An intimate sayonara
Getting closer to the RC, but not much closer to clarity
ONE of the best things about parting company with a long-term test car is the final tub. I like to do it by hand with a thin cleaning cloth, so you feel every sinew, curve and edge. It’s really quite intimate, and you get to appreciate things that might have escaped you in the hurly burly of daily life.
For example, I haven’t often stopped to appreciate the Lexus Rc200t’s butt. Usually I only ponder the edgy front end, which never really won me over, but those sleek taillights, square exhausts and straked vents behind the rear wheels are the business.
Another thing that struck me as I worked my way down its flanks and over the bonnet is how small this coupe is. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise really because it’s low and short – shorter than the IS even – but as I discussed last month, the RC carries a couple of hundred kilos more than its major rival and therefore tends to feel big and heavy. Solid certainly, but hardly lithe.
I also reflected on six months of troublefree motoring and how well it coped with some hard driving, mainly in the urban jungle. The slow throttle response remained a constant annoyance, and it took the edge off the undoubted performance potential of the 2.0-litre turbo four, but the car felt secure on the road. The handling was predictable (always tending to safe understeer) and the brakes were utterly dependable, though as I worked my fingers over the multitude of front wheel spokes with their different surfaces, I realised how much pad dust they produced, so I’m guessing they’re on the soft side.
Moving into the cabin with a damp sponge, I was also reminded that I’d never opt for light-coloured leather upholstery. Just as the editor found with his MX-5, my Lexus seats were looking decidedly grubby after only six months as they accumulated dye residue from my black jeans. At least I hope that’s what it was.
To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of