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It's an amazing piece of technology. While I only drove the torsen handling system on winding roads for 30 minutes when the RC F first arrived in the states, there is no question that the TVD adds a new dimension to the car's handling under more extreme cornering.
The torsen and the RC F may seem to be the same to many individuals, the two cars are quite different beasts. While there is only a nominal gain on low-end acceleration (a tenth or so), the TVD's three modes provide the driver with variable levels of lateral grip for maneuvering.
I would not recommend the TVD to casual RC F drivers who do not press the car when conditions are safe and permitting. But for those who enjoy taking it on the winding roads and extremely tight corners with enthusiasm, the TVD is a blast.
I'm not a track guy, but the benefits of this advanced handling system will contribute significantly to holding a line, adding to the driving experience.
For me, the TVD just gives me an opportunity to have some fun driving home on the "path less taken" from the office. Under many driving scenarios, the TVD improves vehicle stability and response in the proper setting and combined with the appropriate driving mode. I get the best "control" and slot-car adhesion using manual, sport+, and TVD "track" on the twisties.
Jason Harper, an acquaintance of mine at BloombergBusiness wrote:
The drawback is added weight. But the killer advantage is the way it turns in the real world. Send the RC F through a set of S curves and it will nimbly dance through abrupt directional changes. This is smart engineering that makes you feel like a better driver. (If you don’t opt to spend the extra dollars, you’ll still get a very excellent Torsen limited-slip rear differential, of which there is nothing to complain about.)
He also wrote:
It delivers more power to the rear rubber and the slide increases. I’m working the wheel, counter-steering but also coaxing out an ever-greater slip angle. There’s noise and tires bleating and maybe some smoke, but I’m not feeling overwhelmed. The car is deft and the balance sharp. The RC F is the kind of instrument that channels chaos and keeps it just this side of disaster.
Maybe, this is what I like about it. Regardless, with either handling system, you'll have a great ride!
Below is another excerpt of a post I made in a different thread..
Originally Posted by 1FlySi
Is there any truth to this that the TVD puts down less HP to the ground? Or are we looking at the difference between cars and dynos on a given day?
I'm going with cars and dynos on any given day....
We saw similar outcomes from stock IS F's back in 2008.
We are also all dynoing brand new cars...
I will say the TVD unit is massive, bulkier and weighs more then the standard Torsen unit..
As disclosed by Lexus themselves.. ( added 70-80 lbs to the car)
The housing itself also favors the left side...!!!
The axle is shorter on the Drivers side and longer on the Passenger side..
There are more physical parts and gears to turn & burn compared to just the Torsen LSD unit.
The TVD is less about the nominal increase in 0-62 time and more about the improved cornering, stability and acceleration on varying surfaces--at least for me.
No doubt, there are more moving parts, but that's what the factory warranty is for. If its reliability is anything like the IS F, chances are the TVD is built like a brick _hit house.
The TVD is less about the nominal increase in 0-62 time and more about the improved cornering, stability and acceleration on varying surfaces--at least for me.
No doubt, there are more moving parts, but that's what the factory warranty is for. If its reliability is anything like the IS F, chances are the TVD is built like a brick _hit house.
That was the exactly words my car salesman "SOLD" me on the TVD. I was like I'm already paying $70 thousands something for the car, and what is a few grand more.
Reduced steering input is the biggest advantage I see with this fancy TVD from Lexus. Car and Driver "tested" both differentials and mentioned laptimes were within 0.5-1sec. for both systems. Steering angle was reduced significantly, which is more telling to me then "improved cornering, stability, and acceleration."
Late to the show here, but what (if any) advantages/improvements are there compared to Audi's Sport Differential that's been out for years?
10-01-15, 08:11 PM
Lexus rcf, tvd - torque vectoring differential gear system
If its reliability is anything like the IS F, chances are the TVD is built like a brick _hit house.
