This Is The Hardcore RC F We Desperately Want Lexus To Build

We have a soft spot for the Lexus RC F. It looks phenomenal, features a naturally-aspirated 471bhp V8 engine and has brilliant on-road dynamics. But it’s never been able to hold a candle to the class-leading BMW M4 on track. Held back by soft suspension, vague steering and a kerb weight of 1765kg, it almost feels wrong to drive it hard. And as a result, we’ve never fully gelled with the quirky Japanese machine.

What we wanted was a stiffer, track-orientated version, something to take on the might of the Porsche 911 GT3RS and BMW GTS. Unfortunately, there are no plans to put such a car into production, so we’ll have to be make do with this RC F GT Concept instead. Produced by Lexus as a demonstration car, the GT is heavily based on the RC F GT that Justin Bell drove to 5th place at last year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Lexus describes the GT as a mix between a street-legal RC F production car and the full-bore IMSA RC F GT3 race car. It features composite panels (resulting in a weight loss of 363kg/800lbs), adjustable suspension, and a re-worked traction control system. Surprisingly, the 4969cc, 32-valve V8 remains pretty stock, with a modified cooling system and performance exhaust being the two stand out modifications. We hope that Lexus at least considers releasing a ‘performance pack’, because we need that wing in our lives!

If you want to see this car in action, it will be on track between races at the 42nd Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (CA) this weekend.