SEEDS OF ASPIRATION
Your choices in the premium, three-box coupé ambit in 2019 are limited to the German triumvirate and a Japanese outlier. Still, that is not to assert the choice is going to be easy: each contender brings a heady mix of competencies both dynamically and aesthetically. Allow us to cite the examples in alphabetical order. Audi fields the A5, BMW has the 4-Series, Lexus has the RC and Mercedes-Benz has the C-Class coupé.
All of them have a six-cylinder offering in their respective ranges, slotting beneath the full-fat, high-performance breeds, which have eight cylinders.
Of course, that is except for the Bavarian, whose flagship M4 also wields a sextet.
If you consider yourself a fetishist of that number between five and seven, then take your pick from the S5, 440i M Sport, C43 or RC 350 F Sport, which was recently the recipient of a subtle revision.
Lexus does not find many buyers for their medium-sized two-door in SA. Sighting an example on roads is an event. Which is a sad reminder when one does have the good fortune of laying eyes on an RC — since there is much to excite from a design perspective.
The mind would be forgiven for casting echoes of the legendary LFA supercar, perhaps a testament to how well its forwardthinking styling cues have served the brand. Kinship with the larger LC is also undeniable.
While the RC does not sell in massive volumes, it does what any sporting, niche product in a mainstream is supposed to — which is to cast a hearty and alluring glow over the
rest of the line-up. And to plant a seed of aspiration when you see it parked on the showroom floor while taking your 2014 ES 250 in for a service. Among the highlights of the enhanced Lexus RC is a redesigned grille pattern boasting “intriguing visual tension”, according to the maker. Over lunch with representatives of the brand we mused about how the cue would trigger trypophobia in a person — trypophobia is the fear of little holes and I would advise you not to google it. If you suffer from the affliction, shift your eyes away from the central grille and focus on the L-shaped daytime running lights instead. Note the additional air ducts at the rear and tail-lamps also featuring distinctive L-shaped lenses. There is no longer a regular specification on offer: this F-Sport is the default guise in the range. Other talking points include 19-inch alloys with a 10-spoke design, plus dazzling exterior shades such as Lava Orange. Inside, the enhancements are minor. The heater control and audio panels gain what Lexus calls a “brushed” treatment, which convey a greater air of plushness. The cupholders are more defined. And the analogue clock from the big LC was borrowed and stuck to the instrument panel. I am ashamed to admit that this was my first acquaintance with the model. My colleague Bruce Fraser attended the initial launch in 2015 and due to the sheer dearth of available units, there was no opportunity for the usual week-long evaluation period. So, this was an exciting moment in a personal sense. First thing I noticed was the muscularity in tone of that 3.5-litre, normally aspirated V6 unit. This is a trait that also makes the Lexus IS 350 sedan quite an endearing machine. The lovely sound is accompanied by a fairly brisk pace, with output figures quoted at 232kW and 380Nm. But there is little doubt that any of the turbocharged Teutonic cars mentioned earlier will embarrass the RC 350 F-Sport in a straight line, at our Johannesburg altitudes. An eight-speed automatic shifts power to the rear wheels. Lexus claims a sprint time of 6.3 seconds. Driving partner Francisco Nwamba and I decided that cruising is the forte of this Japanese coupé. One can only shower high praise on its ability to dispatch city-to-country jaunts in true refinement. While it might not be described as sporty in the expected sense, it complies agreeably when the road starts to curve. The RC inspires confidence and cossets driver and passenger from external stresses – basic but essential prerequisites for the average person in the segment, if you ask me. But if that sounds a smidgen middle of the road to those with more committed performance ambitions, stay tuned. There is a chance that the RC F and RC F Track Edition could make it to our shores.
PRICE: LEXUS RC 350 F SPORT: R939,100