3 MSF

Better than white though ;) Nah don't like it. Looks super dull. The white stands out. I'm surprised there's no azure blue or red available Hmm seen as though I'm out of the country, could someone check the spec on the White/Red F Sport's the dealer have? They seem to have a pan roof but I can't tell whether they have ML and HUD. Might just grab a demo model in a few months as I know it's going to depreciate like a falling rock Had a look at the F Sport demo yesterday. You'll get the panoramic roof and the HUD, but I'm afraid there's no Mark Levinson, and with the new configuration I have to say it's a shame because in the Premier demo it sounded absolutely amazing with the demo disc.

A few pics from the dealership visit coming up soon...

Just been to Lexus Derby. All dealerships have the same launch cars, so Lexus obviously agree with you, as do I. Doesn't look 'beige' at all to me - needs to be seen in the flesh :winky:.

I agree; if there's one thing that frustrates me from time-to-time it's the gear shift speed. At higher revs in Sport + it doesn't cause any problems, but not quite so 'slick' in other modes / conditions. A software up-grade for slicker shifts? I'd pay for that. In my opinion that's one key area in which the M4 DCT trumps the RCF :(. Thankfully, it more than makes up for it as a complete package :D.

Have to say I loved my IS-F for many reasons, but the RC-F is in a different league. It's funny - they say 'you never know what you've got 'til it's gone' - maybe those who wished they'd experienced the IS-F and didn't have the fortune to do so are kind of missing it now and the appeal is a function of it no longer being available, and the fact that the world has learned alot about the IS-F over time that has challenged many an opinion, and in a positive way more often than not.

Every purchase is a value proposition, with pros and cons to deliberate over. I'm not really sure what you're getting at; you now mention the 'insane' C63 AMG, but first reviews state clearly that this is a vehicle almost unhandleable in the wet - "it will have you in the bushes with the faintest of prods" - Top Gear only 3 days ago. Another car that can't get the power down as it's torque delivery ISN'T linear - it peaks very quickly and stays there (in the bushes with the M4, no doubt). Don't get me wrong - I'd love a go in one, in the right conditions... I'm very much looking forward to driving the near-perfect GS-F now though; I'll give you my thoughts for what they're worth soon after... :)

...and as it's the subject matter of the thread, it will be interesting to see what 'hit' the GS-F takes after a few months of limited (exclusive?) sales. Let's see if it's worse than the BMW M4 and its £22k in 4 months...

In reality, the RC-F is a fantastic car with a host of different driving capabilities and characters all available at the simple turn of a dial. From a sonorous howling banshee to a relaxed, yet quiet, sporty luxury cruiser all in one package, with 835 watts of premium sounds on tap to help you further enjoy the experience if you can tear your ears away from that glorious engine note. :winky: So to the 'elephant' in the room, why does the overweight RC-F beat the BMW M4 and Porsche Cayman GT4 amongst others in recent sprint tests? What is one of the key factors that enables this? The downward force and torque delivery rate required to ensure that the coefficient of friction isn't readily exceeded with the Michelin Pilot Sport tyres developed on the RC-F? Weight. Mass. Yes - its weight is one of the key factors making it able to get the traction on and the power down. You could put paving slabs in the boot of the M4 like folk used to do with their Ford Capris, but then the power to weight ratio becomes significantly in favour of the Lexus, and again it would be off into the distance with the M4 in tow and its balance all skewed. Smart engineering then, Lexus. Having owned both from new, I can say through experience well in excess of a day, and through various weather and temperature conditions that the RC-F is the greater feat of engineering when comparing the two; a great all-round package. I'm yet to hear of anyone who owns an RC-F complaining about theirs yet, and surely they would be best placed to do so if it was at all necessary? Go figure... :D

I sometimes wonder where on earth some of these comments come from. It may be that I'm an experienced automotive engineer with body structure design in the portfolio, and having had the pleasure of working with Lexus design and Manufacturing Engineers in the Motomachi Plant in Toyota City for some time, to hear comments like 'they did a half-arsed job' is just completely disrespectful to the team over there (who put out the LFA not so long ago...). Tooling-cost savings on a 'lower-volume' run product like the RCF alone would probably have been reason enough to develop the hybrid chassis option whilst introducing the newer welding technologies that the GS-F will now benefit from. Toyota = Evolution, not revolution. Secondly, why would you even consider spending £65K on an RC-F when you can get one a week old for £45k?? Get one with the TVD whilst they're apparently giving them away and you'll have a real handler right there. And how much of an issue is the weight in your daily driver?? Not a problem in my hands, and similar to the GS-F in weight I believe (which apparently has no problems with weight)? Two doors may also be a preference on a number of points including styling amongst others, especially if you don't have to ferry kids around and want something that looks really good (looks far better than the four-door configuration in my humble opinion.) Many of the comments appear to be a mash-up of all the 'faults' the sponsored media churn-out whilst looking for a story, but my comments are based on a real ownership experience; I think your short-changing what is an excellent piece of engineering here, but then with all due respect it depends on what your own personal values and expectations are. Check-out some of the more recent on-line videos where the story is changing. There's a bit more love now for the RC-F and it's ability to get the power down where and when it really matters; I don't think many RC-Fs will be spending that much time on a race-track - surely you'd by a Cayman GT-4 or similar if that's what you were after.

