Lexus RC F

[CruisingSpeed]

Originally Posted by McRat

I'm more curious to see what Honda does with the (Acura) NSX.

That could be a true Ferrari Killer.

Honda has always had pretty good engineering.

http://wot.motortrend.com/1407_spied...Reviews:MT|WOT

Yeah whatever... Lol
Don't be goin all Honda ricer on us now! Lol

Anyway appearance wise I like the separate light strip below the headlights. I personally think that spindle grille looks like sh** on all models except the Is. Lexus is just a gussied up Toyota, or in this case a Scion Fr-s!

[PeeBee]

Originally Posted by CruisingSpeed

Looks like a gussied up Toyota, or in this case a Scion Fr-s!

That's how Lexus started out, so they're spot on

[PoorMansCamaro]

yeah, 2755lbs...wowza!

[King T]

I remember seeing the RC and RC F at the Detroit auto show. If you like Lexus new "Spindle Grill" design, you'll love this one, as this is the best take on a Lexus yet.

The RC F weight is said to be between 3,800-3,900 lbs.

I had started a thread about it on another forum, I'll just post some of the info over here too.

[King T]

Lexus RC F Chief Engineer Explains Why He Chose a V8

We are eager to get our hands on Lexus newest performance coupe and we’re sure its going to be spectacular. But until later this year when its going to come out we’ll still have to feed our craving with photos, occasional videos and other information.

Speaking of information, Lexus chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi recently explained in an interview with Lexus Blog UK why he chose to fit this awesomely designed lump of car with a beefy 5-liter V8 naturally aspirated gasoline engine.

The thing is that unless you want to make a supercar these days, the hood of your new-designed sportscar is “recommended” to house a turbocharged engine with a capacity of around 3 liters in order to offer decent performance and stick with the harsh emission levels imposed by law.

Still, Lexus decided that fitting an engine in a performance coupe with turbo or superchargers is somehow like fitting a woman with silicone and botox to force its level of beautifulness. Which may look good at some levels, but then you know its fakery an it will come with certain disadvantages.

But Yaguchi-san is a purist and he considers that a sportscar should have a V8 heart, the heart of motorsport... at least in the past.

”First of all, the V8 engine format is the most appropriate for a sports car engine. The reason is that when we talk about sport driving, the torque feel – the acceleration – is most important, and that’s what the V8 format gives. This can also be said for the V10 in the LFA, but if you put under load the torque characteristic [of the V10] is very smooth, but as you go under load it [the V8] gives almost a heartbeat feeling,” explained Yaguchi.

This explains the part of the right feelings you’ll get from the RC F, but how the engineers solved the emission and fuel consumption issues dictated by the Euro 6 laws? Well, you know Toyota and Lexus have a special affair with the variable valve timing, right? Now there’s your answer.

“By adjusting the valve opening, we can change the engine’s performance – making it run like an Atkinson cycle engine. This gives you an equivalent downsizing of 800cc, and the efficiency of a 4.2-litre engine.” further explained Yaguchi-san. “Of course, when you go to a wide-open throttle, you get the Otto cycle so get maximum power, [and] being naturally aspirated, you get a really high responsiveness.”

The issues of using a smaller six-cylinder bi-turbo engine like BMW does has been also disputed. The reason was that the car would have gone to complex and not offer the same responsiveness. However, regarding the company’s future plans for turbocharged engines, Yaguchi said this naturally aspirated technology won’t be able to cut it out and turbos won’t be that avoidable.

So, unless the automaker has another supercar on the drawing board, this might be the last naturally aspired performance V8 Lexus will put out.

[King T]

LATEST TRANSMISSION TITBIT – AISIN AA80E

Last week I have discussed the GM 8AT and the ZF 9AT, today let’s take a look at the Aisin AA80E, which is used in the Lexus IS350, GS350, LS460, IS-F and the upcoming RC-F.

Unlike other longitude mounted 8AT such as the ZF 8HP and GM 8L90, the Aisin transmission uses compound planetary gear sets. A compound planetary gear set is a planetary gear set that has multiple sun gears or multiple ring gears. There are different types of them, the one we are interested in is called the Ravingeaux gear set, which has two sun gears, two planet carriers and they share one common ring gear.

