Review: Lexus RC F Coupe a Conversation Starter

I did more than my fair share of meet and greets during a test drive of the 2015 Lexus RC F, 2-door coupe. I talked to everybody and anybody.

On one occasion, a bicyclist was glued to my tail as I drove a couple of blocks searching for a parking spot in downtown Denver. This infrared-colored Lexus, accented with 19-inch forged alloy wheels with 255/35R19 tires in the front and 275/35R19 tires in the rear, had him trying to get my attention from one lot to the next. Stalker? No. Admirer? Yes.

He apologized for being so direct, but wanted to know the year of this model and if it was a stick shift. I described the 8-speed sport direct-shift transmission with steering wheel mounted “F” spec paddle shifters. He thanked me and resumed his ride. I saw him looking back with much admiration.

The front of a convenience store was the backdrop for another chat. As I was getting out of the coupe, a woman exiting the store approached me with the high-pitched voice of a teenager girl in a surprise face-to-face meeting with her favorite musician. “Oh how beautiful, you could just eat it!” She asked if she could look inside.

She came around in time to see me pull the lever at the upper back of the NuLuxe trimmed “F” spec sports seats. In doing so, the 10-way power adjustable seat moved up by itself like a robot so that I could reach into the back to get my purse. There was something mesmerizing about the way the chiseled seat moved. She was beside herself.

The spectacular look and feel of the interior was only diminished by the suede trim around the cup holder area of the console. Spilled drinks can leave stains that are hard to clean. That aside, the power tilted/telescopic steering wheel, electroluminescent gauges, touch-screen technology, audio system with 10-speakers, and even the carpeted floor mats with the “F” logo on the front mats, are enough to keep anyone’s mind racing with excitement.

During this test drive, I was reminded of how important it is to live in the moment. One of the seniors in my neighborhood wanted to know the coupe’s top speed on the highway. I told him that the speedometer exceeded 200. He said that was too fast for him. Then with a faraway look in his eyes he said that in his younger years he definitely would have tried it. His glory days were long gone, but I decided that I still had a few left in me.

Each time I touched the gas pedal it was like being on a roller coaster and feeling that first second of the descent, racing from its highest point. It is hard to predict your emotions, no matter how many times you do it. The 467 horsepower delivered by the 5.0 liter V8 engine did not disappoint.

So, it came as no surprise to learn that the RC F that went on sale at the end of 2014 is the basis for a new race vehicle. In November 2015, Lexus announced a motorsports partnership involving the newly formed F Performance Racing to field the RC F GT3 in a soon to be announced sports car series. The new racing venture is part of the Lexus global motorsports effort that will see the Japanese luxury brand competing on tracks in the United States beginning in 2016.

I can see it. With upshifts available at my fingertips and a speed-activated rear spoiler, every highway turned into my playground. Empty parking lots allowed me to make figure eights and all other figures I could think of in hopes of extending the fun. I test drove confidently knowing the stability and safety control features, including Smart Stop Technology, were in place and that this coupe was built to stay grounded at any speed. Any downside?

The gas mileage could have taken the wind out of my sails, especially with this test drive coming after my review of a hybrid. But when you ‘roll up like a millionaire’ – as I was accused of doing while driving this coupe — you refuse to allow gas mileage to dominate the conversation.