New Lexus RC coupe prices and specs announced
Updated Lexus RC coupe starts from £38,800, gaining exterior and interior tweaks as well as new paint options
Lexus has confirmed full pricing and specifications for the newly-refreshed RC coupe. The entry-level model starts from £38,800 - a drop of £340 compared to the previous car.
As before, the BMW 4 Series rival comes in a choice of three trim levels, though the naming convention now follows that of the ES saloon and UX crossover. The middling F Sport model remains, but the former entry-level Lux version has been replaced with ‘RC’ and the Premier model is superseded by Takumi.
As standard, the RC features 18-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, sat nav and an environmentally-conscious ‘Tahara’ synthetic leather trim.
The RC F Sport models add sportier bits of trim inside and out, and at £42,300 they cost £660 more than the pre-facelift F Sport. New 19-inch wheels house brakes with orange calipers, and a chrome mesh grille set the front end apart from other models. Inside, the seats, pedals and steering wheel are different from the items in the base model. Over the standard RC, the F Sport gains leather upholstery, adaptive dampers, LED headlights and LED front indicators.
The Takumi sits at the top of the range, and adds a Mark Levinson sound system, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and a memory setting for the electric driver’s seat. The Takumi costs £45,800.
The RC and F Sport are both offered with option packs, to bolster the kit list. Buyers of the standard RC can add leather seats, a sunroof and a heated steering wheel. The F Sport Takumi pack also adds a sunroof and heated wheel, plus the Takumi’s Mark Levinson hifi, and aluminium trim inlays. The Takumi pack adds £2,000 to the price of the F Sport.
Visual changes aren’t dramatic but the RC has been freshened up with a re-profiled front bumper, a new grille and updated LED headlamps with a new lighting signature. Additionally, a total of 11 exterior paint finishes are now available. Inside, the revised leather padding has been added to the RC’s transmission tunnel for greater passenger comfort.
Lexus also says the updated RC has a ‘more stable ride quality’ and ‘sharper handling characteristics’. This has been achieved, says the Japanese firm, by fitting new shock absorbers, stiffer suspension and improving the steering response.
Engine options remain unchanged meaning buyers have the choice between the RC 200t, which uses a tweaked 2.0-litre turbocharged engine for better throttle response, and the 300h powered by a 2.5-litre hybrid electric powertrain.
Later down the line it’s expected that Lexus will launch an updated and more powerful RC F using the firm’s 5.0-litre V8 engine.
Click here for all the latest in the build-up to the 2018 Paris Motor Show...
