Lexus RC-F- A Japanese thoroughbred

Angus Davies has recently driven the Lexus RC-F and describes hearing the sonorous overture of the V8 engine before the full splendiferous orchestral symphony engulfs his senses. 

As old age looms larger on the road ahead, I am mindful of the need to live more responsibly. A full English breakfast is now only an occasional treat. Drinks are sugar free, meat is invariably white, bread and potatoes are rare and I only sip a limited number of alcoholic units per week. It all makes perfect sense of course, but it cannot be described as an exciting way of life.

    A few weeks ago in Paris, 195 countries signed up to the first-ever, legally binding global climate deal. Again, it seems sensible, and I know that we all have to play our part in preserving the wellbeing of our planet. Nevertheless, I do worry that the cars which have always inspired my octane-fuelled passions may no longer do so, as they are replaced by dull, eco-friendly alternatives.

    Thankfully, there continues to be some high-performance vehicles available which can spark my enthusiasm, as I discovered behind the wheel of the Lexus RC-F. Its 5.0 litre engine is Lexus's most powerful V8 to date and generates 471bhp.

    This story begins with the press loan vehicle quietly arriving at my home, barely audible yet highly visible, courtesy of its eye-singeing Solar Flare paintwork.

A COMFORTABLE PLACE. Sitting in the driver's seat for the first time, a period of familiarization ensued. First things first, I found my perfect driving position in the luxurious, leather-clad cockpit by using the many electronic controls. Despite being over six foot and sporting a middle-age paunch, finding the best position proved to be child's play. Rest assured, this is a comfortable place to be.

    My son, who is similarly tall, wanted to be ferried to college (a demand which I am sure many readers will be familiar with) so my wife volunteered to sit in the back, where there are two separate seats. Mrs Davies reported that, though the back window is slightly high and difficult to see out of, the rear seats are remarkably comfortable. This is a great achievement on the part of Lexus; many high-performance cars have back seats which are only useable by contortionists. However, with the RC-F, no cruelty to passengers is necessary. The Davies clan all found the interior to be very comfortable.

    Indeed, despite its sporty nature, comfort is a reoccurring theme with the RC-F. The ride is surprisingly smooth most of the time, despite the ultra-low profile tyres on each 19 inch alloy rim. Conversely, when the mood took me and I wanted to press on, the handling was intuitive and responsive. Threading the RC-F through a series of bends in Lancashire's picturesque Ribble Valley showcased the talents of this Japanese thoroughbred wonderfully.

AMAZING ENGINE. One of the highlights of the RC-F is the V8 engine. When driving along a road at a constant 30mph, it is docile, almost placid. The engine is barely audible, allowing for full enjoyment of the superb, standard-fit Mark Levinson Premium Audio system. However, flex your right foot and suddenly the engine rears its head. The ears initially hear a sonorous overture of V8 burble, before the full, splendiferous orchestral symphony engulfs the senses. I found a boyish grin on my face, which grew ever broader with the rising rpm of the engine. Quite simply, this is an amazing ride.

    My appreciation of the 5.0 litre V8 is heightened by the 8-speed automatic gearbox, allowing for the seamless shifting of ratios. The two paddles on the steering column allow for manual gear selection should you so desire. However, the intelligence of this gearbox means that driver intervention is optional, rather than a necessity.

    The potential problem with accelerating towards the horizon is that ultimately there will come a time when the car will need to slow down, potentially at short notice. There is no need to worry; the brakes on the Lexus RC-F are excellent, thanks to the huge Brembo ventilated and slotted discs mounted front and rear.

    While I was delighted by many aspects of the RC-F, I did find the instrument cluster to be a little too busy. The sheer quantity of electronic graphics, colours and, in my opinion, superfluous information seemed unnecessary. Moreover, I did not find the standard-fit navigation system to be the most intuitive to use. However, these are relatively minor gripes and do little to diminish the allure of the RC-F.

STANDARD FIT. I have purchased many cars over the years and spent much time agonising over which options to select. The reality of Lexus ownership is that there are few options offered, as virtually everything one's heart could desire comes as standard. Consequently, my press loan car only featured two options: the vivid Solar Flare paint scheme and Torque Vectoring Differential. This latter option permits the driver to select one of three driving modes, allowing a greater degree of choice over how the vehicle behaves on the road.

    The combined fuel consumption figure of the RC-F is 26.2mpg and the combined CO2 emissions are stated as 252g/km. I accept that, compared to a compact family car, these figures are not terribly impressive. Furthermore, a greater number of luxury car marques are downsizing engine capacities, embracing turbo charging and even offering hybrid options. However, I hope that cars like the Lexus RC-F continue to exist for little while longer.

    While generally living a healthy lifestyle, I do occasionally enjoy eating rich food, sipping an exceptional glass of Cognac and savouring the intense taste of a ristretto. Likewise, I accept the virtues of low emissions and the frugal consumption of fossil fuels, but I still remain a fan of cars such as the Lexus RC-F. Indeed, for me, there is no substitute for the full flavour and sonorous sound of a warbling V8 engine. In our sensible, sober everyday lives, we should allow ourselves room for a little excitement.