Let's face it, Lexus is a brand for people who order room temperature water at a restaurant. They're reliable, comfortable, and as quiet as a librarian in slippers. But every now and then, something strange happens in the basement of a Toyota factory. Engineers apparently break into the sake cabinet, watch too many episodes of "The Fast and the Furious," and create something that makes no sense at all, but is also absolutely fantastic. Introducing the Lexus RZ 600e F SPORT Performance. A car that looks like it wants to beat your Tesla on the school playground. And guess what? It might even succeed.
Let's start with the real deal, where things get complicated – the drivetrain. This thing doesn't skimp on electrons, it gobbles them up. The new Lexus RZ 600e F SPORT Performance squeezes an impressive 313 kW (420 hp) of power from its two electric motors. That's quite a jump from the "civilian" version of the RZ 450e and even the new RZ 550e. Acceleration? It shoots you to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds. Not exactly a speed that would make your face peel off your skull like a Roman, but it's fast enough to spill coffee on the back row passengers' designer trousers.
Torque is abundant at Lexus RZ The 600e F SPORT Performance has each motor – front and rear – contributing 268 Nm (198 lb-ft), which, together with the DIRECT4 system, ensures that this crossover sticks to the road like a scaredy-cat.
But what really catches the eye isn't the engine. It's the looks. Lexus has packed more carbon fiber into this car than you'd find in a Formula 1 garage. We're talking a carbon hood with a vent (which is probably just there to look cool, since there's no V8 underneath), a carbon roof, and two rear spoilers. Yes, two. Because one wing wasn't enough, they added another one to the edge of the roof. Does it look aggressive? Absolutely. Is it necessary? Probably not. Do we like it? Oh, yeah.
The Lexus RZ 600e F SPORT Performance is engineering poetry on wheels
To ensure that this “electrical box” doesn’t tip over on the first corner, the engineers lowered the chassis by 20 millimeters. The car sits on beautiful, matte black 21-inch Enkei wheels that are lighter than your conscience after Sunday lunch. Behind them are poisonous blue brake calipers that bite into the huge discs.
The special feature is the steering. Lexus insists on its Steer-by-Wire system (an electronic connection without a mechanical steering column), which, combined with the yoke-shaped steering wheel, promises that you will drive the car with your mind. Well, almost. The feeling is futuristic, although some may miss that good old feeling of feeling every pebble in the road.
The interior of the Lexus RZ 600e F SPORT Performance is, as you'd expect, typically Lexus - which means it's better put together than the International Space Station. The seats are upholstered in Ultrasuede (a fancy word for "very expensive faux suede") with contrasting blue stitching that reminds you that you're not sitting in a taxi, but in something special.
The battery remains at 76.9 kWh, which is said to provide around 525 km (326 miles) of range on the Japanese cycle. In the real world, if you're actually going to use those 420 horses, expect less. Charging? At a decent rate of up to 150 kW, which means 10 to 80 % in half an hour. Just right for an espresso and a quick reflection on why you bought a car with two spoilers.
A car for the elite (literally)
Now here's the part that's going to piss you off. The Lexus RZ 600e F SPORT Performance is available exclusively in Japan. And likely in limited quantities. Price? Around 12 million yen, which is about €80,000 ($85,000) before the taxman gets involved.
This is a car that makes no sense on paper. It's a family crossover with race car aerodynamics. It's quiet, but it looks loud. It's electric, but it wants to be a petrol hooligan. And that's exactly why it's the best Lexus in recent memory. Because it proves that the electric future doesn't have to be sterile and boring. It can also be a little crazy fun. If only you lived in Tokyo.
