TRC

Mine was 90k OTR - same spec as you mention (a saving of only about 1.7k from OTR quoted full price), and a few hundred dollars off the window tint. Plus corporate service program. I got the impression there was no real movement possible for such a new car, but I didn't try hard (as in walk out the door and wait for the phone call).

Hi normholly, when I bought mine just before Christmas, Blackburn Lexus in Melbourne had the spec you mention arriving in a few days time. The Titanium was already on another dealer's floor, so got that instead as personal preference.

Hi ICU2. I didn't test the E class coupe. Reasons being that if I was after the E class coupe, only the E400 would have interested me, and that is 140k OTR before any options. Also, as you know, the E class coupe is now very long in the tooth as a new car purchase; being not a true E class and based on the previous C class gen underpinnings. But a good condition used E350 for the right price may be a very worthy consideration However, I did extensively test the new W205 C class sedan, just in case it may have swayed me. But that's another story. Good luck with your choice.

Thanks 3ha0046. One of the other cars I seriously considered was the new C class. It's COMMAND worked well and, like IDRIVE, thought it a better than Lexus touch whilst actually on the move, in terms of eyes on the road. The only thing I noticed that could be improved was the screen response time to touchpad activity - a bit slow. No doubt time and familiarity improves the experience of. Already I'm learning to use peripheral vision to judge the position of the pointer highlight...

Thanks, that helps to clarify.

Thanks LN. Yes, I have a Bimmer as well (1 series). Many of the Oz motoring journos are to be taken with a grain of salt, IMO. One wrote of the RC cockpit - "it is tremendously busy.....there are so many buttons to work out (not), and their placement is at odds with today's needs" (whatever that means...). The same journo then wrote - "the huge emphasis on the CD player (whatever that means) is just downright out of date" (perhaps it's prominent, because there is no excess of buttons surrounding it....?). But just as easily they can then complain when there are not enough buttons, claiming there are "too many nested menus" to navigate via screen interfaces to reach frequent functions.... I have tried the touchpad input for destination input, and it may be a bit quicker than dial twirling for that - but that's a task you have to more clearly focus on in the first instance, regardless of input method (the Lexus won't let you enter on the go, which I can understand). With IDRIVE I have found you quickly learn to "feel" your way through the number of clicks and presses to bring up frequently visited radio stations or other frequently used functions, whilst barely looking at the screen - whereas with Remote Touch, I find you need to visually check on screen a bit more often, to be sure where the pointer highlight is going. And IDRIVE has 7 quick access buttons grouped round the controller, whereas the Lexus has only the 2. The Bimmers also continue with preset buttons (which are programmable for many functions, not just radio frequencies), to further aid cabin control. There's other things too, like how on the Bimmer you can group radio frequencies together from any of AM/FM/DAB rather than having to change B/W AM/FM/DAB first. But I may not have found that yet? But all splitting hairs a bit - both are great. Cheers

Glad to help Supratt, and that it helped you decide. Looking forward to hearing about your own car soon.....

Hi Supratt. I attach some interior photos. Lexus judge the use of the contrast interior colour extremely well, IMO. The colour also highlights the seat detailing nicely, as opposed to same colour black. If I had custom ordered like yourself, the other combo I would have given serious consideration to, would have been the red exterior with the moonstone interior. Regards

Thanks.

Hi Supratt. Congrats on your order. The Dark Rose is not too bright - unlike the shade of red used on the RCF red interior, which is brighter and therefore yes, a bit gaudy. The Dark Rose adds some real visual appeal to the interior by way of nicely judged contrasts to the rest of the (black) interior. I'll post some interior shots tomorrow. And white is the other colour which the rose interior would work well with. Am very happy with this choice, and very positive comment so far, confirms.

