Hear the Lexus RC F Track Edition's V-8 Roar Before Its Debut

From Car and Driver

UPDATE 1/9/19: A new teaser video gives us an idea of what the 2020 RC F Track Edition will sound like; the 5.0-liter V-8 is clearly identifiable.

UPDATE 12/6/18: Lexus confirmed that the upcoming high-performance, limited-run version of the RC F will be called the 2020 Lexus RC F Track Edition. A teaser photo (below) shows the same large carbon-fiber rear wing as the prototype we spied earlier (above). Toyota sales executive Robert Carter said today that it'll be the most powerful Lexus other than the LFA, suggesting that it will have more power from the 5.0-liter V-8 than the standard RC F, which makes 467 hp. The Track Edition will make its debut at the Detroit auto show in January 2019.

Lexus is preparing to introduce a more track-focused version of the RC F coupe before the end of the decade. Set to be called the RC F Track Edition, the car spotted here is what we believe to be the road-going variant of the RC F GT concept car.

Whereas the concept car included race-car-like features such as a stripped-down interior, a full roll cage, and lightweight polycarbonate windows, the production vehicle will maintain much of the civility of the RC F. That means Track Edition buyers will be treated to a leather-lined interior replete with a pair of rear seats.

Still, we expect performance improvements from the car when it finally arrives. Notably, the RC F Track Edition will crib the Japanese-market RC F 10th Anniversary Edition model’s carbon-fiber body panels. This includes the hood, roof, and lower-body trim. The Track Edition’s large trunk-mounted wing is expected to also be made of carbon fiber and replace the retractable spoiler of the standard RC F. Bigger brakes and a set of lightweight wheels wrapped in ultra-high-performance tires are sure to improve the model’s braking performance and lateral grip relative to the standard RC F.

Like the standard RC F, the RC F Track Edition is expected to rely on Lexus’s 5.0-liter V-8 engine for motivation, with tweaks to add a few ponies to the V-8’s 467-hp stable. An eight-speed automatic transmission will be the sole transmission choice.

If the road-going RC F Track Edition is even half as fun to drive as the RC F GT concept, then it will be an absolute hoot. The RC F GT concept, you’ll remember, currently holds the third-fastest time we have ever recorded around Virginia International Raceway during our annual Lightning Lap event.

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