Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus RC F vs BMW M4

Motor Trend has published a comparison between the Lexus RC F & BMW M4, and it’s a total mess of conflicting information: We preferred the Lexus around town, as it’s a more interesting car to sit in thanks to its wealth of technical and visual details. The styling may be a large miss, but we …

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Kevin · December 8th, 2014

Video Comparison: Lexus RC F vs. BMW M4 & Audi RS 5

AMCI Testing, one of the most respected independent automotive testing companies in the world, has conducted a comparison between the Lexus RC F, BMW M4, and Audi RS 5: Considering the video is being hosted on the Lexus USA Youtube page, it would be easy enough to write off the results — however, this quote …

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Kevin · December 8th, 2014

2015 Lexus RC F Configurator Now on USA Website

For those US readers interested in purchasing an RCF, the Lexus USA website has been updated with an online configurator to help you build the exact car you want. As detailed earlier, pricing for the RC F will start at $63,325 — unfortunately, it appears the carbon fibre Performance Package has been delayed, as it’s …

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Kevin · December 7th, 2014

The Lexus RC F: By The Numbers

Car & Driver have gone technical with the Lexus RC F, measuring its performance and sharing how it performs against its competitors: In a three-way drag race, the Bimmer walks away, with the [RC] F and RS5 keeping pace through the quarter-mile. By 130 mph, the RC F has eked out a nearly two-second lead …

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Kevin · December 2nd, 2014

Lexus Japan Offers RC F with Orange & Black Leather Interior

Lexus Japan is offering a unique orange & black leather interior colorway with the RC F — here’s some photos from Japanese website Response.jp: There’s also some official photos on the Lexus Japan website: For the moment it appears only Japan will be getting this interior color option, which is a real shame — pairing …

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Kevin · December 2nd, 2014

Lexus RC F Teams Finish Second & Third Overall in Super GT Season

The KeePer TOMS’s racing team of Ito Daisuke & Andrea Caldarelli have won the Super GT Round 8 GT500 class in the #37 Lexus RC F. The race took place at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. This was the final race of the season. Here are highlights from the race courtesy of the Super GT …

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Kevin · November 18th, 2014

Lexus RC F Scores High in Motor Trend’s Car of the Year Award

The Lexus RC F was a finalist in the Motor Trend Car of the Year award rankings — here’s a quote from Jonny Lieberman’s write-up: “The overall proportion and package are not at fault but are let down by a collection of details,” said [Guest judge Tom] Gale. [Executive editor Ron] Kiino was more blunt: …

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Kevin · November 13th, 2014

First Lexus RC F Delivered in North America

The very first North American Lexus RC F was delivered today at Erin Park Lexus in Mississauga, Canada — here are some photos: (The RC F was purchased by Norman Karkada, the corporate account manager at the dealership and a personal friend of mine — I’m going for a visit, so look for more photos …

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Kevin · November 6th, 2014

Behind-the-Scenes with the Instabuilt Lexus RC F

The Instabuilt crowdsourced Lexus RC F will be revealed at SEMA in Las Vegas this week, and the Lexus USA Instagram account has been posting photos of the build process all week: The Vossen wheels are from their Precision Series, and it’s an all-new forged design — here are some photos from their Flickr account: …

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Kevin · November 3rd, 2014

Video: Motor Trend Compares the Lexus RC F & BMW M4

Motor Trend has published a new video comparing the Lexus RC F & BMW M4, and it’s fantastic from start to finish: (Hard to fault anything in this video — it’s very matter-of-fact and even-handed. Really, the differences between the two cars seem so small, and that’s a victory for Lexus if you ask me.)
Kevin · October 30th, 2014

Lexus RC F Convertible Announced at Dealer Meeting?

Autoguide is reporting that an RC F convertible was announced at the Lexus USA National Dealer Meeting in Los Angeles this month: News of the new model was announced at the recent Lexus USA National Dealer Meeting in Los Angeles where the brand also celebrated its 25th anniversary a source, who wishes to remain anonymous, …

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Kevin · October 29th, 2014

First Photos of the Lexus RC F CCS-R Race Car

The very first photos of the Lexus RC F CCS-R race car have been posted by Japanese website Response — here are some of the images: There are no solid details quite yet, but Lexus F chief engineer Yukihiro Yaguchi did discuss the track-optimized RC F with Motoring Australia: Yaguchi confirmed the two RC Fs …

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Kevin · October 29th, 2014

New Lexus RC F Video from Japan

The RC F has also officially launched in Japan — the Lexus Japan website has been updated, and there’s a new track video well worth watching:
Kevin · October 24th, 2014

