After a full month with The Management Fleet Lexus, our man is starting to understand the appeal
[Not a valid template]| Driver's Log | |
|---|---|
| Date acquired: | June 2015 |
| Total kilometres: | 16,194 |
| Kilometres this month: | 5207 |
| Costs this month: | $0 |
| L/100km this month: | 13.6 |
Like with people, it takes time to truly understand the cars we drive. And if I’m being honest, it took me a while to really ‘get’ our long term Lexus RC 350 F-Sport.
It’s not for instance a high performance car, even if the 3.5-litre V6 kicks out an impressive 306bhp. There’s a hint of bodyroll, and power delivery is not that instant, making weekend hoons a little imprecise and, ultimately, a little disappointing. If we’re talking about a 300+ brake horsepower two-door coupe though offering comfort, practicality, a good amount of technology and performs as a decent day-to-day runner, the RC 350 F-Sport does start to make more sense.
Smooth, more linear power delivery makes for reasonable bursts of speed without harming the fuel consumption. Concerning space, taller passengers riding in the back may not be so comfortable given the sloping roof and – as a result – limited headroom. On the plus side, boot space is enormous. I can easily fit my whole upper body in it, vertically. And yes, there is pictorial proof…
Centre console controls are easy to work with, offering as it does plenty of space between the buttons and knobs. It may not be what it was designed for, but the sloping compartment in front of the media interface screen proved a helpful place to leave my wallet and phone. But I must confess, I’m not a big fan of the screen itself nor the touchpad, both of which look a little dated compared with the modern, plush look of the rest of the cabin.
One of my – and everyone else’s – favourite features of the Lexus though is the moving gauges on the instrument cluster in front of the driver, which slide left or right with a click of a button on the multi-function steering wheel. It was first implemented on the iconic LFA, gives the RC a cool, funky quality, and gets “no way!” shouts from your passengers. And that rarely gets dull.
I’m also a big fan of the design, it being all edges and sharp corners. Of course, long term, this could prove the Lexus’ week spot: having recently spoken with a friend of mine who owns a bodyshop, he explained that any dings, dents and bumps, given the complicated nature of the design, would be a nightmare to fix, and it does make me wonder if this occurred to Japan before they signed off on it. But does it look good? Hell yes, and my personal favourite angle of the car is the aggressive rear end, which is similar in style to the second generation four-door IS.
So, as a performance machine, the RC 350 falls slightly short of the mark. But it looks smart, has that sense of Japanese character (key for JDM fans), can build up speed without destroying the ride comfort, and – most importantly – is pretty cool to drive. That’s all you’ll really need to ‘get’ the Lexus RC 350 F-Sport.
Technical available specifications on page 2
