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Chris Harris flogs the Lexus RC F

Chris Harris went to the Monticello race track in New York to sample the Lexus RC F, and, to be honest, he had to figure out how to love it on a circuit. Smitten with the luxury coupe's looks and cabin and naturally-aspirated V8 before taking the driver's seat, Harris found that four laps on track exposed its Achilles' heel: mass. Harris quoted the weight of his car at 1,860 kilograms, or 4,092 pounds, which is about one junior varsity athlete beyond the 3,958-pound curb weight of the coupe we drove. The 478 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque couldn't stoke the hustle Harris wanted, removing all the easy friskiness expected from the coveted FR setup, and leading to quick brake fade. He made note of the Lexus' lack of torque compared to the BMW M4, but in truth the RC F is only 15 lb-ft shy of its Munich nemesis. It is, however, at least 400 pounds heavier. On public roads, though, it's a different story. When not being pushed to prove itself in tight spaces, Harris thinks the Lexus is still a "curious blend of things," but a GT whose noise, styling and non-Germanness mean that it "certainly has a place," and might just take time to grow into. Related Video: News Source: Chris Harris on Cars via YouTube Lexus Coupe Luxury Performance Videos chris harris

Online Find of the Day: Lexus-engined Mercedes pickup is a vintage hybrid

You have to love someone who gets incredibly committed to a very weird idea. What you see for sale here is a right-hand drive 1971 Mercedes-Benz 220D in South Africa, but this old Mercedes is now converted into a pickup, complete with bed cover, and there's big secret under the hood, too.
The pickup conversion appears well done based on seller Sedgefield Classic Cars' photos. Even the tonneau cover fits well. You could almost believe that this Mercedes lived its life as a Chevrolet El Camino-like pickup from the very beginning.
However, the rear-quarters conversion might not be the weirdest thing about this Mercedes. The original diesel is gone from the engine bay in favor of a Lexus V8. It seems really odd to pop the hood and find a Japanese mill in this German car, but the photos make it look like a fairly well performed swap. So, bravo to the crazy thinking. According to the seller speaking to Autoblog by email, "as far as we can establish, this was done a few years ago, with all Lexus components."

Lexus LF-Z Electrified previews future Lexus hybrids and EVs

While the company has yet to release a fully electric car or even plug-in hybrid in the U.S., the company is adamant that it's ramping up electric plans. One way it's doing this is with concept cars, and the latest is the Lexus LF-Z Electrified, just in case you forgot what powers it before the middle of this sentence. It's not a specific preview of any particular model, but is meant as a hint of a series of, well, electrified Lexus models coming in the next few years. The LF-Z is a clear evolution of the LF-30 Electrified concept from the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. Like that concept, the front of the car effectively inverts the current Lexus grille design, with the "spindle" section in the middle being solid, and the area on either side covered with dark translucent panels that evoke open areas. The whole body is more crisp and creased than the LF-30, and it looks a little more grounded in reality. It has four conventional doors with actual door handles, the proportions are closer to a sedan or fastback, and a seemingly conventional taillight bar. But getting up close reveals many intricate details such as the cubic shapes in the front fascia, the frilled edges of the front fender flares, and the narrow breaks in the lighting. The interior is ultra-minimalist, with all the display systems placed around the driver, and a simple dash that wraps around to the doors and the rear seats. The seats themselves have a similarly geometric design to the exterior, and the choice to highlight the driver seat in a contrasting upholstery is interesting. Likely because the LF-Z doesn't preview any specific upcoming model, Lexus offered nearly no details about what powers the concept beyond electricity. It has the batteries mounted in the floor, and it features dual motors, one for the front wheels and one for the rear wheels, which isn't particularly remarkable. No range or power numbers were given. Steering is done by-wire, kind of like what you'll find in certain modern Infinitis, and the car features other bits of technology that are already available or coming soon to production cars such as augmented reality displays, a smartphone key system, electrochromic roof glass and reclining rear seats. Still, we think it's a distinctive concept car that could spawn some similarly distinct production cars. Lexus announced that between now and 2025, it will launch more than 10 new electrified models as conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids or fully electric cars.