and GSF is going to be even bigger and heavier

 

I guess I don't understand about the 0-60 MPH time and weight. I just want a car that's fun to drive plus being a little forgiving. Big deal the M3/M4 may be faster to 60 MPH by a few tenths. Didn't you see the uTube video where the two M3/M4's blew their engines on the track? I could have beat those guys in my 2004 ES330 😎

 

As as former F owner, I sold my car in high anticipation. Now I have disappointedly crossed it off my list. I'm not interested in the M4 either though, hopefully the new C63 will be more groundbreaking.

 

I think this is the main thing.

I know reviews are one thing, but in the end, it's you that's driving the vehicle, and I always wait to see it in person and drive the thing before I'd make my final decision.

Like when I test drove the M4, there were some aspects of it that I liked better than based on previews/pictures, but some unexpected aspects that I didn't like either.

So I'm waiting till I get some wheel time in this before I make the final decision.

 

Ironically, this was the same reason BMW ceased selling their M turbos last year. Imagine having 400 miles on a new performance car an incurring this kind of a failure. It inspires confidence.

The stories I could tell...

 

of course, since RC-F is already heavier than my GS I might as well wait for the big boy.

 

Mixed feelings here as well. I will wait until I get a chance to see it in person and then go for a test drive before deciding.

 

Weight or not, this is a star craft...it's not the glorious bastard ISF...it's a new class of car. Ironically, it still manages to get out of its own way despite the calories.

Expect it to get even heavier as it eats up the majority of the cars that get in its way.

BTW: I would also expect more from this car: Lexus was at pains to point out the cars driven at Monticello where production prototypes with some development work still needed.

 

Whoever decided to pull the trigger on this press junket using underperforming prototypes cars should be canned. I will never allow this situation under my watch. Ferrari never allows the press to test new models without their own mechanics preparing the car to the point that they are criticized for staging their cars. BUT you know what, it works!

 

As much as I am a loyal Lexus enthusiast, I too feel that they pulled the trigger too soon for the media. Soon enough, the production cars will find their way into the right hands for proper testing.

 

What pains me also is that Lexus was touting how the car handled and then Motortrend finds this. Heck, the Hellcat at 400 more pounds slalomed with the same time. Pathetic.

"In terms of braking, the RC F stops from 60 mph in 108 feet. The M4 with optional $8000 carbon-ceramic brakes needs 98 feet, the Audi RS 5 requires 104 feet, and the old AMG 507 needed just 103 feet. Asked if the brand is considering a carbon-ceramic option, Lexus says, “No.” I say Lexus should, especially with all that weight. In terms of handling, the RC F’s peak lateral grip was 0.95 g and it completed our figure-eight test in 24.7 seconds -- the exact same time it takes the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and one of the three Alfa Romeo 4Cs we've tested, mind you. The M4 can pull 0.98 g and run the figure eight in 24.2 seconds, the RS 5 pulls a max of 0.99 and takes 24.6 seconds, whereas the AMG 507 pulled only 0.91 g and needed 25.2 seconds. Half a second difference between two cars is quite stark on a 1600-foot handling course. Again, weight is the enemy, though the 450-hp Audi mitigates its porkiness with AWD grip out of corners. Numbers-wise, this looks like a pretty solid victory for the BMW M4. But keep reading."

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz3CVI1S3GD

 

oh wow. i just gave this a read a litle while ago and didnt know thats how the RCF matched up with those other cars. im sure its going to be a very cool car, but versus the competetion thats not looking so great, yet again

 

This whole promotion for press seems to be a disaster with prototypes.

Lexus went about it the wrong way. They forgot to do the most important thing - just sell the car! (overconfidence?)

When I first found out about this event, my first question for JoeZ was "is Scott Pruett going to be there to give people rides around Monticello?" Obviously, that was not the case. Lexus needed to bring Justin Bell and Scott Pruett to truly demonstrate the capabilities of the car and sell it to perspective customers.

It does not matter even if they are ex race car drivers. There was a story of pro race car driver Randy Pobst getting scared and intimidated by the LFA's oversteering behavior and tail swinging wildly when he pushed it to its limit to get the 1:36 lap time at Laguna Seca and then Justin Bell took Pobst around Laguna Seca and MT was blown away at how masterfully he controlled the LFA making it dance at his finger tips even at the extreme limits.

Point is, nothing beats having proper seat time behind a car and learning where its limits are and how to control the car at its limits. Lexus needed to have an RC-F expert to demonstrate how to extract the best out of it and it would have sold everyone who rode shotgun with these pro drivers.

 

So these are not production cars???

 

For the vast majority of owners they could care less if a car beats them by .5 seconds. Most are after the Lexus experience. I know a racing instructor whose Honda civic hatchback a daily driver literally had one of the top three times in the auto x against Cobra's, Shelby, Miata and a dearth of $70k cars. Does that make me not like my(at the time) Mazda rx7? No. To each his own. My point is 99% of the time it's not the tool that wins but the experience of the driver. Many of you will be competing against yourself and as it is this car offers plenty(too much to handle for most) for the average weekender racer. It takes years to master 200hp let alone 400+. Tuning, tires, shocks swaps, coils, etc. Let's face it. Even IF this car was to have beaten the competition it would stop there as the aftermarket for BMW, MB,Audi etc would over take the Lexus in a year. Then your back in the same place as you are now. Until Lexus addresses this and allows tuners to be able to easily wrench this engine and give open source codes it'll stay stock forever. So relax and ENJOY the new Lexus. It'll be a very nice car.