Despite its heft, this coupe manages a surprising turn of speed.
The 2019 Lexus RC F is one of the last examples of what is, sadly, a dying breed. Under the hood of this big coupe is a 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated V8. It’s an old-school setup, cranking out 467 horsepower and 389 lb-ft of torque through an 8-speed automatic transmission. While other automakers — take Mercedes-Benz, for example — are moving to smaller displacement, turbocharged engines, Lexus has yet to make a similar move in its large coupes and sedans.
But does that sort of displacement and power still make it fast? In this video, pro racing driver Paul takes the 2019 Lexus RC F around the IMI Motorsports track. The goal: set down a time in the 1:05 or 1:06 minute range on the TFL Hot or Not leaderboard. While the Lexus does indeed have some grunt, there are a few things to consider as it makes its way around the track.
Which will triumph: Weight or power?
It is still a Lexus, so there’s plenty of luxurious touches in the 2019 Lexus RC F. Technology abounds, as does safety equipment and comfort features. As a result, this car tips the scales at nearly two tons, which is fairly heavy for what’s supposed to be a sports coupe. It’s about 300 pounds heavier than a Ford Mustang GT, which also packs a big, naturally-aspirated V8 engine.
Still, the Lexus’ heft didn’t seem to hurt the time much, thanks to grippy Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, big 15-inch brake rotors up front with six-piston calipers, and an available Torque Vectoring Differential. With all that performance kit (and his skill, of course), Paul was able to manage a time of 1:04.88 minutes. The 2019 Lexus RC F also racked up a 5.81 second 0-60 time at a mile above sea level. Not bad at all, as that puts it into the top 10 in production cars on the leaderboard.
Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more news, views and real-world, Hot or Not reviews!