A couple of points: 1. I have a blue one, and they are definitely faster! :D (Lovin' that red colour too - beautiful AND a bargain my friend!) 2. What's the issue with the depreciation? I had a pretty much fully loaded £67,000 BMW M4, purchased last November, and after 4 months (and a few issues with it...) the best price I could get was £50,000 (thank you Lexus), and most others were offering nearer £45k; that's a potential hit of £22,000 in 4 months!! Depreciation is only really an issue if you're looking to sell your vehicle early doors - but I've had so many people comment about how beautiful the RC-F is, and how fantastic it sounds, I've never had a car that still put a grin on my face after 8 months of ownership every time I sat in it (see BMW M4, which lasted only 4 months...), and I'm looking forward to driving it home from work tonight. Simple answer; make it a 'keeper' and the depreciation won't be an issue - it suddenly becomes a value proposition, and a motor you can be really very proud to own. Compared with the 'opposition', I believe the price I paid for this exclusive vehicle wasn't excessive, and I'm very confident that it'll still be purring beautifully in 10 years time (for whoever owns it!) 3. The paintwork issue puzzles me. I don't have any minor scratches or swirls on mine at all, and I was told it has a 'self-healing' clear-coat lacquer that fuses with the UV light from the sun's rays(!?) I'm not sure, but whatever it has, mine looks great, and maybe the red one had healed nicely by the time it was collected from the dealership after being left out in the sun for a few days... :hocus-pokus: Mark.

Guys, I had HUD on my last RX and a full-colour-jobby with rev-counter etc. in the M4, but I have to say I don't really miss it personally. Would be a shame for it not to be there, but it wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me. I have to say the F-Sport in white looks the mutts-nuts; HUD or not it's high on the shopping list! :hohoho:

Normski - I think you've summed it up there nicely. I thought the Macan rode beautifully on air suspension / PASM, but indeed, the RX has bags of comfy 'waft-ability. :)

Hi Rayaan, hope you're well :) . Re. above, Bodmeister was actually talking about the NSX (being able to beat nearly every Porsche...) - the comment wasn't related to the NX, just to clear that up so we don't wander too far from thread intent. Best regards - Mark.

Well, as a Lexus RCF owner I disagree... Comparing a compact SUV with an SUV is reasonable in my opinion. Comparing an NSX with an SUV in my opinion is - quote - "just bloody stupid". Having owned two RX450h vehicles previously, they torque-steer horribly under hard acceleration from a standstill (replicating junctions / traffic lights etc.), and handle like a pig, although relatively comfortably in a straight line (especially on air suspension). If Lexus get it right with the new model I'd be very happy; I enjoy the driving experience, and that's where we've been sold a little short previously. The Porsche delivers there in spades. Also, IMHO / from personal experience, the Macan out-handles the Cayenne by some distance as a function of physics and smart engineering, and I'd be pleasantly surprised if the new RX even approaches the Macan dynamically.

Difficult to justify that kind of spend. It will have to handle incredibly well, or my hard-earned are going on a low mileage Porsche Macan Turbo, which is a shame, but there it is. Hopefully it will handle incredibly well, but then a 7.0 secs 0-60 looks pedestrian against 4.3 secs in the Porsche. Come on Lexus - think this one through...

Ha ha! I was in a fully loaded M4 for about 4 months. From new, 5 visits to the dealer for ECU, exhaust valve, rear disk brake, unusual intermittent noise from engine bay issues...enough is enough. Plus it struggled to get off the line in anything other than bone-dry conditions as its torque delivery exceeds the capability of the rear tyre's grip, even with that M-diff. And as for that awful synthesised engine note... but don't get me wrong - great car, and there's a place for it, and that's a race-track. The local Porsche dealer told me today that the AdBlue only needs topping up around every 10,000 miles, so shouldn't be too much of an issue to manage. Porsche have also moved to 3 year warranties now, oh, and there's an apparently switchable sports exhaust for the Macan S Diesel on its way if economy and a screaming engine note is your bag! :winky: You have something on the serenity point though. Lexus do something special there, so, hopefully all that stiffening up and air suspension will be up to the job on the new RX, and that they don't commit a huge 'fail' with a £70+ price tag; I can't really justify that spend on an SUV...

