2021 Lexus RC F Fuji Speedway Edition review: Exclusive doesn’t always mean good

At the very least this motor vehicle looks amazing.


Kyle Hyatt/Roadshow

The thought of paying out a 7 days with a hyper-limited, track-focused, distinctive-edition automobile with a massive, superior-revving, obviously aspirated V8 is rather damn enjoyable. That is the stuff that motor vehicle fanatics dream about, proper? Regretably, actuality rarely lives up to our desires, and that is surely the case with the 2021 Lexus RC F Fuji Speedway Edition.

Like

  • Fantastic create excellent
  • Robust carbon-ceramic brakes

You should not Like

  • Lazy drivetrain
  • Rough experience
  • Far too highly-priced

On paper, the RC F Fuji edition seems good. It can be acquired tons of carbon fiber, carbon-ceramic brakes and the five.-liter 2UR-GSE V8 you may uncover in general performance autos like the Lexus LC five hundred, the beloved IS F and the new IS five hundred. That engine makes a respectable 472 horsepower at 7,100 rpm and 395 pound-toes of torque at four,800 rpm, but it can be right here that the RC F’s bummers start off.

This engine surely does scream in its upper registers, as evidenced by the revs at which it makes peak electric power. It can be right here the place the V8 is enjoyable and responsive and alive. Regretably, in the lower element of its rev vary, the five.-liter V8 runs on the Atkinson cycle, the exact performance-focused cycle that Toyota uses in its hybrids. This suggests the valve timing variations to concentration on fuel performance at the expense of electric power, torque and responsiveness.

On paper, obtaining a additional successful motor vehicle at all over-town speeds appears excellent, but in actuality, it makes a track-focused beast like the RC F experience lifeless and unexciting. If this had been something but a flagship sports design, I would be significantly less essential, but in a motor vehicle like this, with a massive carbon wing, hyper-intense styling and a sizable value tag, it feels like a large misstep. I want my massive, obviously aspirated V8 to kick ass all the time, and this a person will not.

That V8 is paired with an 8-pace computerized transmission. Unlike the engine, the transmission functions very well in town but lets the driver down on excellent canyon roads. It shifts slower than some of the ZF 8-pace ‘boxes I’ve professional and, yet again, in a track-focused motor vehicle, it should not be this way. At the very least this transmission is paired with a locking rear differential that functions as advertised and is a welcome addition in the RC F.

You can expect to uncover this five.-liter V8 in the LC five hundred and IS five hundred.


Kyle Hyatt/Roadshow

The RC F Fuji’s suspension is one more place that must be impressive purely based mostly on its specs but will not are living up to the buzz. The entrance double-wishbone suspension features adaptive Sachs dampers and a hollow entrance sway bar. The rear uses a multi-backlink style and design. The complete setup is exceptionally stiff and unpleasant all over town but it will not do a amazing task of managing the RC F in superior-pace driving. Even further, I uncover it challenging to have faith in the motor vehicle to continue to be planted as it moves all over on rapidly canyon roads for the reason that it never ever feels actually settled. The RC F’s obscure digital electric power steering also does a lousy task of supplying driver comments, including to that over-all deficiency of self esteem on the road.

Arguably the greatest thing about the Fuji is its set of fourteen.nine-inch Brembo carbon ceramic brakes. The RC F is a major motor vehicle with a curb fat of 3,781 lbs (121 lbs lighter than the regular RC F), and with approximately five hundred hp on faucet, these unflappable brakes are a welcome addition for repeatable, self esteem-inspiring halting. Coupled with the fairly sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, the RC F’s over-all grip is excellent, irrespective of the concerns I have with the suspension.

The RC F’s cabin is a sea of leather-based, Alcantara, carbon fiber and buttons. At 6 toes, four inches, I am admittedly taller than most drivers, but I wrestle to get relaxed in any posture. The seats are attractive and possible extremely supportive for scaled-down drivers, but soon after an hour in the canyons, I experience like they have been boxing my kidneys, and it can be not enjoyable. Headroom also could be superior, thinking of the deficiency of a moonroof in the carbon-roof-outfitted Fuji. The BMW M4 delivers additional area for heads (and helmets), but at the very least the RC F has a good deal of legroom. The complete cabin is exquisitely constructed with good resources, at the very least — a hallmark of Lexus products and solutions.

The interior is properly appointed, but the infotainment tech is truly undesirable.


Kyle Hyatt/Roadshow

The RC F lacks blind-spot checking (thanks to its carbon fiber side mirrors) and rear cross-site visitors alert, but at the very least arrives with adaptive cruise regulate, computerized crisis braking, computerized superior beams, lane-departure warning and the like. But although the safety suite is only Ok, the infotainment process is rather undesirable. The RC F will not have a touchscreen, but thankfully Apple CarPlay and Android Vehicle are regular, and my take a look at automobile is outfitted with the optional Mark Levinson audio package deal — a mandatory add for any Lexus, as much as I am worried. The Lexus Enform process is problematic owing to its clunky interface and laggy reaction, not to point out the finicky trackpad which is challenging to use although driving.

The RC F Fuji Speedway Edition has a starting up value of $ninety eight,275, including Lexus’ $1,075 vacation spot price. That is a additional-than-$thirty,000 high quality over the regular RC F, so what, other than exclusivity and carbon ceramic brakes, is Lexus providing purchasers for that income? The massive aesthetic variances are the carbon fiber hood, rear wing, roof, entrance lip and side skirts, as very well as crimson leather-based and Alcantara interior with carbon trim. There is certainly also a titanium exhaust process, solid BBS wheels and the aforementioned torque-vectoring rear stop.

Not quite a few of these will be offered.


Kyle Hyatt/Roadshow

But is it value it? In short, no. The RC F Fuji Speedway Edition is not a extremely excellent motor vehicle on general public roads and it can be not entertaining on winding stretches of canyon roads, both. It may be excellent on a race track as its name would indicate (nevertheless I can not validate that), but with its punishing experience, cramped interior and disappointing drivetrain, I can not envision buying this over any other sports motor vehicle at this value. For the $102,510 as-analyzed value of this RC F, I would instead have a base Porsche 911, which is both equally a superior sports motor vehicle and a a lot additional livable day by day driver. 

For 2022, Lexus determined to extend the Fuji Speedway Edition by an more 50 units. The organization also additional a new shade — a wonderful blue referred to as Electric powered Surge — and gave the Fuji a new set of 19-inch wheels. Regretably, these updates do nothing to raise the charm of this super challenging market.