As an automotive journalist, I’m a bit different. I don’t lust over fancy luxury cars or the latest sports car. I can’t tell you the 0-60 times of any vehicle nor do I care to remember. What I do know is when I throughly enjoy driving a car. The 2015 Lexus RC-F is one of those cars.
Living in rural Nebraska funny things happen when a beautiful sports car like the RC-F shows up. For example, the delivery company driver told me he turned heads all the way to the gas station and had a guy yell, “Nice Car,” from the stop light.
Also, sitting alongside my house, I sat and watched car after car slow down to get a longer peek. Why wouldn’t they? I’m really not sure my pictures do this car justice. It is really spectacular to look at.
If you haven’t seen this car before, you are not alone. The 2015 Lexus RC-F is new vehicle for them and it replaces the IS-F in their lineup.
You may be thinking, ok, it looks great, but how does it drive. Let’s say its looks are matched by its driving performance.
Powered by a 5.0L V8 with both direct and port injection mated to an 8-speed transmission it produces 467 horsepower and 389 lb-ft of torque. That is quite a bit of power for a 2-door coupe weighing less than 4,000 lbs.
One of the best parts of this powertrain is the way it engages. You can drive it around like a Camry, really, with the way it is setup. Yet, when you want to have some fun, the engine comes alive and a deep growl emits signaling it is time to go fast, really fast. This pleasing sound and performance thrusts you back in the seat while reminding you the RC-F is indeed a luxury sports car.
Beyond going fast, the Lexus RC-F performs like many sports cars I’ve driven. It hugs the corners, brakes well and seems to always want to go faster. I’ve spoken to other car racing drivers who say it is heavy in the corners. I can only assume that is true, yet I don’t think the average buyer will notice.
The interior is pretty amazing as well especially the sporty seats. These seats are not only comfortable, they are attractive as well and draw the eye towards them. Quite often, during my week of driving the coupe, my attention was drawn to how good they looked from outside the car. It is strange to think of the seats as being an exterior styling feature, yet they grabbed my attention.
For the rest of the cabin, it is very Lexus with soft-touch materials, complementary interior colors, easy to read instruments and buttons/knobs all within easy reach. If there is one thing Lexus knows, it is how to setup an interior to fit a majority of people.
In the end, I didn’t realize how important the luxury sports car segment is to brands like Lexus. While the Lexus RX SUV and sedans may be the bread and butter, the sports car is what excites people and the 2015 Lexus RC-F does just that. It simply excites people.
Model: 2015 Lexus RC-F 2-door Coupe
Engine: 5.0L V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Output: 467 horsepower, 389 lb-ft of torque
0-60: 4.4 seconds
Fuel Economy: 16/25/19 city/highway/combined MPG
Options:
- 19″ Hand Polished 20-Spoke Forge Alloy Wheels – $1,500
- Leather Trimmed Interior Seats – $800
- Navigation/Mark Levinson Package – $2,840
- Special Paint – $595
- Premium Package – $4,400
- Moonroof – $1,100
Price As Tested: $74,560 with $925 delivery fee
