The Lexus RC has a weight problem, and that weight is one of the reasons it’s not very appealing to drive. Lexus knows this and has a remedy. Vehicle and Driver reports that the next-generation RC will be developed alongside its GT3 sibling to address those concerns.
Okay, maybe saying “weight problem” is an overstatement. The Lexus RC is heavy as hell. The last time we drove an RC F back in ’17, it’s about the scale at 4,084 pounds. To put that in perspective, and as William Clavey said, “It weighs more than a 400-pound BMW M4. Four hundred! A Honda Ridgeline pickup weighs 4,423 pounds, about the same as me and two brothers riding in the RC-F. It’s obese.”
A few years later, Lexus somewhat tried to solve this weight problem by creating a limited edition RC F Fuji. What weight savings did you get for its nearly six-figure price ($98,225)? A carbon fiber roof, rear wing, hood and lightweight BBS wheels. All of which saves a whopping six pounds over the RC F. And none of that helps with its driving dynamics, with our own Elizabeth Blackstock saying “Likely your money. will move somewhere else.”
That crossover-like weight has also affected its performance in the GT3 class when compared to lighter rivals. Speaking to Car and Driver, TRD Racing president David Wilson said racing was an afterthought to the development of the current car, something the next generation will remedy with lessons learned. . Each car and driver:
“What we all had to learn is not how you bring a GT3 car to market,” explains Wilson. “Before you put your first line on paper, you decide you are going to race that car and that shapes the design parameters, the performance parameters of that production car.
Wilson says the new RC will be developed with remote racing in mind, something that will also help its on-road driving dynamics. He also hinted that the car’s design will have some heavy influence from Toyota’s GR GT3 Concept from earlier this year. Gazoo racing is expected to have a test prototype later this year. Hopefully, we can expect to see or hear more details about the next-gen RC next year.
