5 Reasons the RC F Fuji Edition is Great But Still Wildly Overpriced
If you’re looking for an engaging six-figure Lexus, skip the RC F Fuji Speedway Edition and grab an LC 500 Convertible.
The Lexus RC F Fuji Speedway Edition, sometimes known as the Track Edition, first debuted in 2019 and stands as the quickest Lexus on sale today. Four-ish years later, it’s essentially the same vehicle, but Lexus typically adjusts the interior and exterior color options for each model year. Otherwise, it’s the same naturally aspirated 5.0L dual overhead cam V8 making 472 hp @ 7,100 rpm. The same 3.9-second 0-60 run. Same carbon fiber hood and roof and wing and brakes. Same Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer performance tires. Same 8-speed automatic transmission.
All engineered for surviving and setting lap times. And it’s pretty darn good engineering.
For the 2022 model year, Lexus pivoted from a white or grey exterior and red interior to a Heat Blue Satin exterior with a mix of blue carbon, leather, and Ultrasuede on the inside. So I hope you like blue.
We spent a week in the RC F Fuji Speedway Edition touring around Southern California’s mix of sublime mountain roads and crumbling highway infrastructure. To that end, the RC F offers adjustable driving and suspension modes to allow the vehicle to transform from a comfy grand tourer to a stiff track machine. It’s also one of the final Lexus models to retain the old-school trackpad for navigating the infotainment system (which, thankfully, includes wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto).
All of it for an eye-watering $107,375, which got us really debating the value of such a car. At the end of the day, we broke down our thoughts into five reasons you might consider buying a Fuji Speedway or Track Edition RC F along with a few reasons why we’d personally skip it and go with the LC 500.
1. It’s the Best Looking RC
Say what you will about Lexus styling. It’s often bold and dramatic and Lexus designers have delivered a fair share of stunning cars. The RC, I’d argue, isn’t exactly one of these. It’s got nice coupe proportions, but feels a little bulbous and out of balance from certain angles. The RC F Fuji Edition tosses in a wing, forged aluminum wheels, red brake calipers, and satin paint that really ups the wow factor and becomes a conversation starter when you’re out and about.
2. All the Carbon
The RC F Fuji Speedway Edition shows off more carbon fiber than most supercars. On the outside, the front and rear splitters, side mirror caps, hood, roof, and rear wing are all exposed carbon. And on in the inside, blue-weave carbon fiber adorns the dash, console, and doors. So if you like carbon and don’t want to spend half a million on some mid-engine exotic (or thousands on a custom aftermarket body kit), this could be the one for you.
3. A Crackling High-Revving V8
There’s nothing like driving a naturally aspirated V8, and the Lexus 2UR-GSE is an all-time favorite. It revs to the moon and roars like a racecar especially when running through tunnels. And not only is it powerful and engaging, but it’s also one of the most reliable performance engines you can buy today. And also one of a dying breed thanks to a world pivoting toward electrification.
4. It’s a Limited Edition
If you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to show up at cars and coffee with the same car as everyone else, consider that Lexus only produces around 50 or so Fuji and Track Edition RC Fs each year. So the odds are very slim that you will ever see another one on the road or while taking part of various car community events.
5. Genuinely Fun to Drive
It’s really hard to overlook the price, which is kinda the whole point of this post. Still, the RC F Fuji Speedway Edition is a lot of fun to drive. It rockets off the line, has brakes for days, and feels very playful when being tossed into corners. In truth, it’s probably more car than most people can drive well and it’s reasonably comfortable, even if its spec-sheet figures aren’t as impressive as they were when the RC F first debuted.
However, We’d Still Recommend Buying an LC
As we’ve established, the RC F Fuji Speedway Edition is fast and fun and a unique, limited edition. But at $107,375, it’s also really hard to recommend. $100 grand could get you a TON of German sports car (new or used) or a fully loaded C8 Corvette Stingray. The RC F is effectively the same as it was in 2014 (despite a 2018 facelift), which means that, despite all the track goodies, it’s almost a 10-year-old car trying to keep up with a rapidly evolving industry.
Yes, that Lexus — of all companies — still offers a high-revving naturally aspirated V8 is a wonderful thing. Which is why, at this price point, we’d recommend either getting a base RC for cheaper OR snagging an LC 500 instead. Yes, the LC’s a grand tourer. Yes, it’s a few hundred pounds heavier. But the LC is much more ENGAGING because…
- It sounds better thanks to the unique valving in the exhaust…
- It shifts better thanks to its superior 10-speed automatic transmission (that also revs-matches on downshifts)…
- You can get it as a convertible, which is a whole added layer of connection…
- The LC is arguably the most beautiful Lexus on sale today…
- You can still track the LC (I have… read about it HERE.)
- And the LC is much nicer inside with less plastic and more comfortable heated and cooled seats…
In short, the RC F Fuji Speedway Edition is in a tough spot. It’s better than a standard RC F and, in the right hands, it’s a certifiable track weapon. But as an aging design and in a world where Americans and Europeans produce better cars for the same (or less) money, it just doesn’t feel right. Which is why the LC — a wonderful grand tourer — makes more sense for Lexus aficionados with this budget.
RC F Fuji Speedway Edition Image Gallery
Photographs by Michael S. Palmer
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