Detroit Auto Show: Lexus unleashes high-performance RC F Coupe
Lexus kicked off the second media day of the Detroit Auto Show with something better than coffee -- horsepower.
Toyota’s luxury brand used Tuesday’s North American International Auto Show to introduce the all-new RC F Coupe, a rear-wheel-drive performance car with “more than” 450 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque.
“I’ve built RC F to be enjoyed by all enthusiasts -- no matter what their level of expertise,” Yukihiko Yaguchi, chief engineer, said of the car. “There’s a misconception that racing cars are hard to drive. In fact, they’re easy in the right hands because they’ve been purpose-built for the skill level of their drivers. It’s the same with RC F.”
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Not only does the Lexus tout this coupe’s straight-line performance (zero-60 mph will be quicker than the IS F sedan’s 4.6 seconds), but its handling prowess as well.
The RC F will come with a torque-vectoring rear differential, which allows the car to vary the amount of torque at each rear wheel at the same time. This aids in cornering and grip when driving the car like Lexus hopes you will. An independent rear suspension also helps the cause, as does an active rear spoiler that deploys above 50 mph for additional down force.
The RC F’s 5.0-liter V-8 directs its power to those rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission with the requisite paddle shifters.
The RC F coupe will be the king of Lexus’ new RC lineup. The more ordinary RC Coupe was introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show in November and will come in either hybrid or V-6 form and rear- or all-wheel-drive.
Though the RC line is based on the rear-wheel-drive GS midsize sedan, it slots between the GS and the lesser IS sedan in the Lexus lineup. Much like Audi with its A5 and BMW with its 4 Series, Lexus is now moving its coupes into a separate model line.
The base RC coupes and the new RC F variant will go on sale later in 2014. No pricing has been announced.
