they had something really special here that needs to be updated and be made more aggressive with the new 2020 RCF/Track Edition.


 
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carguy420

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Unfortunately, RCF fell victim to a handful high profile reviewers who factually got majority of the facts wrong (Chris Harris, Doug DeMuro and Clarkson) while many very balanced reviews like these, don't seem to have the same audience outreach that these high profile reviewers do.

I am very happy Lexus did not fall for it and realized they had something really special here that needs to be updated and be made more aggressive with the new 2020 RCF/Track Edition.


Probably 2 of the most detailed reviews about the RC F and GS F.
Ultrasonic blue is LIT!


 

flexus

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RC-F discontinued in Finland. Or just maybe they are waiting to get WLTP emission measurement. The main point is that it's not anymore on the website. It could come back since the standard RC is showing the old model's picture, but I highly doubt since it costs over 140000€ and Lexus hasn't sold even a single unit. It's not that people don't buy it because it's expensive since LC hybrid has seen 6 units sold, which is quite good for a country of 5 million inhabitants and bad roads. Taxation is just too high for 5.0 V8.
 

Faisal Sheikh

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The standard RCF in Europe, is losing already power down to 450 HP. Lexus claims, with shorter gearing it will do similar 0-60 mph as the 1st gen RCF. However, once in high revs the almost 20 HP deficit will definitely show itself. Not sure about the track edition, but probably from Geneva show it seems it has the 472 HP.

The Euro emission standards are really rapidly killing high-revving, bigger displacement V8 engines. Everything will be turbo or hybrid there soon.


RC-F discontinued in Finland. Or just maybe they are waiting to get WLTP emission measurement. The main point is that it's not anymore on the website. It could come back since the standard RC is showing the old model's picture, but I highly doubt since it costs over 140000€ and Lexus hasn't sold even a single unit. It's not that people don't buy it because it's expensive since LC hybrid has seen 6 units sold, which is quite good for a country of 5 million inhabitants and bad roads. Taxation is just too high for 5.0 V8.