Video Tour of the Lexus RC F

For anyone looking to purchase a Lexus RC F in the USA, here’s Ming-Jou Chen from Lexus College with a five-minute tour of the new super coupe:
Kevin · October 21st, 2014

Top Gear Magazine Reviews the Lexus RC F

Pat Devereux from Top Gear Magazine has reviewed the Lexus RC F: Driver friendly? Yep, pretty much. It might use some fearfully complicated electronic systems to make up for some of its chassis shortcomings, but they work perfectly on the road and almost perfectly on the track. That’s not a bad balance. The RC F …

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Kevin · October 20th, 2014

Custom Seafoam Green Lexus RC F to Debut at SEMA

After a week of voting, Lexus USA Instagram followers have chosen how the SEMA-bound RC F project car will be customized: Each part of the build was voted on — here are the winning choices: Seafoam Green Exterior 20-inch Forged Vossen CVT wheels Nitto Invo tires Black Brembo brake calipers Lexon Exclusive gun metal gray …

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Kevin · October 14th, 2014

Create Virtual Lexus RC F with New Augmented Reality App

Lexus Japan has released a very cool augmented reality app featuring the RC F GT500 — here’s how it works: The required app for your smartphone is called DAUB, and it’s available for both iOS & Android devices — you also need to download & print this PDF. I tried it out with my daughter, …

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Kevin · October 9th, 2014

Lexus To Build Modified RC F with Help from Instagram Followers

Lexus USA is tapping its Instagram followers to decide how an RC F will be modified for this year’s SEMA auto show in Las Vegas: 1) Drift – Rear drive and V8, the RC F was basically built to get sideways. Should we strip it out, cage it, and let it realize its destiny? 2) …

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Kevin · October 6th, 2014

PETRONAS TOM’S Lexus RC F Wins Super GT Round 7

The PETRONAS TOM’S racing team of Kazuki Nakajima & James Rossiter have won the Super GT Round 6 GT500 class in the #36 Lexus RC F. The race took place at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand. This is the second round in a row that the PETRONAS TOM’S racing team have won. Here are …

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Kevin · October 6th, 2014

Lexus Creates Virtual Reality RC F Simulator

Lexus has created a virtual RC F simulator using the Oculus Rift headset — here’s a look at the video experience in stereo: The RC F Rift simulator will be playable at upcoming auto shows, beginning at the Orange County Auto Show this week. There will also be stops at SEMA & the LA Auto …

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Kevin · October 2nd, 2014

BEYOND Magazine Feature: The Lexus RC F GT3 Race Car

Lexus International has just published a BEYOND Magazine feature on the RC F GT3 race car and chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi: And “Lexus’s latest carbon fiber technology has been applied wherever appropriate,” says Yaguchi, “to keep the car’s weight to a minimum.” He continues: “With attention to detail in mind, we’ve fine-tuned everything from the …

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Kevin · October 1st, 2014

Photo Gallery: Black Lexus RC F in Poland

The black Lexus RC F with the full carbon fiber package has shown up at the Lexus Warszawa-Wola dealership in Poland — here are some new photos: [Source: Lexus Warszawa-Wola Facebook] (Thanks Mariusz!)
Kevin · September 30th, 2014

Video Review: Matt Farah Drives the Lexus RC F

Smoking Tire founder and DRIVE TV host Matt Farah has released his Lexus RC F video, and it’s extremely positive: (Should note that there’s an extended 10-minute version of this review on DRIVE +, the subscription-only Youtube channel — don’t know that I’d signed up just to watch, the video above covers the key parts.)
Kevin · September 29th, 2014

Lexus RC F Chief Engineer Confirms CCS-R Race Car Variant

Lexus RC F chief engineer Yukihiro Yaguchi has confirmed that a CCS-R variant of the coupe will be built — from Motoring Australia: Yaguchi confirmed the two RC Fs would share the same engine and eight-speed automatic transmission and the same outputs. If it follows the example of the IS F CCS-R, then the RC …

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Kevin · September 24th, 2014

Photos: Black Lexus RC F with Full Carbon Fiber Package

A black Lexus RC F with the full carbon fiber package has been spotted in Europe — there’s the above photo taken from the RC F Facebook fanpage, and a couple more photos of the super coupe aboard the SS Rotterdam in The Netherlands: (An Obsidian RC F would be the only time I would …

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Kevin · September 24th, 2014

Updated Lexus RC F Performance Numbers

Lexus provided Motor Trend with an RC F updated with its final powertrain tuning for a raw performance test: It turns out we were able to achieve faster numbers than in the previous test. This time, our RC F hit 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.3 seconds, a 0.2 second improvement over the …