That's a matter of opinion to which you are entitled, however, it competes with the RX if I buy one instead Porsche also have a special 'AdBlue®' injection system that takes care of NOx emission issues and improves diesel particulate filtration - "The SCR system (selective catalytic reduction) in the Macan S Diesel works in conjunction with a diesel particulate filter and AdBlue® technology to provide an environmentally friendly exhaust gas recirculation solution and a significant reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions. AdBlue® is a replenishable liquid added to a separate tank." - requires topping-up around every 10,000 miles. I love the sound of a screaming engine too (not that you'll get that from an RX), but this one has a nice note, and more than makes up for it with the 'kick-in-the-pants torque' it delivers for fantastic real-world 0-62 and overtaking performance. Voted the best 'compact' SUV (as opposed to mid-sized RX) by the motoring press, it must be doing something right...

Don't know what you've been reading but the new RX is coming with AVS, an active stabiliser on F sport models and a heavily stiffened chassis. Use of aluminium is going to make it lighter too. Maybe you don't want a diesel? And it's safe to say the Porsche Cayenne is one ugly car, only superceded by the Citroen Cactus in terms of ugliness Not sure what you've been reading either; I said I hoped the AVS would be up to the job, and I was talking about the Macan, not the Cayenne. Having driven that particular diesel and experienced the torque on-tap, you might well want one...

Well, I hope the adaptive suspension is all it needs to be, because having had two RXs previously the only real issue was the soulless driving experience. Seriously, if the high-price rumours are anywhere near accurate, and you enjoy driving, you're way into loaded Porsche Macan territory. The Macan S Diesel is rapid, drives incredibly, is refined, and returns over 40mpg REAL WORLD. They're also put together very well, with 'bonkers good' residuals and all the same accessories available (at a price). Also - having Porshe on your keyring isn't exactly embarrassing either... I can only think that the remaining discriminator in Lexus' favour here is their dealer service; second-to-none, without doubt. So hopefully, 'the price is right', and the air suspension / AVS is up to the job. I sincerely hope so :) .

Nope - wanted a sunroof and other than on the beautiful black body exterior colour I think the CFRP 'hood' just looks out of place. Guys - I've just read a review that I think hits the nail squarely and firmly on the head regarding the RCF and what it brings to the table (I couldn't have written it better myself to reflect my thoughts on the RCF, post-test-drive). If you like the RCF, I think you're really going to like this review, and if I remember rightly, the BMW M4 doesn't even get a mention...now there's a first! http://rallyways.com/9169/lexus-rc-f-review/

Hi Mark thank you for you remarks yes the car does seem to be attracting some attention, especially from next door when i start it up at 3am to go to work.lol. have been lucky with the weather, the colour really shines in the sunshine, like the ISF i don't think people know exactly what it is. what did you think of the test drive? Well, suffice to say I went into the dealership after the test-drive, they've taken my Nov.'14 BMW M4 and my new RCF will be collected on the morning of Sunday 22nd March, Blue / Grey combo, TVD, sunroof, ML, PCC & ACC... it was the only one on the boat that had the colour scheme I wanted and it just happens to be fully loaded :) The guys at Lexus Derby got me a great deal on the M4, and I have an RX450h as a 'run-around' for free whilst I await the RCF. Try getting that kind of customer service from your local BMW dealer! This isn't just about the car, it's also about the brand and all it stands for...

Chris - looks 'the mutts' :P Love the colour combo and the plate too, and I know these things look better 'in the metal', so must be amazing. Have you noticed the number of inquisitive / admiring looks you're getting when you drive it? Seemed nearly everyone was looking at the car when I took one out for a test drive, and that was in white which I don't think looks anywhere near as good as your blue Mark.

Well, he put the RCF into 'expert' then rapidly went off into the grass... Nuff said :D

Very well put Lee. I couldn't agree more...

Have Lexus pitched the RCF up against the M4?? I thought that was more the media; Lexus have been at pains to state that they have built the car from the aspalt up with the goal of providing 'accessible driving performance'. I've not seen any official Lexus material pitting the RCF against the M4, although I think we have all naturally assumed this, and the media have cemented that belief, but Ian has correctly underlined (IMHO) that they are vehicles with completely different characteristics; one is a track car for the road, and the the other is a powerful. luxurious GT 2+2...