Better on road than it is on track, but the RC F still feels like a car that was designed for the last decade, not the next

What is it like?
Key question here is therefore - can the Lexus RC F belie such apparent technical antiquation by being all warm and cuddly where it counts - on the road? The answer is both yes and no.

In many ways, what you see is what you get. The RC F makes a fabulous noise and goes as hard as you'd imagine it might given that it has 471bhp and 392lb ft but weighs two tonnes with two people on board.

In a straight line it's at least a seven out of 10, with a snappy eight-speed gearbox that features all sorts of different drive modes plus that NASCAR soundtrack doing all it can to enhance the excitement factor whenever possible. But even in a straight line, a BMW M3 it is not. Not by a long chalk.

But that doesn't matter because it goes round corners beautifully and has delicious steering and handling so can be forgiven for weighing a bit too much because the driver involvement it provides makes an M3 seem boring by comparison, correct? Not quite.

On the track we drove on in the USA, which had been chosen specifically by Lexus to demonstrate the car's abilities, the RC F felt surprisingly clumsy near the limit, with shuddering brakes and nowhere near enough precision to its handling.

It was, to be honest, a bit of a disappointment at eight tenths and beyond, with neither the composure nor the thrill factor you'd hope for, despite featuring a new Torsen differential.

As a road car, though, the RC F makes much more sense. Its ride is supple in all but the most aggressive drive mode, of which there are four in total to choose from.

Its electric power steering is also accurate and precise without ever delivering much in the way of genuine interaction between your palms and the road below. And the noise and thrust from its V8 engine is pretty magical on occasions, while even the handling seems more incisive at lower, less strenuous road speeds.

As a pure road car, in fact, the RC F is a highly desirable, rapid, and really rather lovely thing to drive - with a mostly brilliant new interior and a level of quality inside that few if any cars at this level can match.

If Lexus made a little bit less of a noise about the RC F being a great track car, it would be far easier to accept it for the soothing and refined sports GT car that it unquestionably is. But as a track weapon alone it lacks teeth, and in this class that's either a major drawback or a mild disappointment, depending on what you expect from such a machine.

Should I buy one?
Overall the RC F struggles to compete with the M3 on too many levels to be classed as a genuine contender. Like the IS F it loosely replaces, it's an intriguing outsider, nothing more, even if it is powered by one of the most naughty sounding V8s money can buy.

And for the 170 people who Lexus hopes will buy one in the UK next year, none of this will matter much because, if nothing else, the RC F looks so compellingly different from the herd. This alone will make it appeal to a certain kind of customer; to someone who wouldn't be seen dead in an Audi or an M3. And that's absolutely fine by us.

Striking coupe stands out, but doesn’t have driver appeal to match its style

Verdict
The RC F enters a sector with incredibly high standards and tough competition – defined at this time by the new BMW M4. Its depth of engineering is incredible and the raw ingredients should make for a unique and enticing package. But despite the promise, the 5.0-litre V8 feels slightly breathless and the RC F’s weight blunts handling and erodes precision. It’s good, but it’s not the best this class has to offer.

Where did this Lexus RC F suddenly spring from?
It’s based on the RC coupe which US dealers get very soon, but which we won’t get in the UK until next year when a turbo four will replace the Yank-spec V6. But you might recognise the styling from a couple of previous Lexus concept cars, the LF-CC and LF-LC.

What’s under the skin?
The front end is from a GS, the back end from the old IS F saloon, and the bit in between, is borrowed from the IS C cabrio. Seventy percent of the suspension components are new, however, and Lexus says the structure is massively stiff, which it bloody well ought to be, given that it weighs 200kg more than a BMW M4 coupe.

To deal with that heft, it gets a reworked version of the IS F’s 5.0 V8, which receives a 48bhp boost and now sends 465bhp to the rear-wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. At the back there’s a Torsen limited slip diff as standard, with the option of a torque-vectoring unit.

First impressions?
A smile when you see that the exhaust tailpipes are genuine this time, instead of the nasty fake plastic things stuck onto the bumper of the IS F. And an even bigger smile when the V8 wakes up with a growl and serves a perfect reminder of what’s wrong with the M4’s new engine. Then you squeeze the right pedal and realise what BMW got right. The truth is the RC F never feels that quick, not quick enough for the company it keeps, anyway. Lexus quotes 4.5sec to 62mph, but that’s 0.3sec down on an M4, and you really have to work it hard to get your kicks. It simply doesn’t produce enough torque for a car that’s too heavy. It’s around 6mpg thirstier than the BMW, too.

There are good points. On track, it feels absolutely faithful, the steering has a reassuring linearity to it and the brakes are strong. But it never feels as nimble or controlled as the BMW, even with the smart diff working its magic, and lacks the wallop you get in the M4 when you plant the throttle on the exit of a corner.

On the road it fares much better. The ride is mostly good, and while the paucity of low and mid-range power is even more apparent, the engine is actually a bit of a charmer. The interior, lifted straight from the IS saloon, is a lovely thing too. You twist the audio volume dial and everything from the texture and shape of the **** to the precision and gearing of the gubbins behind it exemplifies Lexus’s attention to detail. Less happily, the LFA’s unloved computer mouse controller has been swapped for a rubbish laptop-style trackpad to operate the multimedia system. It needs binned for a rotary dial. And while there are four seats, the rear is more cramped than an M4’s.