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Kevin · September 22nd, 2014

CAR Magazine Reviews the Lexus RC F

Chris Chilton from CAR Magazine has reviewed the Lexus RC F, where the coupe is damned with faint praise in the way of most British Lexus reviews: On track, it feels absolutely faithful, the steering has a reassuring linearity to it and the brakes are strong. But it never feels as nimble or controlled as …

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Kevin · September 22nd, 2014

Jalopnik Reviews the Lexus RC F

Travis Okulski of Jalopnik has reviewed the Lexus RC F, and it’s just full of that signature Jalopnik personality: Is the RC F better than a BMW M3? I haven’t driven the M3 yet, but I find it hard to think that the RC F would be better. But is that the point? Everyone in …

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Kevin · September 18th, 2014

Photochopping a Lexus RC F Convertible

Photochopper X-Tomi has created a Lexus RC F convertible for anyone curious what the super-coupe would look like with the roof gone. This X-Tomi’s second attempt, here’s the first from earlier this year: (Unlikely that a RC F convertible will be released due to super-coupe’s focus on rigidity and performance, but the standard RC is …

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Kevin · September 16th, 2014

Video: The Sound of the Lexus RC F

Alborz Fallah of Car Advice has a video review of the Lexus RC F, and it has the best representation of the super-coupe’s sound I’ve heard so far: Fallah also has a written review: Behind the wheel the Lexus RC F is a true performance car; it feels just as a vehicle of its calibre …

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Kevin · September 16th, 2014

Chris Harris Reviews the 2015 Lexus RC F

The Lexus RC F gets a mixed review from automotive journalist Chris Harris: Look, [the RC F is] just a very pleasant place to be. It ain’t no M4, but then it’ll be sold in tiny numbers, is arguably a much more appealing object, and for those who couldn’t care less about long powerslides, lap …

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Kevin · September 14th, 2014

Driving the 2015 Lexus RC F

Two weeks ago, Lexus invited me to the Monticello Motor Club in Upstate New York, where I was able to test drive the all-new RC coupe in all its various forms. I posted a technical overview of the new model last week, and now it’s time for some personal impressions. The Sound. The sound is …

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Kevin · September 11th, 2014

Autoblog Reviews the 2015 Lexus RC F

Seth Miersama of Autoblog has written a through and even-handed review of the 2015 Lexus RC F: Lexus made a big deal of the fact that performance from the RC F is truly accessible, and I think the automaker really nailed that. Unlike the rather barbaric IS F, the new coupe really will allow a …

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Kevin · September 11th, 2014

Lexus RC F Video Review from Autoguide

Craig Cole’s Autoguide video review of the Lexus RC F is a hoot to watch: His verdict: Overall the 2015 Lexus RC F competes very favorably with its primary rivals, though it’s practically guaranteed to top all of them in at least one area: reliability. This is a Toyota after all. The car is a …

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Kevin · September 10th, 2014

Motor Trend Reviews the 2015 Lexus RC F

Jonny Lieberman’s Motor Trend review of the Lexus RC F is driven by the super coupe’s weight: We weighed the RC F and it clocks in at a lardy 4040 pounds. For some comparison, the similarly sized and totally targeted BMW M4 weighs 3604 pounds, a 436-pound difference. Before you mount an angry letter-writing campaign …

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Kevin · September 9th, 2014

2015 Lexus RC F Preview

Last week, Lexus invited me to the Monticello Motor Club, where I was able to test drive the all-new RC coupe in all its various forms. The following is a technical overview of the RC F — my personal impressions will posted early next week. As the first new F-badged Lexus in nearly five years, …

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Kevin · September 4th, 2014

Lexus RC F to Receive Yearly Performance Improvements?

Lexus RC F Chief Engineer Yukihiro Yaguchi plans to make continual improvements to his new super-coupe — from an interview with Motoring Australia: “We are already thinking about some changes to make for next year,” he confirmed via an interpreter. “The objective is to make the car more fun to drive. If you make the …

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Kevin · September 2nd, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F in Nebula Grey Pearl

Last week, a Nebula Grey Pearl Lexus RC F was on display at the Lexus of Riverside dealership in Southern California — here’s a photo gallery from our friends at Kaizen Factor: A very subtle color for the high-performance coupe — gives it a real sleeper look. (Thanks Ryan!)
Kevin · August 25th, 2014

Listen to the Lexus RC F Exhaust Note

Lexus UK has released an audio clip of the RC F’s exhaust note in all its glory: Pure monster sound — here’s a direct download of an MP3 or iPhone-compatible M4A if you’re interested in using the revving as a ringtone.
Kevin · August 24th, 2014

