Lexus has launched the RC 200t coupe in South Africa, slotting the new derivative just below the RC 350 F Sport.
The latter, of course, arrived on local shores in mid-2015. But the newly added RC 200t offers potential buyers a turbocharged engine at a slightly cheaper price-point.
Indeed, the RC 200t comes in at R699 100, while the naturally aspirated RC 350 F Sport currently carries a price-tag of R787 600.
Under the RC 200t’s bonnet lurks the now-familiar 2,0-litre twin-scroll turbocharged petrol engine married to an eight-speed automatic transmission. In this application, the four-cylinder unit makes 180 kW and 350 N.m, the latter on tap from as low as 1 650 r/min.
The sprint from zero to 100 km/h takes a claimed 7,5 seconds (as opposed to the 6,3-second dash in the RC 350 F Sport), while top speed is pegged at 230 km/h. Claimed combined fuel economy sits at 8,0 L/100 km, which is somewhat more palatable than the RC 350 F Sport’s claimed 9,4.
The RC 200t’s standard kit list includes smart entry, LED lighting, a sunroof, leather upholstery, heating/ventilation for the power-adjustable front seats, satellite navigation, parking sensors (plus a reversing camera), and as many as eight airbags.