Lexus RC F Track Edition is Lighter, Sleeker and a Bit More Powerful

Newest RC F is 176 pounds lighter, featuring a revised suspension setup and 472 horsepower.

Lexus used the opening media day of the 2019 North American International Auto Show to introduce the next step in the performance evolution of their RC sports coupe. Build on the RC F, the Track Edition adds an array of aerodynamic upgrades, a pretty significant reduction in weight, five more horsepower, a retuned suspension system and a new look up front and out back.

Since the horsepower increase is really the least-impressive aspect the RC F Track Edition, we will start with that. Lexus is squeezed five more horsepower out of their naturally-aspirated, 5.0-liter V8, lifting it to 472 horsepower while torque is up six clicks to 395 lb-ft. Those increases will also be extended to the non-Track Edition RC F, so the power increase is for the model, not the particular package.

In Track Edition form, the RC F will dash from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 3.96 seconds with help from the new Launch Control system.

Extreme Aero

The 2020 Lexus RC F Track Edition’s most prominent feature is the huge rear wing out back, which works in conjunction with the new front splitter to offer 58 more pounds of downforce at high speed, allowing the car to stick to the track better when entering and exiting turns. These two items also reduce drag, but the luxury automaker did not announce the exact number for that metric.

Weight Reduction

The 2020 Lexus RC F Track Edition weighs 176 pounds less than the standard RC F and this drop was achieved by adding a carbon fiber hood and roof, Brembo carbon ceramic brakes behind lightweight BBS wheels, a carbon fiber cabin partition, lighter suspension components, a lighter intake manifold, a lighter air condition compressor and a titanium exhaust system.

Chassis and Suspension Upgrades

The new suspension bits of the Lexus RC F Track Edition help reduce weight, but the new components are also stiffer, from the dampers to the bushings. The Track Edition employs hollow half-shafts in the rear end, aluminum suspension brackets all around stiffer bushings in the rear suspension arms and stiffer motor mounts, furthering to stiffen up the chassis while working to keep weight down.

A New Look

Finally, the RC F in standard and Track Edition form get a new headlight and taillight design for 2020. Of course, these changes don’t improve performance, but the headlights are more aggressive, leading to a meaner- looking sports car.

Pricing has not been announced, but we can expect that the Track Edition will cost at least a few thousand dollars more than the $65,000 standard RC F. Considering that the standard models are seeing some improvements as well, the pricing of the whole range could shift up a bit, but in the end, buyers are getting an even better luxury-performance coupe.

Photos for Club Lexus by Patrick Rall

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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