Interview: Suspension Upgrades Make Lexus RC F Razor Sharp

We spoke to the owner of a modified Lexus RC F and discovered just what goes into making a great GT and track car even sharper.

In our most recent RC F owner interview, we spoke to Josh, the owner of a Lexus RC F, about how and why he modified an already incredible road and track car.

Tell us a bit about yourself Josh.
When I was a kid, my mom balanced the books at a garage. I was always running around in the shop and looking at car magazines. I learned to drive on my father’s lap around parking lots at the ripe age of 5 in a 300ZX and my driving improved from older friends who let me drive and loved to go fast. By 15, I had learned to drive stick and discovered my driving passion. This love for speed caused my parents a lot of money growing up for many different reasons!

How did you come to be an RC F owner? Did you have premium performance cars in the past?
My first show car was a 200sx SER with a wide body kit and all the supporting mods ( coils, 3000w stereo, racing clutch, short shift, intake, exhaust, headers, etc.). Later, I found a used 2004.5 VW Jetta GLI turbo with a six-speed, Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, 18” wheels, and a body kit. Truly a solid foundation for a great mod-car. With that, I became a Euro-lover and followed the VW scene. After owning a VW for seven years, and learning every nut and bolt on the car, I had the car maxed out with mods.

The build of the VW had me wanting more in a new car. I wanted a foundation in a luxury platform, and I wanted a car with a performance soul yet with a grown-up appearance. Thus, my first Lexus, a 2014 IS-350 F SPORT AWD. It Lexus IS350 F-Sport had the look and the performance I wanted. In addition to insane audio and appearance mods, I added an intake and exhaust, and further looked to bump the acceleration with an Apexi SMART ACCEL throttle controller. The car was fun, nimble, and an all-weather monster ( great in the snow).

After enjoying my IS, I started to crave more speed and began to eye the F Series BMW M3/4’s. With a fully loaded car, the cost of an M3/4 would be just shy of 90k. At the time, there was a national shortage of the M autos in the US, so at my 30k service interval for my IS, I test-drove the RC F.

What elements of the RC F attracted you most?
I was impressed with the overall feel of the RC F and, of course, the naturally aspirated 470 hp V8. The RC F mirrored my IS 350 with the interior, and Lexus added some key upgrades like the Alcantara suede, F-Sport racing seats with heavy bolsters, carbon fiber accents, and the super crisp Mark Levinson sound system. From a driver’s aspect, the car was very responsive with the throttle and almost left you with an adrenaline rush after each drive. The new RC F 8 speed drivetrain was nothing short of amazing. The styling of the IS350 F-Sport car carried over with the wide, in your face front fascia, on the RC F and the speed sensing spoiler was more than intriguing to me. At first glance, I wanted the carbon roof and the TVD ( torque vectoring differential ) track package, but a car with those features was unavailable from my local dealer stock.

I was unsure if I would get a good deal on my relatively new IS, but the dealer, Darcars Lexus / Lexus of Silver Spring, Maryland, made the process a painless transition. Andreas Tsirikos and his management team arranged a great deal. The red carpet treatment at Lexus and the availability of a car that was close to what I wanted were key reasons why I stayed loyal to the Lexus brand.

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