Lexus UK Releases RC F Pricing & Package Information

Lexus UK has released pricing for the 2015 RC F coupe and its two option packages, with the base-model RC F starting at £59,995 and RC F Carbon package at £67,995. (Please note for anyone outside of the UK, these prices include a 10% import duty and 20% value-added tax. Calculating another country’s price is …

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Kevin · August 15th, 2014

No Podium Finish for Lexus Racing Teams at Super GT Round 5

The Lexus Racing teams missed a podium finish at the 2014 Super GT Round 5 at Fuji Speedway — the top team was fifth place PETRONAS TOM’S finishing 5th, followed by KeePer TOM’S team at 9th. Here are highlights from the race courtesy of the Super GT Youtube channel: Despite the 9th place finish, the …

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Kevin · August 11th, 2014

Three New Lexus RC F Videos

Lexus International has released three new RC F videos, with the first focusing on the 5.0L V8 engine: Next up is an overview of the Torque Vectoring Differential (TVD) and its three settings: Normal, Slalom, and Track: The final video is straight driving footage of the RC F — never a bad thing, that’s for …

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Kevin · August 6th, 2014

Imagining the 600 Horsepower Twin-Turbo Lexus RC FS Coupe

Automotive artist Wild-Speed has created a rendering of the rumored 600 horsepower twin-turbo Lexus RC FS coupe by merging the “standard” RC F with elements of the LFA Nürburgring Edition. The rumor of this ultra-performance coupe comes from Motor Trend, who suggest the RC FS will arrive in 2017 with a price tag of $120,000 …

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Kevin · July 24th, 2014

600 Horsepower Lexus RC FS Coming in 2017?

More rumors from Motor Trend, this time regarding a special edition ultra-performance Lexus RC F: In 2017 you can expect to see a super version of the RC F packing the 600-hp twin-turbo V-8. Think of it as an Infiniti Eau Rogue-fighter with a price tag to match — about $120,000. However, since Johan de …

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Kevin · July 21st, 2014

Zent Cerumo Lexus RC F Wins Super GT Round 4

The ZENT CERUMO racing team of Yuji Tachikawa & Hirate have won the 2014 Super GT Round 4 GT500 class in the #1 Lexus RC F. The KeePer TOM’S RC F team of Daisuke Ito & Andrea Caldarelli finished second. Here are highlights from the race courtesy of the Super GT Youtube channel: The next …

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Kevin · July 21st, 2014

A Closer Look at the Lexus RC F Instrument Panel

Let’s take a closer look at the RC F instrument panel in this new video from Lexus International: The video goes by in a blur, so here’s a static video showing the RC F instrument panel:
Kevin · July 16th, 2014

Video: Lexus RC F Racing at Goodwood

Lexus UK has released a final wrap-up video of the RC F at the Goodwood Festival of Speed: One thing that went unmentioned in the video was a spinout by Didier Auriol during the race days — here’s a photo from GT Spirit: The spinout had no lasting effect — the RC F prototype was …

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Kevin · July 12th, 2014

More Photos of the Lexus RC F in Solar Flare

Autoguide has some more photos of the Solar Flare orange Lexus RC F parked at the Lexus headquarters in California: The orange doesn’t seem as overwhelming compared to the previous photos, but it’s still way more color that I could ever handle. (And how about that carbon fiber detail? Looks great!) See more photos of …

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Kevin · July 9th, 2014

New Lexus RC F Video: Designed to Inspire

Lexus International has released a new cut of their excellent RC F video, and it’s just about perfect for people excited about the new super-coupe:
Kevin · July 9th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Ultra White Lexus RC F in California

An Ultra White Lexus RC F has been delivered to Lexus HQ in California, and my friend Ryan from Kaizen Factor managed to get a nice collection of exterior and interior photos: The interior looks great in Roja Red, the exterior looks great in Ultra White — I actually like the RC F more without …

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Kevin · July 4th, 2014

Orange Lexus RC F Spotted in California

A Lexus RC F in Solar Flare (aka orange) is now at the Lexus USA headquarters in California — here are some photos, including two from Instagram user Integress: Lexus really went all out with this shade of orange, it’s much brighter than I was expecting. Too wild for me, what do you think? [Source: …

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Kevin · June 30th, 2014

Video: The Lexus RC F at Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Lexus RC F made its driving debut this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed — here’s video from the initial test run: RC chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi was there for the real run up the hill, and filmed this quick video: Former World Rally Champion driver Didier Auriol was the one behind the …

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Kevin · June 29th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F & LFA Together Again

In advance of the Lexus runs at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Lexus UK has released some photos of the LFA & RC F together: Later today, the Lexus RC F will make its first-ever public driving appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the annual world-famous hill climb in England. [Source: Lexus UK Blog]
Kevin · June 27th, 2014

Lexus RC F to Participate in Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Lexus RC F will make its first-ever public driving appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week in England. The event will run from June 26-29, and the RC F is expected to make the climb on Thursday. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual world-famous hill climb that features a rare …

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Kevin · June 24th, 2014

Lexus to Introduce Manual Transmission RC F & IS F?

