Images of the F Sport derivative of the forthcoming Lexus RC hit the world’s motoring publications inboxes yesterday, with the scramble to be the first Tweeter of the shots. “BMW Z4M beater” is the comment, but I think it could just be a bit more than that. We’re Hybrid Drive converts here, happy to mix our love of the Cosworth DFV with enthusiasm for the smoothness of urban Lexus progress. And we think that people need to take a look at the big picture.
A five litre V8 with engine power “Well above 450 Bhp….” The big brother to the 2.5 hybrid drive and the 3.5V6 models. The Lexus RC is a bespoke design, not just a coupe version of an existing floor pan, wider and shorter than the IS series, Lexus are claiming driver engagement and excitement as the key elements.
So, I imagine that the huge lessons learned through the LF-A are distilled here, that the 5.0 litre V8 with have a flywheel the size of a bone china tea cup and be sitting well behind the front axle line. Expect it to be bolted to a super-slick gearbox, a transaxle would be nice and the whole thing will be pin sharp. If it’s as good as it has the potential to be, this might just be the affordable Lexus LF-A that we’ve all been waiting for.
