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Earlier this week I ordered an RC300h F-Sport in Sonic Titanium/Dark Rose leather with only the ML audio (regrettably) and the Sunroof (less regrettably) absent from an otherwise full-optionals spec inclusive of the Safety Pack (= ACC & PCS), and I will be picking it up in ten days or so. As an alternative for similar quick delivery I could have chosen Sonic Red/Grey leather, but although the red is a lovely colour and very suited to the car (not for nothing does Lexus push it in its advertising), I finally decided it is a bit raffish (and maybe too similar to Mazda's highly-touted Soul Red) and went for the comparatively tame but dignified Titanium, thus proving to the world that I require no higher dose of automotive Viagra than the RC already delivers regardless of its colour. Before signing on the dotted line I took several of the posts in the original RC300h v. IS300h thread into account. In order to see, for example, how much the RC's extra weight makes it less able than the IS to be "chuck[ed] around corners" (see rayaans, Oct 23) or how generally "sluggish" it might be (see doog442, Oct 23), I took an F-Sport for a test-drive of some two hours/120km on mixed roads. And while the pointlessness of comparing two cars with "the same hybrid system" (see Wallace, Oct 23) was broadly confirmed when it quickly became clear that differences in performance were indeed slight, I am glad to say that the RC nevertheless emerged as the all-round winner, thus relieving my doubts about buying a car almost entirely on the basis of its good looks, even though, admittedly, this remained by far the most important motivating factor. As regards acceleration from a standstill, I detected no difference in respect of the IS, leading me to think that the declared 0.3' separating the cars in the 0-100kmh comparison (8.6' for the RC v. 8.3' for the IS) is not perceptible to a "normal" driver (though it might be to ones more expert or speed- oriented than me). Mid-range acceleration was impressive, indeed startlingly so in Sport and Sport+ modes, causing me to think that they have been tweaked in order to better exploit the adaptive dampers and considerably sharpen the throttle response while adding some desirable weight and feel to the steering. As regards higher speeds, at no time did I exceed the 130kmh motorway limit, not that this mattered since I doubt if the declared lower maximum speed of 190kmh against the Is's 200kmh will bother me on any rare occasion when I might get close to it on an autobahn. Of course, the RC's actual performance does not live up to the expectations of dynamism and power aroused by its athletic appearance (and arguably over-hyped in Lexus' advertising), and if the consequent risk of the driving experience being considered "underwhelming" (see Martin F, Oct 23) was already high for the IS in its guise of a "sports saloon", it can only be higher upon its evolution into a "sports coupé". However, as long as you know what to expect from the hybrid system and CVT - and anyone familiar with the IS obviously does - the RC does not disappoint, and it delivers as much predictable power as needed in the vast majority of situations likely to be encountered outside a race-track and within the boundaries of the law - with some allowance, of course, for occasional flexibilities and rushes of blood. As specifically regards stability and handling, I thought them improved as the result of a stiffer chassis and the appreciably more direct and responsive steering resulting, I am told, from a redesigned platform borrowed, in part, from the GS. Body roll was minimal at all speeds. Frankly, I could not detect whether the 19" tyres provided more grip than 18" ones, which, in theory, they obviously must. Their presence worried me a bit in terms of the prospectively firmer ride but, reassuringly, this was smooth and comfortable and gentle on the vertebrae even on several stretches of very nasty road. Interestingly, the car was fitted with with Dunlop Sportmaxx tyres, as mine will also be, and this, not displeasingly, will be my first new Lexus without OEM Bridgestones. On the negative side, the 265/35 rear size, especially, brings the metal worryingly close to the ground, which does not bode well for the very attractive rims on bad stony surfaces, rough gravel etc. While I always thought the seats in the IS provide good anatomical support, those in the RC hug you even better. I quickly became a fan of the memory- foam upholstery, which I had previously only experienced on short rides. I am surprised that Lexus has not adopted it on all models. Since I rarely carry passengers the cramped rear cabin space was not an issue. Clearly, leg- and head-room are not abundant, though I have seen and experienced worse in other coupés and/or 2+2s. Personally, I would expect long-trip claustrophobia to be as big a problem because of the tiny rear side- windows. The electric seat sliding mechanism for rear access is effective but slow. Or, rather, it is as fast as it needs to be except when it's raining. But then again, its slowness allows you to pause and admire the car while you are waiting. For those of us who are not getting any younger (sometimes referred to on this Forum as "old farts"), getting in and out of the front seats of the RC is maybe a bit easier than in the IS because of the wider opening. Be this as it may, I have myself long regarded the bending and stretching necessary for access as a welcome form of exercise, and I have learned not to grunt at the strain when other people are around. My main grievance, and particularly my wife's for long trips, concerns the smaller boot space, which, for us, represents a return to IS250 and 200 sizes after a happy period with the generous 430 litres of the 300h. Forward cabin space is practically the same, which is to say that the main problem is insufficient storage for small loose objects. Materials and build quality are in the best Lexus tradition, and I was especially happy to see the boot-hinges tucking away into their own housing as they did in the pre-300h ISs. The overall quality impression is high, perhaps higher than that of the IS, though I would be hard put to define and list the reasons why. Maybe it has something to do with longer and thicker doors which close with a more resonant thunk. The point that their size may be problematic in tight parking situations (see Deadlock and steveledzep, Oct 25) was well taken, and I am not looking forward to the experience when it occurs. Although I am told most people disagree, I liked the touchpad and found it as easy and instinctive to operate as the "mouse". Because my hand fell naturally on it, I did not need to consciously learn its position and keep glancing downwards as I feared. It did occur to me, however, that right-handed drivers in l-hd cars will always be favoured for longer tasks such as, for example, the entering of satnav data with it. The time I spent with the RC confirmed my belief that it is as good-looking a car as any on the market today outside of the supercar segment and, pending the arrival of the LC500, probably the best-looking one Lexus has ever marketed. I have mixed feelings only about the fake extractor "combs" at the lower rear extremities. They put me in mind of the side strakes of the Ferrari Testarossa of three decades ago and, as such, I find them a bit naff in a retro sort of way. Presumably they are intended to decoy the eye away from the long rear overhang that results from a shorter wheelbase under a lengthened body. As expected the RC attracted a lot of curiosity because of its looks and rarity. However, I had not anticipated the possible danger from gawking oncoming drivers or their counterparts who speed up from behind in order to take a closer look. My conclusion was that Lexus have taken their well-proven proprietary technology and created a thing of beauty around it.

Someone set a firework off here at 07:15, I kid you not, it woke me up! Seemed like fun when we were kids, but not anymore :( Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

That's what I said. What would the odds be! Yeah, it could've hit the screen, the roof or the bonnet. Shame the garage is full of rubbish or I'd try and put the car in it to prevent this. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I hate it . My dogs suffer massively this time of year and last night it was like WW3.... and now on a sunday night the day after the cretins are doing it all over again..

Or the windscreen! On a brighter note, atleast you didn't find a teenager with a third degree burn on his backside after attempting a steve-o with a rocket. All for £10 he told me!

... on that note, just stocked up on de-icer and screen wash, and a new battery ...

Could you please clarify what you mean by the comment above as I don't understand the context?

Good for you, Rayaan, if your hands can reach all the inside surfaces. I wish mine could. Personally, I find the angle of the glass is such as to require the skills of a contortionist (which I am not) in order to keep up an adequate and uniform pressure when wiping, and this is why, to my irritation, I need to use a gadget like the Invisible Glass stick to get anything like a satisfactory and by no means effort-free result.

Try plain warm water applied with a mf cloth and then immediately and energetically wipe dry with another separate one.