Buy/Drive/Burn: Rear-drive V8 Lexus Time in 2020
Did you know that in these modern and fuel-conscious times, Lexus presently offers three different rear drive, naturally aspirated V8 luxury cars? They’re all fast, on sale in 2020, and cost about the same money. Which one’s worth a Buy?
GS F
The trio starts with the most affordable option, and the one that’s likely to become extinct the soonest. GS is the oldest design here, and the one with no identified successor. F is the ultimate GS, and the most powerful sedan ever produced by Lexus. Its 5.0-liter V8 produces 467 horsepower in this application, and 389 lb-ft of torque are routed through an eight-speed auto. The most practical of the three, GS F seats five in comfort and serenity. 0 to 60 takes 4.5 seconds, and the top speed is 168 miles an hour. $84,600.
RC F Track Edition
The RC F receives another layer of performance with the Track Edition in 2020. It’s lighter and meaner than the vanilla version, but maintains the heavy-hitter 5.0. 472 horsepower and 395 lb-ft run through the same eight-speed as the GS F, but with the added benefit of a limited-slip differential from the people at Torsen. 0-60 arrives in a scant 3.96 seconds, with the same top speed as its larger F brother above. Nobody will mistake it for a regular RC F, as plentiful carbon fiber aero treatments continue onto the unpainted hood. $96,800.
LC 500
Lexus returned to the large luxury coupe market with the LC 500 in 2018. The least sporting alternative of our trio is also the most striking to behold: In person, it makes a considerable visual statement. In this instance, the 5.0-liter produces a middle-pack 471 horsepower but the most torques, at 398. For low-RPM cruising, the LC 500 receives a 10-speed automatic that drivers can shift on the fly via magnesium paddles. Compared to the other two, 0 to 60 times are leisurely at 4.4 seconds. For more money, Lexus also offers a hybrid 500h version with a V6 and 354 horsepower (or not). This one’s $92,950.
Twenty-four total cylinders sit before you; which eight will be burned?
[Images: Lexus]
Interested in lots of cars and their various historical contexts. Started writing articles for TTAC in late 2016, when my first posts were QOTDs. From there I started a few new series like Rare Rides, Buy/Drive/Burn, Abandoned History, and most recently Rare Rides Icons. Operating from a home base in Cincinnati, Ohio, a relative auto journalist dead zone. Many of my articles are prompted by something I'll see on social media that sparks my interest and causes me to research. Finding articles and information from the early days of the internet and beyond that covers the little details lost to time: trim packages, color and wheel choices, interior fabrics. Beyond those, I'm fascinated by automotive industry experiments, both failures and successes. Lately I've taken an interest in AI, and generating "what if" type images for car models long dead. Reincarnating a modern Toyota Paseo, Lincoln Mark IX, or Isuzu Trooper through a text prompt is fun. Fun to post them on Twitter too, and watch people overreact. To that end, the social media I use most is Twitter, @CoreyLewis86. I also contribute pieces for Forbes Wheels and Forbes Home.
More by Corey Lewis
Comments
Join the conversation
Burn all of the fugly things.
Dang. I WANT ALL THREE! Buy: GS-F Drive: LC 500 Burn: RC F Track Edition The RC F Track Edition may be a little too dear for what it's capable of. Perhaps especially so after the inevitable dealer mark-up.