RC350 AWD

[Rabbers]

Earlier this month my wife and I stayed a week with an old friend and his family near Toronto.   Knowing that an RC350 was on his list of possible

replacements for a BMW530iX, I had asked him to wait until my visit before arranging a test-drive, which he very kindly did.  So, early one damp but

clear morning, an RC350 F-Sport AWD in Atomic Silver (=Sonic Titanium) and Rioja Red (=Dark Rose) leather, coincidentally the same as my own

300h at home, was delivered to the front gate for an agreed six hours that included, with the dealer's consent, a booking for 20 laps at a test-circuit

some 60km distant.  The lighter and quicker - and presumably more agile - RWD version with the much praised 8-speed gearbox available in the 

U.S. is not sold in Canada, where AWD versions with a choice of 256hp (RC300) or 307hp (RC350) 3.5L V6 engines, both with 6-speed boxes, are

considered commercially more viable because of the snowy winters.  The RC300h is not sold at all (and nor is the IS300h).

 

The 350's exterior and cabin being practically identical to those of the 300h, my first impression as a passenger was one of complete familiarity.

The only difference I was able to detect after a few rare accelerations to 50kmh or so in the rush-hour traffic was the distinctly audible purr of the

V6 instead of the silence I would have expected from a warmed-up hybrid in similar conditions.  Whooshing from the 19" tyres (Bridgestones v.

my Dunlop Sport Maxxes on exactly the same rims) sounded very familiar, meaning that differences in soundproofing, if any, are minimal.  As

expected, acceleration from 60-70kmh to 110-120km (i.e. significantly over the limits which most drivers take seriously because of the potential

double whammy of hefty fines and demerit points) felt almost instantaneous and, at a guess, could not have taken much more than four seconds,

if that.  In fact, when I later got to drive the car, I initially found it difficult to correctly dose the accelerator and judge my speed.  However, I soon

understood the car to be a typical Lexus in its easy driveability, the main - indeed the only - behavioural difference in respect of the 300h being a

much readier throttle response with pedal sensitivity seemingly calibrated to signal the availability of abundant power in all modes including ECO

(whose presence in all Lexus non-hybrids including avowedly fast and not particularly fuel-efficient ones like the present 350 has always struck

me as odd given that few owners will be looking to save a few drops of fuel or rescue the planet).   And indeed, as was to be confirmed on the

test track, where I managed six laps without harming myself or the car, the powerful and perfectly linear progression through the gears with the

pedal floored (and with the individual shifts being more perceptible than I expected, no doubt as the result of my several years with an e-CVT),

would not have exhausted itself until the rather low 210kmh limitation (223kmh displayed) at 6000rpm some 25-30' later.   I recorded a time

of 27.2' for 0-1000m on my only attempt, which, although it felt quite fast, was not spectacularly better than the 30' or so I have got on deserted

stretches of road with the RC300h (and also the IS300h).   Stopping at any speed with a short and firm pedal action was impressive by virtue of

a more powerful braking system and larger discs.  Use of the paddles in conjunction with the mechanical box was both effective and entertaining

(and therefore more inviting than in the 300h, where I find them largely redundant), especially on the approach to corners and slow curves.  To my

delight, downshifts were sometimes accompanied by double-coughs from the exhaust, which I suspect had more to do with clever acoustic

engineering than my achievement of perfect synchrony between man and machine.   On the return journey with the ACC set for 110kmh and the

car gliding along at <1000rpm, I could not help thinking that whereas most law-abiding citizens in Canada and the U.S. have learned to live with

ridiculous levels of unused power under their hood, my own feeling would be one of extreme frustration.

 

If I could buy one, and leaving aside issues such as higher running costs and possible fiscal disincentives, or pipe-dreams about owning an LC,

would I prefer the 350 to the 300h?   Yes, I would - provided it would not be priced at too much of a premium and my needs were to routinely

include long motorway - or better still, autobahn - drives.   On these, the 350 would not only offer an appreciably higher level of relaxation and

comfort than the already very comfortable 300h but also, if and when required, quicker acceleration from higher cruising speeds, and as a

consequence, even greater margins of safety.  Whereas the 300h has sometimes been described, unkindly but not wholly without justification,

as a sheep in wolf's clothing, the 350's looks and performance complement each other almost to perfection.   However, to extend the metaphor  

and call the 350 a wolf would be silly because it is certainly not designed to snarl or in any way steal the RC-F's thunder.

 

After leaning strongly towards an MB C300 4Matic, which he considered technologically more advanced than the RC350 and better built than

anything BMW offers in the same price range, my friend decided, I would guess under pressure from his family, to abandon all thoughts of

a coupé and go for a Volvo S90 AWD (a very nice car to judge by what I see and hear).  Spaciousness and practicality were not primary

considerations since it will be joining a Nissan Murano already in his garage.

[Spacewagon52]

Any photos?

[Rabbers]

10 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

Any photos?

Sorry, no.

[dutchie01]

Interesting read. Seems where one lives can be a decisive factor. When living in a rural area in the middle of Germany with wide open roads without speedlimits fiscal punishment or dense traffic an RC300H will practically be unsellable.

When living in overpopulated areaś in Holland with constant traffic jams, radar enforced speedlimits on all highways and fiscal punisment for big engines an RC350 wil practically be unsellable.    

[Linas.P]

Interesting comparison, not sure if that is relevant, but I found AWD Lexus being quite lazy in comparison with RWD siblings. Haven't tried either but RC350 RWD sounds like rocket ship, whereas I would expect AWD to be noticeably slower. Not exactly same experience but I owned IS250AWD after owning 250 F-sport RWD and was left unimpressed. Same engine, but fuel consumtion was significantly higher and acceleration and overall feeling was like I was towing caravan behind it.

The argument of fiscal punishment is just half relevant, driving through Holland and Netherlands and other countries which enforces "greener lighter" cars it doesn't seems like there is lack of MB CLS 350s and BMW 530s and 240 and tons of M3, M4, C63 AMGs etc. Obviously, there is certain market segment for such cars in Europe and it is not as big as in Northern America where anything below 4 liters engine is considered "small", but that doesn't men such car would not sell.

I would have long gone for RC350 RWD if that would be on sale in UK, because it isn't and because RC300h doesn't quite cut for me I am sticking with old IS250.