Soon BMW M4’s first true rival will land in South Africa. The Lexus RC F is hotly anticipated by enthusiasts that prefer a naturally-aspirated engine up front instead of turbocharged unit.
As was the case with the Lexus IS-F sports sedan, the RC F is powered by a 5,0-litre V8 engine. The engine’s output has gone up to 335 kW and 520 N.m, resulting in a claimed 0-100 km/h acceleration time of around 4,5 seconds. As can be seen in the video above, Lexus is also making use of carbon-fibre, in this case the entire bonnet, roof and rear spoiler are manufactured from this strong, lightweight material when you pick the more expensive Carbon option. It will be interesting to see which of these two cars are the lighest though, the M4 or RC F.
The big news is that Lexus has released the UK pricing for its standard model, £59 995, as well as its RC F Carbon model, £67 995. Both of these models slot in above the UK’s pricing for the BMW M4 at £56 635. At this stage it is not clear if Lexus will be able to undercut BMW’s pricing when the RC F arrives in SA. However, a spokesperson for Lexus SA confirmed that the RC and RC F will arrive during the first quarter of 2015.
See below the main features, options and pricing for the UK model. The South African specification and pricing will be revealed in the near future.
| RC F (£59,995) | RC F Carbon (£67,995) adds |
| LED headlights with auto high-beam | Torque-vectoring differential |
| 19-inch forged alloy wheels | CFRP roof, bonnet and rear spoiler |
| Lexus Drive Mode Select | Dedicated-design 19-inch forged alloy wheels |
| Brembo brakes | Alcantara upholstery |
| Sachs monotube shock absorbers | Heated front seats |
| Active/retractable rear spoiler | Mark Levinson Surround Sound system |
| High-grade leather upholstery | Key options |
| Heated/ventilated front seats with power adjustment (eight-way) | Adaptive Cruise Control and Pre-Crash Safety system |
| Power steering column adjustment | Metallic paint |
| Heated/auto-dimming/folding door mirrors | |
| Card key | |
| Auto-dimming rear-view mirrors | |
| Reversing camera | |
| Front and rear parking sensors | |
| 10-speaker multimedia system with Lexus Premium Navigation and Remote Touch touchpad control | |
| Dual-zone climate control | |
| Cruise control | |
| Lane Departure Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and blind spot monitor | |
| Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management | |
| Electronic parking brake | |
| Keyless Smart Entry | |
| Key options | |
| Metallic paint | |
| Torque-vectoring differential | |
| Sunroof | |
| Adaptive Cruise Control and Pre-Crash Safety system | |
| Mark Levinson Surround Sound system |
