Under the skin of the Lexus RC F Track Edition

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The exciting 2019 Geneva Motor Show offered European car enthusiasts their first opportunity to get up close the equally exciting Lexus RC F Track Edition. This rare iteration of the already track-focused RC F will be produced in very small numbers, and the 2019 Geneva expo has allowed us to have a closer look into what really makes this car special.

Lexus already has expertise in high-performance cars such as the LFA and its GT3 racing car programmes, and has poured this knowledge into the RC F Track Edition. Where the Track Edition exceeds the cheaper RC F is in upgrades that are usually found in supercars. This includes extensive use of strong but lightweight carbon fibre composite material for key body parts, and the introduction of Brembo carbon ceramic brake discs.

Pierre-Olivier Millette, Lexus Europe program manager, brings more details about the RC F Track Edition.

RC F Track Edition

RC F Track Edition

Is it accurate to describe the RC F Track Edition as a high-performance coupe that incorporates supercar technology?

“What I like about the RC F Track Edition is that it is a cut above what you would usually find in this market segment. It is a very exclusive model. In part this is due to obvious things such as the carbon fibre rear wing and so on, but there’s definitely more to it than that. Underneath the skin there are a lot of components that are unique to this car. It is actually surprising to see the amount of bespoke engineering that has been put into it.”


RC F Track Edition

The RC F Track Edition is approximately 80kg lighter than a standard RC F. How does Lexus approach the process of lightening?

“We begin with targets that we aim for and then we decide how we are going to achieve them. If you look at the RC F Track Edition specifically, a lot of the weight saving comes from the titanium exhausts and all the carbon fibre components. What is fascinating about this car is that the engineers went after a few grams here and a few grams there and ended up with a car that is much lighter overall.”


RC F Track Edition

How important are the aerodynamic enhancements?

“The minor change to the RC F last year introduced some big changes to the aerodynamics, specifically managing airflow around the car, reducing drag and lift at the front and rear. That process has been further enhanced on the RC F Track Edition. We owe this to the use of this magnificent wind tunnel that we have now in Toyota City in Japan. It is a Lexus wind tunnel that has been used to develop this car and other high-performance vehicles."


RC F Track Edition

Does ‘Track Edition’ suggest this RC F variant is too extreme for the road?

“It is a very capable car – any owner can take it on track and it will be durable, fast and fun. But we’re conscious of the fact that the kind of people who will be interested in this car don’t just buy it to park it in the garage and look at it. They will actually take it out and drive it on the road. These will be cars that get some good mileages. So we’ve made a car that’s fun to use in an everyday environment and not just a track special that looks nice on a spec sheet but is only fun to use for a couple of track days each year. It’s perfectly usable in the real world.”


RC F Track Edition
RC F Track Edition
RC F Track Edition