Lexus marks series’ 10th anniversary
Lexus is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its highperformance F badged models with limited editions of the V8 engined GS F and RC F which will arrive here in October.
Just 500 of these special edition models have been manufactured globally and Lexus New Zealand has secured 5 RC F coupes and 10 GS F sports sedans for the local market.
“These limited anniversary edition vehicles celebrate Lexus’ commitment to performance through the F brand, and are built for drivers to immerse themselves in pure driving pleasure and satisfying performance,” said Paul Carroll, the senior general manager of Lexus New Zealand.
Exclusive to the anniversary models is a matte paint finish in Nebula Grey which provides a striking contrast with the gloss black finish of the unique 19-inch alloy wheels and blue Brembo brake callipers. It is the first use of a matte paint finish on a Lexus since the LFA supercar.
In the RC F coupe, the front sport seats are finished in a vibrant blue semi-aniline accented leather with white accents. The same blue finish can be found on the shift knob, steering wheel, front seat belt straps and instrument panel hood. The RC F anniversary edition also includes a unique embossed headlining as part of the package to give the coupe’s interior an even more personalised appearance.
For the GS F sedan, the front seats mimic those in the RC F while the rear seats also get a splash of blue leather on the side bolsters. Additional blue carbon trim is used on the centre console along with a blue Alcantara dash trim and blue seatbelt straps for the front and outer rear seats. There is also blue leather trim on the steering wheel, console and shift knob. A sunroof is also included on the GS F replacing the embossed headliner on the RC F.
Each anniversary edition model is
THE TWO CARS FEATURE AN EIGHT-SPEED SPORT DIRECT SHIFT TRANSMISSION THAT OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF SOPHISTICATED AND DRIVERSELECTABLE ELECTRONIC FEATURES, INCLUDING G SENSORS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOFTWARE FOR SPORTS DRIVING.
fitted with a discreet metal plaque on the interior trim highlighting the car’s limited edition status. Both cars are powered by the Lexus 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 which is engineered for low weight and high strength with forged connecting rods and titanium valves that allow a 7300rpm redline. Maximum power is 351kW while torque peaks at 530Nm.
The two cars feature an eightspeed Sport Direct Shift transmission that offers a wide range of sophisticated and driverselectable electronic features, including G sensors and artificial intelligence software for sports driving.
Large slotted brake discs provide the stopping power and Lexus tested the torque vectoring differential system at the
Nu¨ rburgring and Japan’s Fuji Speedway to fine-tune its operation with the vehicle dynamic integrated management (VDIM) system featuring a Sport mode and an Expert setting for circuit driving.
The Lexus F symbol is derived from the name and design of Japan’s Fuji Speedway, the home of Lexus performance vehicle development. It represents the first letter of the famed track’s name and depicts the first corner of Fuji Speedway, commonly known as 27R. It was first used as an internal code for the original LS 400 sedan in 1989 and Lexus subsequently trademarked the emblem in 2006.
The first production F badged car was the IS F, a V8 engined version of the IS sedan range, available in New Zealand in 2008. The limited edition LFA supercar appeared in 2009, with the RC F following in 2014 and the GS F in 2015.
Pricing for the RC F Coupe anniversary edition is $177,500 which is $5000 more than the RC F Carbon model currently on sale in New Zealand. The GS F Sedan anniversary edition is $178,400, a premium of $8500 over the standard GS F.