Lexus RC200t EX

Lexus has long been synonymous with performance and luxury and nothing has changed with the debut of the RC200t. With striking lines and very defined styling cues the RC200t has definitely broken the rounded flat lines and somewhat boring designs of this coupe’ segment bringing back a sense of excitement to class.

Exterior

Nowhere is that more apparent than at first glance. The exterior styling cues and aggressive sporty lines of the RC200t are striking with angles and cutaways where you would least expect them.

This is one of the coupé vehicles that really makes you look twice and then look again just to make sure you’ve seen it properly. Most notable of the styling elements has to be around the head and tail lights with sharp aggressive lines that seem as if they would cut you if you get too close. I was particularly taken with the DRL (Day Time Running Lights) placement and shape as well as the L shape that has been worked into the design of the rear tail lamp assembly.

The large grille actually channels air under the car for extra down force, aiding in an already excellent aerodynamic package. A host of colour options will be available but my pick would have to be the Solar Storm Red as it is probably the deepest and shiniest hue that I’ve seen on sheet metal in a long time.

Engine and undercarriage

The RC200t will only be available as a single model release designated as the EX. This sees the car fitted with a two litre four cylinder turbo charged motor that can deliver 180kW and 320Nm. This power travels to the wheels via an eight speed automatic gearbox with the option of a manual mode with paddle shift, very useful for overtaking trucks and slower moving vehicles on the winding country roads that we tested on. The RC200t shares a lot of its suspension makeup with the IS and GS range and this makes for excellent road handling and a dynamic drive.

Interior

The interior is really where the RC shines though. The driving position and the shape of the driver and passenger pockets are almost cocoon like, wrapping you in a very luxurious leathery embrace. The mouse pad style control for the infotainment system was a bit fiddly but I am sure that one can tone down the sensitivity or you’re going to have to practice a lot to get the most out of it. One of the tech features I found fascinating was the electrostatic strip’s that work very similarly to a TFT screen that control the temperature. Just slide your finger up and down the metal strip to adjust the heating or cooling of the interior.

The fit and finish of the interior was naturally top notch with a very nice Lexus touch in the analogue clock centrally mounted in the dashboard.

The Drive

We were really able to put the drive characteristics of the RC200t to the test as our course, although short, had such varied road surfaces that the gearbox and suspension received a total workout. From short winding sections and long curves to badly potholed and straight as an arrow tarmac, the RC did not disappoint.
We were able to test the compliance of the suspension while gearing down and accelerating out of corners and feeling how the suspension handled the badly worn sections of road to being able to stretch the legs of the 8AR-FTS engine on the more open sections.

If I had anything to nitpick it would be that in the ECO mode, the engine was somewhat sluggish when attempting to pull away with urgency. This was however countered by switching over into Sport mode, which really made this coupe’ come to life.

Verdict

The RC200t is the shot in the arm that this coupe segment needs. With much sportier styling than its competitors and returning an element of excitement to an otherwise rather boring class, the Lexus RC200t is an absolute contender.

With a price of R699 100, fully specced with everything you could need in a two door its nearest rivals are going have a fight on their hands. With Lexus gearing up to move 10-20 units this year they have set their sights firmly on being the leader in this segment and I don’t think they are going to have to fight hard either because the Lexus has the head turn factor that’s been missing for a while now.