Sporty coupes will always be the thing of boyhood dreams. There's just something about the racecar-like proportions of a 2-door coupe that stirs up the little boy in all of us. Sure, they're not the most practical of vehicles around and climbing into the back of one requires more than just a little dexterity. The boots are usually pretty small, visibility is compromised and they ride so low that speed bumps become a challenge, but that all fades into the distance when you lock it at the mall and stare back in awe.
The Lexus RC was recently facelifted and now it looks even better than it did before, with beautifully sculpted lines and creases in all the right places. But what about the competition? They make some pretty good looking cars too. How does one decide...?
Recommended: The Lexus RC-F - Making the Germans nervous.
Let's look at the running costs associated with the Lexus RC 350 against the BMW 440i and Audi S5.
Purchase price.
The Lexus RC 350 F-Sport currently retails for R951 500 and for that money you will be getting a lot of car for your money. Lexus prides themselves on having a very small options list, opting to rather include all the comfort and convenience you would want in the base-spec model. as such, there are virtually no hidden costs.
The same cannot be said for the German counterparts. Both the BMW and Audi have extensive options lists that will see you spending several thousand Rand more than the advertised price.
A base BMW 440i coupe will cost you R971 301 while the Audi S5 coupe quattro will run you R945 500 before you go to town on the options lists.
Performance.
Many will wonder what performance has to do with the running costs, but it's rather simple. A higher performance car will usually require attention more often than a regular, garden-variety sedan, largely due to the fact that they are owned by enthusiasts that make use of the additional performance. As such, items such as tyres and brake pads will require changing more often.
The Lexus RC produces 232 kW and 380 Nm from its naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6. It's good for a 0 - 100 km/h sprint time of 6.3-seconds. The BMW has a slightly smaller 3.0-litre engine but it benefits from turbocharging. This allows it to make 240 kW and 450 Nm with the sprint time coming in at 5.0-seconds. The Audi combines the two formats and has a 3.0-litre V6 and this too is force-fed by turbocharging. This results in 260 kW and 500 Nm with a 0 - 100 km/h time of 4.7-seconds.
All three run 8-speed automatic gearboxes but the Audi is equipped with quattro all-wheel-drive, a system that is known to be harder on tyres than two-wheel drive offerings.
Fuel consumption.
Yes, believe it or not, fuel consumption does play a role in deciding which performance car is the better one to go for. It sounds a little counterintuitive but for many, this is a real concern.
The Lexus RC 350 F-Sport is claimed to return a figure of 9.1 l/100km while the BMW and Audi fare considerably better thanks to the turbochargers. The BMW is claimed to return 6.6 l/100km while the Audi will do a slightly heavier 7.4 l/100km. All of these claims are quoted as the average consumption on the combined cycle.
Warranty and servicing.
The Lexus pulls back a few points here as it has a rather comprehensive 7-year / 105 000 km warranty while the BMW and Audi don't fare as well. Buyers will be able to bolster the warranties and maintenance plans, but this will cost extra.
The BMW 4 Series carries with it a 2-year / unlimited km warranty while the Audi has a basic 1-year / unlimited km warranty.
Recommended: What is covered under Lexus RC manufacturer warranty?
All three are covered by a maintenance plan that will cover services and most consumables but its' best to check what is covered before you ask them to cover your tyres...
Lexus asks that the RC is serviced every 15 000 km while the Audi and BMW use onboard diagnostics to alert the driver when it is time to service. This will largely depend on driving style and environmental conditions.
Recommended next:
Top 5 things you need to know about the Lexus RC F
Lexus RC F-Sport gets minor surgery, becomes a bit sharper
BMW 4 Series vs Audi A5 vs Mercedes C-Class Coupe: here's our winner.
