Who would’ve thought that Lexus would be the final proponent of naturally aspirated V8 goodness?
The Japanese manufacturer has just announced prices for its upcoming RC F performance coupé, ready to battle it out armed with the hypnotic Yamaha-tuned 5.0-litre V8 we all know and love from the old, discontinued IS F.
In Europe, the car will start from a relatively modest Dh370,000, but the one you really want will be the Dh415,000 RC F Carbon, with a standard torque-vectoring differential, carbon-fibre bonnet, roof and active rear spoiler, exclusive 19in forged wheels, Alcantara interiors and metallic paint.
Even at that price, the RC F Carbon is still cheaper than the new Dh420,000-BMW M4. In fact all of the Lexus’ rivals are pricier, and both the M4 and Jag’s F-Type R Coupé, of course, eschew naturally aspirated revviness in favour of force-feeding.
Yamaha’s finest will deliver up to 460bhp and 520Nm of torque to the rear wheels via Lexus’ eight-speed automatic transmission (no double-clutch gizmos here) with paddle shifters.
Other standard kit includes Brembo brakes, Sachs monotube shocks, LEDs, 10-speaker sound system, dual-zone air conditioning and ventilated seats, to name a few.
Performance? Yes, of course. Although Lexus hasn’t revealed any figures officially, expect a top speed of 280kph (the old IS F topped out at 270kph) and 0-100kph in well below five seconds to closely match the M4’s sprint time of 4.3 seconds.
Although it’s still not confirmed, the new RC F should arrive on our shores sometime at the end of the year.