Anything else I need to know?
Well, you’d be advised to steer clear of the hideous RC F Carbon, which adds a massive £8000 to the £59,995 base price in exchange for a Mark Levinson hi-fi, heated Alcantara seats, tastier same-sized alloys and that trick diff, but also a carbon roof and bonnet. The roof, we could live with, and the two are said to save 15kg, but the bonnet is seriously OTT. Fortunately you should be able to cherry pick some of those options for the base car, which is predictably loaded with goodies anyway.

Verdict
We ran an IS F, a car that never troubled the old M3 much in group tests, as a long termer, and really came to admire it. Lexus cars have that effect on you. They’re about more than what you’ll discover on a brief test drive. But if you asked us where to put your coupe money today, we’d have to go for the BMW, or hang on for the new twin-turbo AMG C63 that’s due to pop up any time soon. As it stands the Lexus is heavier, thirstier, pricier, and not as much fun as the competition. It’s a three and half star car, but we don’t do half stars. The ray of sunlight that might turn those three stars into four is that Lexus’s engineers say there’s much more to come from the RC F. We’re ready when you are, boys.

Can Lexus’ rival to the BMW M4 capture some of the brilliance of their LFA supercar and upset the established German rivals?

What is it?

This is Lexus’ M4 – a pumped-up coupe with a thumping 471bhp and a distinctive and seriously aggressive look. It follows on from the excellent IS F and is inspired by the simply breathtaking LFA… so it might just be a car to take the fight to the new BMW M4. The RC F costs from £59,995, over £3000 more than the BMW, but comes loaded with kit. The RC F Carbon saves 10kg, gets shiny black weave for the bonnet, roof and active rear spoiler plus more alcantara for the interior and a trick torque vectoring rear differential for £67,995. If you don’t fancy the bare carbon bonnet (it does look a bit Fast and Furious) but like the sound of the diff then it’s available as an option on the standard car, too.

Technical highlights?

Unlike BMW the people of Lexus have kept the faith with atmospheric engines. No turbos here, just 4969cc of pure V8 goodness. This approach nets a mighty 471bhp at 7100rpm and 391lb ft from 4800-5600rpm. Lexus claim 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 168mph. As with the IS F, the V8 drives through an 8-speed automatic box and a torsen limited-slip differential or that torque-vectoring unit that works by actively pushing power to the wheel with the most grip, not simply braking an inside wheel as most other systems do.

There’s so much more: Four mode VDIM (vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, which manipulates ABS, VSC and TRC) including an ‘Expert’ mode that only steps in to prevent a spin. You can also opt to switch it off altogether. The torque vectoring diff has a further three modes: Standard, Slalom and Track and the drivetrain can be tailored with Normal, Sport S, Sport S+ and Manual modes… Then there’s the new 6-piston 380mm front brakes, the V8’s ability to switch to the Atkinson cycle for efficiency. The list goes on. And on.

What’s it like to drive?

We tried the car on the fantastic Monticello Motor Club circuit near New York and the roads nearby. The former is a seriously tough environment to launch any new car but with ‘F’ signifying the Fuji Speedway and lots of talk of ‘race ready’ performance the RC F should shine here.

Sadly it doesn’t and its weight is the reason why. The RC F is a chunky 1765kg and it feels every one of those on the circuit. The brakes cope pretty well but are groaning within a handful of really hard laps, the car is slightly clumsy on turn-in and understeer sets in quickly and that engine – which sounds fantastic and promises so much – feels overly burdened. It never feels the full 471bhp and simply doesn’t deliver the instant, bruising torque you’d hope to find. Nor does it sparkle at the top end… It’s all a little underwhelming.

On the road things are much better. The steering is really nicely weighted and fluid and seems well tuned to the car’s reactions as it tackles a series of corners. Grip and traction feel strong, the ride is pretty supple and the gearbox might not be dual-clutch precise but does a pretty effective job. But still it doesn’t really feel fast or alive to your inputs. It’s fun but somehow not very exciting.

Fortunately it’s a lovely place to be with a really cool interior despite a few scratchy plastics in places. The seats are great but set slightly too high and overall it feels pretty special, helped when the V8 gives it the full bellow above 3800rpm. But special enough to overcome its dynamic shortcomings? I don’t think so. On a bumpy, wet road in the UK I suspect it’ll be more fun but I can’t believe it will transform from slightly reluctant to breathlessly exciting… And that’s a disappointment.

How does it compare?

Let’s discount the pretty horrid RS5, which leaves the BMW M4 and the forthcoming C63 AMG with the new 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8. On paper the RC F is right on the money, but it’s simply outclassed by the M4 and we suspect that the next C63 will feel much, much faster with its new torque-rich engine. We had high hopes for the RC F but unless it’s transformed by a bit of UK-spec Super Unleaded and gets some serious chassis tweaks to help disguise its weight then it can only be judged a missed opportunity.

Anything else I need to know?

The optional TVD torque vectoring diff is seriously clever, utilising two electric motors to control the pressure on a corresponding multi-plate clutch. The motors can be adjusted every one-thousandth of a second to ensure the optimum flow of power to each wheel.