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The GR Supra is quick, but can it deal with the V-8 power of the Lexus RC-F?
by Dim Angelov, onDrag races are particularly interesting when they are between two very different cars. With this in mind, Sam CarLegion gives us another drag race between two very different Toyota products. On one side, we have the light and nimble Toyota GR Supra, while on the other, a Lexus RC-F that can best be described as a Japanese muscle car. Both cars send power to the rear axle, but that’s about all they have in common.
Toyota GR Supra
The Toyota GR Supra is a regular on this channel and has proven that it can punch above its weight. Its 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six, may come from BMW, but it’s actually been co-developed with Toyota. It (officially) packs 382 horsepower and 368 pound-feet (499 Nm). The gearbox is a tried-and-tested ZF, eight-speed automatic. The GR Supra weighs just 3,346 pounds (1,517 kg), which makes it surprisingly light for a modern sports car.
Lexus RC-F
Lexus is mostly associated with luxury, even though they gave us the phenomenal LFA, about a decade ago. No turbochargers here, just a big, 5.0-liter, naturally-aspirated V-8 that makes 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet (527 Nm). Like the GR Supra, the Lexus is equipped with an eight-speed automatic, although it’s not the same gearbox. The car benefits from a carbon-fiber body kit, which gives it similar aesthetics to the RC-F Track Package. However, that probably won’t helo with straight-line acceleration At 3,958 pounds (1,795 kg), the RC-F is noticeably heavier. Will it make up for it with V-8 power?
The Drag Races
Two races from a standing start were done, with the first one being in automatic mode. Surprisingly, the heavier RC-F does a better start, but once the GR Supra gains traction, it rockets ahead and stays there. For the second drag race, both cars are in annual mode. It seems the RC-F bogged down, allowing the GR Supra to, once again, rocket ahead. Despite the Supra driver forgetting to shift, the GR Supra still takes a convincing win.
The Rolling Races
Two races from a 50 km/h (31 mph) roll are done – one in manual ad one in automatic mode. The RC-F has a lot of top-end power, but the long gear ratios seem to favor fuel economy a bit more than they should. Meanwhile, the GR Supra is geared more for acceleration – something it does extremely quickly for its horsepower rating. In both races, the heavier Lexus failed to keep up with the GR Supra.
Final thoughts
In the end, the heavier Lexus just couldn’t keep up with the GR Supra. The weight of the car also took its toll on the brakes, which started smoking, on two occasions. We can’t help, but wonder if the Lexus could have performed better. What do you think?