One Ravingeaux gear set can provide 4 forward gear ratios and also the neutral and reverse.

The Aisin AA80E uses one standard planetary gear, plus one Ravingeaux gear set. When combined together, These two gear sets can provide 6 to 8 forward gear ratios. By the way, there is a name for such combination: it is called a Lepelletier System.

Therefore the AA80E uses two gear sets (strictly speaking there is 3 sets – because the compound set contains 2), and 6 shifting elements – 2 brakes and 4 clutches (no including an extra one-way clutch which prevents the rear planetary carrier from turning counterclockwise in gear #1).

Compared to the ZF 8HP, the ZF uses 4 standard planetary gear sets and 5 shifting elements (2 brakes and 3 clutches).

The advantage of Lepelletier System is: it is more compact and saves weight (the AA80E weights 95kg, 209 lbs). For your reference, the ZF 6-speed transmission 6HP32 weights around 99kg (218 lbs). But this comes with expense, look at the following AA80E shifting chart, you will see at each gear there are 4 clutches/brakes are disengaged.



Disengaged clutches and brakes will still create drag, because there are fluid between the clutch plates and brake pads and it creates fluid drag forces when the plates/pads on each side rotating at a different speed. Compared to the ZF 8HP, it only has 2 clutch/brake disengaged for each gear, therefore the ZF 8HP will has higher operating efficiency.

The Aisin AA80E is rated at 550 Nm torque (406 lb-ft). However the version that Aisin supplies to GM on its Cadillac CTS VSport has higher torque rating, because the CTS VSport engine output torque is 430 lb-ft. The highest trim of ZF 8HP can handle up to 664 lb-ft of torque

At this moment you may have an impression that the Aisin 8AT is inferior to the ZF 8HP, but please remember its first usage is on the 2007 Lexus LS460, the actual design was finalized in 2004; while the first time you see the ZF 8HP (on BMW F01 7-Series) is in late 2008. And also the shifting operation scheme of the Aisin 8AT does provide a better response in some circumstances. For example on highway cruise, if you want to accelerate quickly to pass, you may need the transmission to shift from 8th gear to 5th gear directly, in this situation the Aisin 8AT only need two shifting element to change status, while the ZF 8HP need 4 of them to engage/disengage.

http://youwheel.com/2014/04/29/lates...t-aisin-aa80e/

[PoorMansCamaro]

Oh, the GT3 is the one that's 2755lbs.

[King T]

Originally Posted by PoorMansCamaro

Oh, the GT3 is the one that's 2755lbs.

Yes the GT3 is the race car













LEXUS TO SUPPORT GT3 RACING IN 2015

-World Premiere of RC F GT3 concept at the 2014 Geneva motor show signals Lexus’ intent to support GT3 sports car racing in 2015

-Wider and lower than standard RC F road car, weighing just 1,250 kg

-Modified RC F V8 developing some 540 DIN hp

The World premiere of the new RCF GT3 concept at the 2014 Geneva motor show signals Lexus’ intent to support GT3 sports car racing in 2015.

Jointly developed over two years by Lexus International and its subsidiary Techno Craft, and built by the latter in Japan, the RC F GT3 concept is based on the new RC F coupe, the most powerful V8 performance car yet developed by Lexus.

4705 mm long, 2000 mm wide, 1270 mm high and with a wheelbase of 2730 mm, the RC F GT3 concept is wider and lower that the standard RC F, yet, with the interior stripped to racing specification, weighs just 1,250 kg.

A modified version of the RC F’s V8 engine develops some 540 DIN hp.

The launch of the RC F GT3 concept marks the start of a long-term commitment to GT3 racing by Lexus. Testing will begin this year, with a view to supporting sports car racing teams participating in 2015 GT3 racing open to cars in this category.

[King T]

[King T]

LFA-inspired gauges

[roorback]

certainly a bad ride. I can't get into the giant mouth designs (only time I would actually want a plate mounted) but that car will be sweet.

[King T]

[King T]

[King T]