Lexus has introduced a track-honed edition of its RC F performance coupe. The Track Edition has been given improved aerodynamics, reduced weight, retuned suspension and enhanced styling.
Equipped with the Japanese OEM’s naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8, the RC F is now rated at 472bhp and 535Nm of torque thanks to a revised intake routing and lower RPM trigger point for the secondary intake opening (2,800rpm vs 3,600rpm).
The company’s 8-speed automatic transmission carries over from the previous generation coupe, but a higher final drive ratio has been installed to improve off-the-line response. All this means that the RC F Track Edition is capable of launching from 0-to-100km/h in 3.96 seconds.
“The new RCF and the Track Edition, in particular, benefit from constant development since their original launch. With the latest improvements, these models help further distinguish the F brand by offering fast, durable, highly capable performance cars that rely on a range of technologies to help make their performance accessible to drivers of all skill levels,” said Koji Sato, executive vice president, Lexus International.
Developed with input from Lexus race teams in the Super GT and IMSA series, the Track Edition features a unique front splitter with canards, which is not only made from carbon fiber to reduce weight, but also to increase front-end downforce for better grip and more precise steering.
At the rear of the car, a fixed rear wing made from carbon fiber replaces the active spoiler offered on the standard RC F. The fixed wing is not only lighter, it also simultaneously reduces drag and adds downforce.
This is thanks to a wing shape that smooths the airflow over the rear of the car to decrease drag-inducing turbulence. The engineers then added a very slight angle of attack to produce downforce without compromising the overall airflow. The result is up to 26kg of additional downforce compared with the active rear spoiler.
With lightweighting in mind, every Track Edition model is fitted with Brembo carbon ceramic brake rotors. Not just significantly lighter than their steel counterparts, the Brembo brakes are also better able to withstand the extreme heat cycling associated with performance driving.
Additional weight was removed by specifying carbon fiber for the roof and hood, along with switching to a carbon fiber partition behind the rear seats and a carbon bumper reinforcement. Many of these carbon fiber pieces are made on the same line that supplied the Lexus LFA during its two-year production run.
The 2020 Lexus RC F Track Edition will start production in the second quarter of 2019.
