Lexus RC F Track Pack Dukes it out With Mustang GT
PistonHeads’ street comparison of the naturally aspirated, V8-powered Lexus RC F Track Pack and Mustang GT has clear winner.
The Lexus RC F Track Pack has been getting reviewed left and right lately. In the last RC F video we reviewed, Matt Farah of the Smoking Tire dinged the RC F’s on track dynamics, or lack thereof. In this video comparison, Dan Prosser of PistonHeads rounds up the Lexus and a Mustang GT, the premise being that naturally aspirated V8s are becoming hard to find. And that is a reality thanks to the increasing use of turbos and electric powertrains. “The normally aspirated V8 engine is not dead yet, you can still find them,” says Prosser. “You just need to know where to look.”
In one corner is the 457 horsepower Lexus and in the other corner the 450 horsepower Ford Mustang GT, an interesting matchup to say the least, especially considering how much more expensive the Lexus is. So how did the comparison play out? Prosser has good things to say about the Mustang’s basic ingredients. “Apart from that V8 you get handsome retro styling, bundles of character, a 6-speed manual transsmission and a mechanical LSD,” he says. “The Mustang proposition is a familiar and very likable one.” He does ding the American muscle cars relative lack of refinement. “Not much by way of sophistication. The Mustangs cabin is reasonably spacious for a two-door coupe but material, quality and fit and finish are only OK. The standard fit seats are also flat and not especially supportive.” He notes that the optional Recaros are a worthwhile addition.
Prosser boils the stakes down to two distinct categories: “What we really care about today is which one as the most memorable engine and which one is more fun to drive.” Behind the wheel of the Mustang, he says the Coyote V8 is a really great engine that feels like it displaces more than the 5.0-liters that is actually has. “It revs to cleanly feels like a smaller capacity engine at higher RPMS,” he notes. “It spins out all the way to 7500 rpm.” He really like the “elemental V8 soundtrack” it makes. In the end though, the Mustang lets him down with its lack of body control and wallowing handling.
On to the Lexus then. “Is there such a thing as Japanese muscle car? If there is, this surely is it,” he says. “The Lexus RC F is a little left field but intriguing.” Despite the RC F’s additional weight, he finds it the better drive. “When you drive it back to back with that Mustang, it feels like a sportscar,” he says. “Its actually heavier than the mustang by a reasonably significant amount. But it feels smaller. It feels lighter. The body control is much tougher, it’s not wallowing about and heaving so much.”
Prosser says they weren’t trying to find a winner with the comparison. “We’re not hear to find a winner, the cars are too different for that in terms of price and personality. The Mustang is fun in a silly way and its engine is a monster but the pony car has only one trick.” In the end though it seems that the RC F gets top honors. “The Lexus feels like a more sophisticated car in every way, which it should given the price differential. It’s both a sharper sports car than the Mustang and a more cosseting grand tourer.”
