Lexus showcased the RC Coupe concept back in November; I suspected the car would make it as a production model in one form or another. I was expecting it to be called the IS Coupe but since BMW ditched the 3-Series coupe (now called the 4-Series), Lexus decided to make it a standalone model called the RC F coupe.

The Lexus RC F Coupe will be competing with cars like the BMW M4, Audi RS5, Mercedes C63 AMG, and Cadillac ATS V Coupe (if they produce it); there will also be a regular version of this car called the RC Coupe, with less power and less aggressive body, suspension etc.

We’ll start with the looks of the RC F Coupe, which you’re either going to hate or like. The RC F comes with the controversial (massive) front grill, which I’ve never been a fan of. These grills seem to grow bigger and bigger with each new model that they’re put on, not very nice. Looks-wise, I like the overall shape of the RC F Coupe, the silhouette of it, but man did the designers ever over-design the front and rear end! It’s as if they had nothing to do and they wanted to look busy so they started adding new lines, curves, and different elements to the front and back. I think less is more… but Lexus has been criticized for building boring looking cars, I guess they took that to heart and went to the other extreme.

Lexus hasn’t provided official power figures for the coupe, but we do know it’ll be powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine producing 460 horsepower (the IS F sedan, the car this coupe is replacing, had a V8 producing 416 HP). Power will be sent to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission.

The interior on the Lexus RC F Coupe is clean looking; it takes design cues from the LF-A, but it already looks dated to me, especially the center console area above the gear lever and below the clock. I do like the use of carbon fiber trim on the dashboard and the door panels.

The Lexus RC F Coupe will be officially unveiled at the 2014 Detroit Motor Show. Via: Lexus