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The banzai Lexus RC F is a coupe that makes the BMW M4 and Mercedes C 63 AMG seem almost straight-laced. And it finished production with this 'Ultimate Edition' version. The ultimate version of the brand's ultimate performance V8 coupe? Perhaps.
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Background
When later this decade we look back, it will seem strange that Hybrid pioneers Lexus offered a car with an old school atmospheric 5.0-litre V8 right until the end of 2024. The car that prolonged this classic engine's life was the RC F coupe - which finished production with the 'Ultimate Edition' model we look at here. Just 30 were made for European sale.
A bit of RC F history first. It was first unveiled back in 2014, then updated five years on. At this point, the chassis was reinforced and lightened and the V8 had to give up a few horsepower to meet European emissions legislation. A 'Track Edition' version was added to the range at this point and it was that variant which formed the basis for this last-of-the-line 'Ultimate Edition' model.
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Range data
| Min | Max |
| Price | 93495 | 93495 |
| Insurance group 1-50 | 50 | 50 |
| CO2 (g/km) | 268 | 268 |
| Max Speed (mph) | 168 | 168 |
| Min | Max |
| Combined Mpg | 23.9 | 23.9 |
| Length (mm) | 4710 | 4710 |
| Width (mm) | 1845 | 1845 |
| Height (mm) | 1390 | 1390 |
| Boot Capacity (l) | 466 | 466 |
Driving experience
Buckle up, because the RC F's specifications sound fantastic. Lexus claimed the 32-valve 5.0-litre engine was the most powerful it had ever created for a production car. It's glorious-sounding, is mated to an eight-speed Sports Direct Shift transmission and delivers 457bhp and 520Nm of torque. 0-62mph takes 4.3s en route to 168mph. It's not just all displacement and no decorum either. The RC F gets standard fitment Brembo brakes, Sachs monotube shock absorbers, an active rear wing, Lexus's Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system and is garnished with some beautiful 19-inch forged alloy wheels.
In this 'Ultimate Edition' form, it also benefits from additional performance features in the form of an active torque-vectoring differential and a CFRP (carbon fibre-reinforced plastic) roof, bonnet and rear spoiler. The torque-vectoring differential gives the driver the choice of three operating modes to optimise traction and vehicle control in different scenarios, from everyday driving to track performance. Despite its hardcore credentials, Lexus aimed here to build something you could easily use as your daily driver.
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Design and build
There are some coupes that look like saloon cars that are merely down a couple of doors and then there are cars like the RC F. The design cribs a few cues from the LFA supercar, most notably in the use of air cooling and aerodynamic features. Air outlets on the bonnet, like those on the LFA, work together with front cooling ducts to support both engine cooling and overall vehicle stability. To the side there are air outlets behind the front wings that add to the engine and brake cooling performance, and which merge neatly with side sill extensions to create an 'L' shape. It features its own interpretation of the Lexus signature spindle grille, which dominates the front of the vehicle and has a subtle 'F' motif embedded in the mesh below the Lexus badge. In profile, there's a sleek roofline and a distinctive curved step in the window line leading into the C-pillar. The trademark quad trapezoidal exhaust outlets were carried over from the IS F but here they're functional.
The cabin doesn't instantly scream performance car. Instead it looks more like one of Lexus' luxury models. Look closer and you'll spot the sporty cues such as the instrument meters, steering wheel, seats, pedals and trim. It's just very downplayed. The instrument meters mark a development of the switchable, diving mode-dependent central dial featured in the LFA. The dial pack comprises a large, centrally mounted tachometer that changes according to driving mode, digital and analogue speed read-outs, a differential torque vectoring monitor, a G-force meter, oil and water temperature gauges, mileage information and a stopwatch for clocking that bridge to gantry time at the Nurburgring. There's surprisingly spacious room in the back for a sports coupe. And a decent 466-litre boot.
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Market and model
The £93,495 asking price of this final 'Ultimate Edition' RC F is a far cry from the £60,000 sticker figure that applied when we first tested the RC F back in 2015. The 'Ultimate Edition; is based on the previous 'Track Edition' RC F model that went off sale back in April 2024 when Lexus stopped selling mainstream RC Fs in our market. The main difference is the addition of a pop-up carbonfibre spoiler in place of the usual fixed rear wing. Bespoke F-branded projector puddle lights were also added and this spec includes the brand's active torque-vectoring differential. Only 30 'Ultimate Edition' TC Fs were made for European sale. Our test car came with 'Titanium Carbide grey' special paint, a £250 option.
As you'd expect from Lexus, you get a ton of standard equipment including full LED headlights with automatic high beam function, a 10-speaker multimedia system including DAB, DVD player, Remote Touch touchpad control and Lexus Premium Navigation, dual-zone climate control and Drive Mode Select. There are also front and rear parking sensors, electric, auto-dimming, folding and heated door mirrors; cruise control, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, electric steering column adjustment and keyless Smart Entry.
Safety provisions include eight airbags, a reversing camera, Hill Assist Control, Lane Departure and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, a blind spot monitor and VDIM, which co-ordinates performance of the ABS, brake assist, traction control vehicle stability control and electronic brakeforce distribution.
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Cost of ownership
One of the reasons we thought we'd sadly seen the last of the 5.0-litre normally-aspirated V8 is, and there's no real way of sugaring this particular bit, it was just plain uncompetitive when it came to economy and emissions. Lexus has worked on the engine in the RC F but it can only do so much - as the figures suggest; 268g/km and 23.9mpg on the combined cycle.
That comes with a rider though. Modern turbocharged engines are designed to do very well on the EuroNCAP test and tend to fare less well in real world conditions, so while the Lexus RC F might seem like a dinosaur when the published figures are compared, in real terms the disparity in running costs might not be anything like so great.
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Summary
The concept of Lexus and high-performance has always been an unusual one. Yet this RC F, like the IS F model it succeeded, always delivered it with an appeal that in its own way was every bit as addictive as German rivals could provide.
Few will notice this model's passing, but we will miss it and this 'Ultimate Edition' model was a fitting sign-off for an emotive, under-rated high-performance coupe that might even one day be collectable. It deserves to be.
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