Can the 2015 Lexus RC F drift like a BMW M4?

Autocar’s new video answers the question.

The best thing about rear wheel drive in a sports car is that the wheels with power are not the wheels you steer with. Unless of course you like the odd Scandinavian flick to set the car adrift. Yes, the Lexus RC F is rear wheel drive, it has more than enough power to induce power-oversteer, and it would seem plenty capable of drifting. The only question is, will the RC F's electronic nannies let it?

M4 Oversteer
If you have not seen the video of a poor soul leaving a Cars and Coffee event in an M4 who floors it and loses control, you need to click this link and watch. The M4 is a torque monster and the car can get away from drivers who are not used to such a twitchy setup. There is no doubt the M4 can drift. The only question is can the driver catch it with opposite lock in time to keep it on the tarmac.

RC F Drift Commentary
In my track time in both of the RC F, the Torsen and Torque Vectoring Differential (TVD) I did not drift so much as oversteer the car a bit. My skills are somewhat limited and my credentials new. I’d like to be invited back to the next Lexus track event. However, the Autocar guys went at it and the video here is well worth a look. Our favorite comments by the driver?

Here they are in order:
- The RC F is “Nicely balanced.” “Very Balanced.”
- The RC F is ” A lot tidier than the BMW.”
- “If you keep the nose (of the RC F) tucked it does not understeer much.”
- The RC F has a “Pleasingly linear engine.”
- The RC F is “a deliciously old-school coupe”
- “I just don’t think (the M4) is quite as progressive as the Lexus.”

Having driven both an M3 and RC F on track this fall, I would concur. However, one note. To an experienced driver, the M4 might be the car that is more fun to flog. If your skills are limited, the RC F is your drift machine.

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Lexus video puts the 2015 RC F up against the BMW M4