Here we go again. Lexus builds another luxury speed demon, the all-new 2015 RC-F coupe, to see if it can finally compete with the German automakers that literally dominate the segment.
By Chuck Tannert
Fun, Fun, Fun. It’s a state of mind that the legendary Beach Boys made famous back in the early sixties, before Brian Wilson stopped writing about Southern California car culture, with their hit song of the same name. In automotive vernacular, it refers to the joy and freedom one gets from driving fast and furious in a cool car. Akio Toyoda, president and chief executive officer of Toyota, Lexus’s parent company, wants to infuse the fun spirit into every car Lexus built. That is, he wants to make fast, soulful cars that delight drivers of all ages and skill levels and beg them to drive passionately.
Until recently, the automaker was only known for building well-heeled,
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It sends power to either rear wheel depending on driving conditions. In the most aggressive (Track) of the three electronic settings (Normal, Slalom, and Track), the differential applies the brakes to the inside rear wheel to help carve corners more effectively. A bit of smart engineering to make you feel like a better driver.
On the throttle, the RC-F's 5.0-liter V-8 is nothing short of sensational, offering neck-snapping acceleration. The light-yet-precise steering made corners easy to maneuver, no matter how sharp or sweeping. There was a bit of body roll and the brakes were simply sufficient. But those complaints were minor.
My biggest pet peeve was the eight-speed automatic transmission. At first, it left me scratching my head. It was basically useless on the track, thanks to slow gearshifts that completely dropped the car out of the power zone. Upshifts were slow, and downshifts ever slower. Quick recovery after nasty turns or hard-breaking maneuvers was