Actually not really. RC is entry level; its also smaller. Its mission is to take on on other entry level coupes (4er, C class coupe, A5, ATS coupe). The SC was never entry level.

Even back in the day the SC400 main competitor was the CL; which is basically a S class coupe. Lexus made the second gen SC430 became more of a Mercedes SL fighter. Either way neither ever competed with the entry level 3 series coupe or CLK.

This new LC is more in line with the original SC400. Now if Toyota really wanted to make a SL and 6 series fighter again, than I would say take the production FT-1 (Supra) and reskin it and slap on the SC nameplate.

90s
http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums..._772_55807.jpg
http://www.autotraderclassics.com/im...7881/0_1-1.jpg

2000s
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...2125/image.jpg
http://autoconsignmentofsandiego.com...SL500_Tina.jpg
http://zombdrive.com/images/2005-bmw-6-series-2.jpg

Now
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...xus-LC-500.jpg
http://www.blogcdn.com/slideshows/im...coupe-fd-1.jpg
https://formulatotal.files.wordpress...coupc3a9-1.jpg
(^^^ Concept stage for the next 8 series, but you get the idea).

@gymratter

Feel free to change this info if you believe you are right... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_RC

"Predecessor: SC".

This is the first time Lexus is selling two coupes at the same time. Toyota being who they are, I didn't think they'd pull such a bold move... in the Lexus lineup too!

Its gorgeous...

Also...can the RC-F get an honest to god Manual now since this new car is aimed at more luxury?

I kinda hope Lexus/Toyota can make the RC-F more Raw now.

As much as I love manual transmissions and think they should be used as much as possible, I'm going to say something heretical: When you're at these power levels, it might be a good thing to have an automatic.

Before driving my 6 speed FRS I didn't really understand why some people thought 7 speeds in the 991 was too many gears. In my 5 speed MR2, the lack of gears was incredibly frustrating and I wondered why anyone would not want a 7 speed. After driving my FRS for half a year I have to say 7 might possibly be a bit much, although the extra performance and relaxed, efficient highway cruising you'd get with a bigger/higher revving engine would be welcome.

With a 4 cylinder, 6 speeds is a decent compromise, especially in the case of the FRS' gearing. As a street car, spacing 4th and 5th out barely a bit more would be sort of nice. A little tighter like the Celica GTS is a little more sporty.

However when you're talking a giant V8 like in the ISF/RCF or Corvette, you do need that 7th gear to get reasonable cruising range on the freeway without extremely widely spaced gearing like the C6 Vette, which sucks. If I'm driving a car that powerful, there's no way to really gun it in 1st/2nd on the street very much, which takes a lot of the fun out of having that manual shift. The thing with those huge engines is, an automatic transmission working overtime to shift up and down for you does a lot to give you smoother acceleration and better fuel efficiency. If I had to buy say a Corvette, I would definitely go manual just because, but I would probably at some point ask myself if maybe automatic would not have been so bad.

When you have in the neighborhood of 500hp or higher on tap, more gears is a good idea, and letting the car shift by itself when you have more gears is maybe a good idea too.

Which is why I'm going to stick to (relatively) slow cars, so I can enjoy downshifting them all the time and not accidentally hitting 100mph listening to glorious engine noise.

Wikipedia isn't a place to go get facts, anyone can edited it.

If you go to the IS section you will see "Related Lexus RC"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_IS

That is because the RC is basically a new IS coupe with a front section off of the GS. The SC was never IS based. Do you know the mid section of the new RC came from the IS-C?

In fact the SC was very heavily related to the LS sedan. Not to mention the SC was Lexus' flagship, how to you go from flagship to entry level 4er competitor? The new platform for the LC coupe will also underpin the next gen LS sedan. Why do you think the LC coupe was also on stage with the LF-FC concept?

http://www.motortrend.com/news/2018-...t-look-review/

If you don't believe go to ClubLexus.com ;)

Actually you're wrong again. The IS-C went on sale while the SC430 was still in production.

Heres another way of looking at things.

Than
Entry level
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog...._c_f-sport.jpg

Flagship
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...psc8e8d79d.jpg

Now
Entry level
https://s.graphiq.com/sites/default/...8A_6263570.jpg

Flagship
http://gtspirit.com/wp-content/uploa...s-LC-500-4.jpg

Now I really hope they'll eventually toss out a LC-F, even though I won't be able to afford it. Just take this:

http://static3.techinsider.io/image/...xus-lc-500.jpg

and cram this into it:

http://image.motortrend.com/f/roadte...ngine-view.jpg

Do you want a cookie?

Can one of the mods please merge this thread into the official thread? Kinda repetitive to have a separate thread IMO. All of this has already been discussed.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2848

X2 on the LC-F. However, I think a TT V8 is more likely, as seen with the LS TMG concept.

http://www.sub5zero.com/wp-content/u...-concept_9.jpg

He is right tho, despite wikipedia's nonsense it is common knowledge in the Lexus world that the RC is really an IS coupe and was never meant to be a SC successor.

In addition, the only reason why the IS-C is still in production is because they are still working on a convertible RC.

https://lexusenthusiast.com/images/w...ertible-rc.jpg

It's not like I care. Just whatever I found. So obviously now with two coupes in their lineup, they're targeting two different markets. The fact of the matter is, TWO fancy Lexus coupes available for sale during the same time. That's a first and it totally threw me off since Toyota, especially Lexus, being as conservative as they are - getting risky.

They have done this before. This wouldn't be the first time they sold two coupes at the same time as stated above with the IS-C and SC430.

Not super related....

Anyone here have any experience with the SC430?

I loved the look when they came out. You can get a used one for a good price now.

Also, since its a hardtop convertible, finding a low mileage one isn't that difficult (EDIT, I meant that this was often a second car for a family), unlike a clean IS300.

I don't think they offered a Manual, but if $15k could buy you an extremely clean and less than 50k mile SC430...seems like it could be a great buy?

I was also in the market for one until I fell in love with the Mercedes SL.

Anyways, back to the SC430. I think thats a great buy. My neighbor brought a 2005 with 32k on it for $27k two years ago. A little high IMO, but she got it at one of those big name luxury stealership... It had only one owner and looked brand new, show room condition. I say go for it, only $15k seems dirty cheap.

I loved the look of the RC when it first came out, but ever since Jeremy Clarkson reviewed (and hated) it, I have no love for the thing other than its looks. I guess I'm easily influenced. Either way, if the RC is as bad as Clarkson said, and the LC is bigger/heavier like you guys say, and it's getting the same engine, won't it just suck more? RC-F is something like $60k, right? And the LC will be $100k, so what's the extra $40k for?