(September 6, 2014) WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Low. Long. Sleek. With a growling exhaust note and a searing red paint job that could have come from a concept car. Fast. Agile. Daring. The luxury-sport coupe category is about to get a lot hotter. The 2015 Lexus RC 350 arrives this fall, melding audacious design and high performance like no Lexus before.

Engineered as a stand-alone model, rather than as a two-door derivative of a sedan, the RC delivers all the performance, individuality, and unique luxury and technology that its body promises. Lexus expects the RC to attract the next generation of luxury buyers and those new to the brand.

While the RC 350 swaggers with a striking exterior, it features efficiency under the hood.  A standard 306 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 teamed to an eight-speed Sports Program Direct Shift (SPDS) transmission for rear-wheel drive models helps provide smooth acceleration, predictable torque and good fuel economy.

A key to the RC’s exceptional handling ability is a new ultra-stiff platform. The RC is the latest model from a ride and handling transformation at Lexus that started with the current GS midsize luxury sedan and progressed with the new-generation IS sport sedan. Following the stunning, limited-production LFA supercar, those latest Lexus models and the new RC are taking the brand in a more emotional design/performance direction.

From launch, Lexus will offer the new RC 350 in both rear-wheel drive and with all-weather drive, the latter using a six-speed automatic transmission, and an F SPORT version. Distinguished by exclusive exterior design and interior features, the F SPORT will also raise the performance ante with standard Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system and the available Lexus Dynamic Handling system, which includes rear-wheel steering.

The Lexus RC’s chassis is unique, although it does draw from the architecture of other Lexus vehicles. The front end is based on the highly acclaimed Lexus GS, which set new standards for stiffness and chassis response in a mid-sized sedan.
          
The rear of the RC platform is based on the new-generation IS sport sedan, a car that has already proven its performance and handling mettle in a hotly contested segment.  In the center, where the structure needed to maintain rigidity with two large door openings, Lexus borrowed from the IS convertible structure.
          
None of those three portions was directly taken from the other cars. Rather, each contributed more than the sum of its parts to the overall chassis package. Lexus fine-tuned the resulting platform to provide the specific high-performance character sought for its new coupe.
 
Lexus chose a naturally aspirated V6 for its instantaneous response and performance-driving character. It also sounds like a proper GT car, with a distinct but refined growl under acceleration and a pleasingly present but quiet demeanor when cruising. An intake sound generator further enhances sonic appeal under acceleration. The overall effect is memorable, but never abrasive, and doesn’t intrude on conversation or music enjoyment.
          
The 3.5-liter Lexus 2GR-FSE V6 propels the 2015 RC 350 with 306 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque. An aluminum block and heads keep weight in check. Key technologies that get credit for the broad torque curve and quick response include intelligent dual variable valve timing (VVT-i) and the Lexus D-4S system of direct and port fuel injection. With one injector installed in the combustion chamber and a second mounted in the intake port, D-4S combines the strengths of both for maximum efficiency and low emissions.
 
Eight is enough. That’s certainly true of transmissions for high-performance cars. But what’s the best way to control the gears for the ideal performance experience?
          
The 2015 Lexus RC 350 answers with one of the most acclaimed transmissions in use today, the eight-speed Sports Program Direct Shift (SPDS) transmission. This transmission debuted in the IS F high-performance sedan. The SPDS transmission combines the best of both worlds: torque converter smoothness with shifting speed of a dual-clutch unit when shifting manually. A long-travel damper for the lock-up torque converter boosts fuel economy and ensures smooth, quiet lock-up.