Thanks, 3ha0046. This is my summation of the car so far - posted this in new member intro, instead of the RC forum... Will post some more photos soon. Clear impressions so far are of the supreme comfort, smoothness and quietness. Some of the best car seats I've experienced (and not so firm as the German seats), very smooth ride for 19's, best coarse chip road noise suppression I've experienced (the GS and LS must be supreme), and using the IS-C chassis for the mid section clearly pays off in a super solid feel to the whole car (and worth the consequences of the resultant weight penalty, IMO). Better driving position than the Germans (pedals not offset to the right), great steering, and the rear wheel steering is a U turn boon so far. Touchpad screen control works well and is fun to use, but not as intuitive as IDRIVE, and more eyes off the road is required. Mark Levinson audio also the best I've experienced, as is the tactile quality of how everything works in the cabin. Engine is a beauty, but does lack the urban speed responsiveness and economy of the turbo Germans. Miss the programmable preset buttons of the BMW. Needs a suspension drop (why is the front tyre clearance more than the rear clearance?), but that would compromise the lovely ride, no doubt. Could talk about a lot more. Cheers..... Should add that the in-car tech is not as good as the Germans; nor the driver assistance technology. But just doesn't matter with a car that's this good to drive.

Hi, here's a photo of my Titanium/Dark Rose F sport enhancement pack 2, that I picked up about 3 weeks ago. The photo is at delivery. I had a choice of this or White Nova, but I felt the titanium suited the colouring and design of the F sport wheels and spindle grill treatment a bit better than the white - against which they stand out more starkly. All pure personal preference, though. I like the active cruise control too, but a shame it is not all speed ACC like the GS450H, or the Germans.

Great intro to the RCF. When I picked up my RC350 a few weeks ago, the dealer had a blue RCF upstairs just like this one, so I had a close look inside and out too. Exterior looks benefit from reduced tyre/fender gaps compared to the RC350, and the unreal looking quad pipe setup. However, the side skirting is styled slightly differently. On the RC350, the skirting ends in an upward curve - on the RCF, the skirting ends in a strange downward curve, that doesn't look as good. Also, the standard wheels are not attractive - the optional wheels are needed (like the example in the photos looks to have). Are you sure there is a clear choice of either alcantara or leather interior. The one I inspected had a combination of leather and alcantara, with the latter used on the the centre console and door armrests (over the 350) in a light grey colour - and overall didn't look as good as the interior colour matched leather finishing in the RC350 on the centre console. The Oz Lexus configurator doesn't seem to specify a clear choice for interior between the two materials - I may be wrong. And the red RCF seats are a brighter red than the dark rose colour available for the350 - which no doubt suits the extrovert nature of the RCF, but doesn't look as subtle and nice. And no LFA-inspired sliding tach?? 60k approx extra OTR is a lot to pay for the V8 motor, performance diff, spoiler (and braking and suspension mods), over the 350 F sport enhancement pack 2. No doubt largely worth it for the extra grunt and aural sensation, though....

Thanks - have attached a photo of the car, at time of delivery. Will post more when work out how to paste within text. Titanium with Dark Rose interior. Had the choice of either this or in White Nova for pre-Christmas delivery, but felt that the coloring and styling of both the F sport wheels and spindle grille treatment work better with the silver exterior; whereas both stand out more starkly against the white. But is purely personal preference. Clear impressions so far are of the supreme comfort, smoothness and quietness. Some of the best car seats I've experienced (and not so firm as the German seats), very smooth ride for 19's, best coarse chip road noise suppression I've experienced (the GS and LS must be supreme), and using the IS-C chassis for the mid section clearly pays off in a super solid feel to the whole car (and worth the consequences of the resultant weight penalty, IMO). Better driving position than the Germans (pedals not offset to the right), great steering, and the rear wheel steering is a U turn boon so far. Touchpad screen control works well and is fun to use, but not as intuitive as IDRIVE, and more eyes off the road is required. Mark Levinson audio also the best I've experienced, as is the tactile quality of how everything works in the cabin. Engine is a beauty, but does lack the urban speed responsiveness and economy of the turbo Germans. Miss the programmable preset buttons of the BMW. Needs a suspension drop (why is the front tyre clearance more than the rear clearance?), but that would compromise the lovely ride, no doubt. Could talk about a lot more. Cheers.....

Hi, good to be saying hello here, after admiring Lexus cars for so long, and finally a new owner myself. Picked up a new RC350 a few weeks ago. Wonderful car. Considered a 4 series, but this looks and feels more special IMO; even if the 4 has some advantages over. Looking forward to enjoyable motoring ahead.