RC F Track Edition Faces Stiff Competition On All Sides
Compared to the LC 500 and the Teutonic rivals, RC F Track Edition gives up too much of itself. Its V8, though, is still a boss.
Looking for a special Lexus RC to bring into your garage? If you live in Canada, you can pop for the RC F Track Edition, the mechanical twin to the Fuji Speedway Edition down in the United States. For around $100,000 USD, you get a lovely red Alcantara interior, lots of carbon fiber, and that big naturally aspirated V8. Not a bad deal, right?
Only if you forget the LC 500 exists. Throttle House hosts James Engelsmann and Thomas Holland recently spent time with the RC F Track Edition. While the V8 thrilled the duo, all else about the performance coupe left them wanting.
“This car’s kind of had an interesting narrative arc,” said Holland. “It was kind of like that kid in high school that was ‘bigger,’ and all of his friends were football players. Then, years went by. His friends started eating a little bit too much Wendy’s, and he started working out. All of sudden, they turn around and go, ‘Oh hey! The hell happened?'”
For one, it got a 472-horsepower, 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated V8. Next, it shed weight everywhere it could while still retaining its Lexus vibe. All that alone gives the RC F Track Edition some chops on the track. As Engelsmann notes, there’s something about the V8 a turbocharged engine can’t do, and that’s deliver its power without delay. It certainly sounds good, too. And yet, the total package isn’t quite there.
“I’m gonna do a hot lap in a second,” said Holland. “I’m a bit concerned that it’s just not gonna be able to handle itself well enough to let me lay down a really fast time. Other cars that are similar price as this […] they’re really well-sorted for a track like this.”
Alas, the RC F Track Edition didn’t like being tracked, as the stiffest spring settings made life too much work. It also had a hard time carrying any speed through the course, while putting down the power was unpredictable. The V8 sounded great, though.
“Unfortunately for Lexus, the naturally aspirated part can only get you so far,” said Engelsmann. “Sometimes, sports cars are more than just the sum of their parts. This time, it’s less. It also steals away too many comforts from the normal RC F in the name of performance.”
Holland adds that if you’d like the V8, but don’t plan to track the Lexus holding it, the LC 500 is your best choice, and for a price less than the RC F Track Edition.
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