Lexus may release a IS F and RC F with a manual transmission, according to recent Motoring Australia interview with Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) business operations director Rob Leupen: One project Leupen revealed was the development of what he called a manual-shift gearbox (presumably a dual clutch) for the new generation RC F/IS F drivetrain. …

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Kevin · June 23rd, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F in Liquid Platinum

A Lexus RC F in Liquid Platinum was on display at the Nürburgring this weekend — Lexus Europe posted some photos on their Facebook page: This is the first time we’ve seen the full carbon fiber RC F in a color other than Ultra White — looks good! [Source: Lexus Europe]
Kevin · June 23rd, 2014

Video: Drifting with the Lexus RC F

Lexus International has released a new video with the RC F drifting all over the place, and it’s a pure dose of awesome:
Kevin · June 12th, 2014

Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F in South Korea

The Lexus RC F in Ultrasonic Blue made an appearance at the Busan Motor Show in South Korea: (Even after all the coverage of this car in this color, I can’t help but admire new photos. What a monster.) See more photos from the Busan Motor Show
Kevin · June 5th, 2014

Video: Listen to the Lexus RC F’s Revving Engine

A short video clip of the Lexus RC F revving its 5.0L V8 engine has been posted on Youtube: I can hear a similarity to the IS F, but there’s also some LFA to the sound — tighter, more focused. Makes sense, given that Yamaha helped tune the RC F exhaust note. Engineering amazing! [Via: …

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Kevin · June 3rd, 2014

Lexus Racing Teams Stumble in Super GT Round 3

Super GT Round 3 at Autopolis in Kyushu was not a good race for Lexus teams — ranking highest was the KeePer TOM’s RC F team of Daisuke Ito & Andrea Caldarelli with a fourth place finish. The Petronas TOM’s team of James Rossiter & Ryo Hirakawa finished close behind in fifth. Here are the …

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Kevin · June 2nd, 2014

Video: The Lexus RC F Development Story

Here’s an extensive video interview with Lexus RC F vehicle dynamics engineer Akihiro Osaka, who details the efforts made in developing the vehicle’s handling and performance: This is the second video that Lexus has released that profiles the key personalities behind the RC F development — if you missed it, be sure to watch the …

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Kevin · May 29th, 2014

Lexus RC F GT3 Race Car Spotted in Japan

The first test of the Lexus RC F GT3 race car took place last week at the Okayama International Circuit in Japan: Developed over two years by Lexus International and subsidiary Techno Craft, the RC F GT3 concept is powered by a modified version of the RC F’s V8 engine that produces 540+ hp (397kw). …

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Kevin · May 21st, 2014

New Lexus RC F Wheel Design Debuts in Madrid

A new Lexus RC F wheel design debuted today at the Madrid Auto Show — here are photos from Lexus Spain: A 20-spoke rim can be tough to keep clean, but it makes up for the extra work with pure style — my favorite RC F wheel yet. [Source: Lexus Spain]
Kevin · May 20th, 2014

BEYOND Magazine Feature: The Lexus RC F

The Lexus RC F is the feature vehicle in the latest issue of BEYOND Magazine — here’s a quote from the lead story: “The RC F presented us with a tougher challenge than the IS F,” [RC chief engineer Yukihiko] Yaguchi admits. “We were, of course, under pressure when working on the IS F. But …

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Kevin · May 8th, 2014

More Photos of the White Lexus RC F with Carbon Fiber Package

The white Lexus RC F with full carbon fiber package has made a couple appearances in the last few weeks, starting with a visit to INTERSECT in Tokyo — here’s a full gallery from the Lexus International Facebook page: The RC F was also on display at the Beijing Motor Show — here’s a selection …

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Kevin · April 30th, 2014

What Should Lexus Name the RC F’s Orange Exterior Color?

Lexus USA has put out a call for help in naming the new orange exterior color that will debut on the RC F coupe. Have a good idea? You can submit it on the Lexus USA Facebook page. (There’s some good submissions already — I like Fireburst & Supernova.) Submit your orange color name on …

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Kevin · April 30th, 2014