Stock-looking Lexus RC F Scoots Down the Quarter Mile

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Lexus 5.0-liter V8 has a sweet sound as the RC F covers the quarter mile in just 12.4 seconds.

The video above comes to us from the SoFlaZ06 YouTube channel and it features a Lexus RC F working out at Palm Beach International Raceway. The RC F is engineered to be an all-around performance car that delivers the proper luxury experience, so it isn’t exactly purposed for the drag strip, but this footage shows that the curvy coupe can still boogie down the quarter mile as well as the modern American muscle cars.

Average Quarter Mile Times

As you likely know, the pre-2020 Lexus RC F is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 that delivers 467 and 389 lb-ft of torque, with that power being channeled towards the rear wheels by means of a 8-speed automatic transmission. Many media outlets have tested the F-variant of the curvy RC coupe and in most cases, the car turned in a quarter mile time in the range of 12.7 to 12.9 with speeds ranging from 110 to 113 miles per hour.

Lexus RC F Drag Strip Run

For example, Motor Trend ran a 12.7 at 112.2 in one test and a 12.9 at 110.3 in another. Edmunds ran a 12.8 at 110.7, Car and Driver ran a 12.8 at 114 and Motorweek ran the same time and speed at Car and Driver. In other words, the big media outlets were all in the high-12-second range with speeds hovering on both sides of 112. A thread in the forum with owners reporting their quarter mile times show that many private owners run in the 12.80s, but some people have run a little quicker.

Lexus RC F Drag Strip Run

Today, we bring you an example of an RC F that is exceeding the majority of the reported times.

The Machine

Sadly, there are no details on this particular Lexus RC F, but we can see that it has aftermarket wheels and the exhaust tips appear to poke out a bit further than the stock tips. The exhaust also seems a touch louder than stock as the car rockets down the track, so if we had to guess, we would say that this car has an aftermarket exhaust system, unique wheels and sticker-than-stock tires.

The reason that we believe that the tires are stickier-than-stock is that on the launch, the Lexus coupe doesn’t spin the tires at all. Even though the driver gets off of the line hard enough to run a 12.498 at 115.57 miles per hour, there is no sound of wheelspin and anyone who has launched a stock RC F knows that it’s not always easy to get the tires to grip.

Lexus RC F Drag Strip Run

With an elapsed time of 12.498, this Lexus is almost a half-second quicker than some of the average times, but there are members who have reportedly run in the 12.40s with just upgraded exhaust. Also, with a trap speed of 115 miles per hour, this car isn’t dramatically faster on the top end of the track and if it had any substantial upgrades, that is where it would really show. However, this car could be stock with just exhaust and good tires, allowing the 5.0-liter V8 to breathe a little easier and allowing the RC F to use all of the available power on launch.

Crank up your speakers and enjoy!

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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