Lexus RC F Delights with Pony Car Characterstics
Jack Baruth, aside from being a talented automotive writer, is an instructor during high-performance driving events. He also wasn’t a fan of the RC F during the first outing. But after a second go around with the two-seat performance RC, his mind has been changed. He describes it as the “best Japanese pony car.” I have to agree.
During Baruth’s first attempt with the car, he was driving it back-to-back against the Jaguar F-Type R coupe. I am a huge fan of the RC F (which I’ll explain later), but those two cars can’t really be compared. Like Baruth, my mind would be wandering towards the Jag each and every time.
But when Baruth took it on a track day recently, he fell in love with it. All of the high points are there, including the way the naturally-aspirated V8 makes power compared to the turbo counterpart. He’s particularly fond of the way it makes power coming out of a corner, which a turbo engine might cause the wheels to break loose. The V8’s linear power delivery inspires confidence.
The pony car references are spot-on, too. The RC F isn’t a perfect car, but the imperfections that are found on the racetrack — mainly the weight — pay dividends on the street where we all spend most of our time.
The car also looks bonkers, which is definitely a plus!
The most interesting part of the story is when Baruth was lapping with a M4 in the rain. The confidence the RC F inspires in the wet allowed him to overtake and seriously crush the BMW when the track gets slippery.
You’ll definitely want to head over to Road & Track for the whole story, and let us know what you think in the forums!
via [Road & Track]
