Lexus is just full of news about its RC coupe this week. Following the more local development that the updated 2019 model year RC 300 and RC 350 are now available to Australian buyers, the Japanese automaker have teased a more track-friendly version of the hotted-up RC F to be unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show next month.
There’s not much we know at this point other than that it will be called the RC F Track Edition and that it will sport a large carbon fibre fixed rear wing, not even whether there are firm plans for it to be sold or if it’s merely an exercise to see which new direction they can successfully pull the two-door V8 coupe in.
So far, save for the LFA Nurburgring Edition, it just hasn’t been in Lexus’ character to roll out a hardened and more focused version of their performance cars, a space they only relatively recently entered with the IS F. Their fast cars are still about as luxurious and everyday drivable as a Lexus should be.
However, with a name like Track Edition, it’s hard to fathom them somehow also squeezing in premium levels of ride and refinement. It will be a new type of car for Lexus, one that is so single-mindedly focused on on-track agility and speed.
Over the RC F, we expect it to bear a much more aggressive aero package to accompany that huge fixed rear wing along with a lowered ride height, bigger brakes, stiffer suspension, and a fairly comprehensive weight reduction campaign that sees the omission of rear seats and other accoutrements.
Historically though, the company’s performance division has been hesitant to make any large alterations to the 5.0-litre naturally aspirated 2UR-GSE V8, making it rather difficult to imagine them breaking that habit with the Track Edition. Should that be the case again, we should have identical output to the RC F’s 348kW and 527Nm.
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