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Lexus shaves weight by adding carbon fiber goodies to the hefty RC coupe but even a 472-horsepower V8 struggles to keep up with the resulting price.

The Lexus RC F Fuji Speedway Edition turned heads everywhere I drove the bright blue and carbon-fiber bedazzled coupe. A nameplate harkening back to the racing circuit nestled at the foot of Japan's most famous mountain indicates some of the most important details about this maxed-out RC F, which shaves weight by adding plenty of carbon goodies, while also adding aerodynamic enhancements and track-focused bits including Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes.

But all the extras contribute mightily to a six-figure price tag that makes the Fuji something of a strange proposition, even considering the limited run of only 50 units planned for the 2022 model year, so I headed up to the hills of Malibu and Topanga hoping to draw out more of the performance potential and learn whether that serious sticker shock translates to real-world driving dynamics.

The Fuji Speedway Edition starts at $102,170 (including delivery) or well over double a base RC 350. At that price and given the limited-edition status, whether anyone actually buys one with plans to drive it on the track remains fairly dubious. But up in the canyons, I quickly discovered that the Fuji feels right at home, naturally aspirated V8 roaring and tires squealing before reaching speeds high enough to reveal the RC's significant weight concerns.

As a cyclist, I find carbon fiber intoxicating, so the Fuji's hood and roof, not to mention the front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser, and rear wing all drew me in for a closer look. But the main goal for Lexus—outside of obvious style points—clearly inolves trimming well over 200 pounds off the base RC's curb weight. And yet, the Fuji still weighs 3,781 pounds! Tipping the scales around 5% lighter makes a difference on the track, though, even if 99% of drivers won't feel that character shift over the course of a full day behind the wheel.

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Another stat that I defy any driver to claim they legitimately feel in the seat of their pants almost left me laughing when I first read the Lexus press release for 2022 model years: that naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 makes the Fuji the most powerful coupe in the lineup, with peaks of 472 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque. For reference, that horsepower figures adds one single, solitary pony to the LC 500 coupe's rating. Both cars send power to the rear wheels only through conventional torque-converter automatics, though the RC receives two fewer forward gears, for a total of eight versus the LC's 10.

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The transmission shifts smoothly enough in town with either Regular or Eco mode selected via the dial to the right of the gear selector. But popping over into the Sport or Sport+ modes and shifting with the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters reveals a slight lag typical of non-DCT gearboxes. The steering, meanwhile, left me highly impressed with direct, almost razer sharp turn-in despite relatively numb feel. I ended up spending most of my time in Sport, just because Sport+ firms up the suspension so much that the rear end starts hopping and trammeling while trying to put power down on uneven roads.

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The firm suspension and tight steering of Sport+ suggest that perhaps the Fuji belongs right on the track that serves as its namesake. But even in the canyons, the sheer weight of such a heavy coupe results in immediate screaming from the usually impressive Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires mounted all around and measuring 275 millimeters wide at the rear. Luckily, those new 19-inch wheels for the 2022 model year allow for a good look at the Fuji's carbon-ceramic brakes, which provide tons of stopping power courtesy of Brembo.

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Hitting corners hard and fast in the Fuji Speedway Edition actually reveals how well Lexus engineers managed to hide the RC F's weight and without a doubt, I spent most of the time grinning from ear to ear. My enjoyment surprised me, I freely admit, since I received the loaner car fully expecting to heap on hate in this review.

Plus, when I softened up the suspension and throttle response to Eco mode, the RC's luxury-car status shines through with a smooth ride in town belying the tire-shredding capability up in the hills. Though not quite as stately as the LC 500, the RC's rear trunk actually measures nearly double the cargo capacity, at 10.4 cubic feet.

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For driver and passenger, the Fuji might feel comfortable, swaddled in leather and Alcantara sport seats with excellent lumbar support and beefy bolsters. Premium materials abound—other than the headliner—and blue carbon threads weaved into the door armrests command a second, even a third, glance. The backseats, meanwhile, feel just as small as other so-called 2+2 coupes on the market (including the LC).

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All in, the RC F Fuji's unique combination of rarity, performance, style, and luxury combine to create something of a unicorn in terms of apples-to-apples competition. A BMW M4 Competition costs around $30,000 less while, on the other hand, a souped-up Supra probably attracts the same buyer. For anyone who needs a naturally aspirated V8 as we approach the end of the internal-combustion age, a 2022 Ford Mustang Mach 1 starts at fully $40,000 less than the Fuji, plus can come with a six-speed stick shift. Continuing on the Mustang theme, even the supercharged 760-horsepower Shelby GT500 stickers far below this Lexus.

At pricing equivalent to a base 911, the RC F Fuji Speedway Edition left me just as confused as I started out, even if I learned a thing or two about weight management. Maybe the current correlations (or lack thereof) between MSRP and dealer markups can help Lexus sell these last 50 examples of an undoubtedly dying breed. In the meantime, if I need to spend more time up in the canyons flogging this press car, you know where to find me.

Sources: lexus.com, youtube.com, brembo.com, and michelinman.com.

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Michael Van Runkle grew up surrounded by Los Angeles car culture, going to small enthusiast meets and enormous industry shows. He learned to drive stick shift in a 1948 Chevy pickup with no first gear and currently dailies his 1998 Mitsubishi Montero while daydreaming about one day finishing up that Porsche 914 project. He's written in various media since graduating from UC Berkeley in 2010 and started at HotCars in February 2018.