Unfortunately, we never managed to get our hands on the ultra-exclusive 412kW Lexus LFA to road test. Featuring a naturally aspirated V10 that would howl all the way to 9 000rpm, this car had a claimed 0 to 100km/h time of just 3,6 seconds.
It would have no doubt gone to the top of the Lexus timesheets. But instead, the number one spot has been held by the 351kW naturally aspirated V8 RC F since 2019, with a time of 5,6 seconds.
This all changed when we ran the new all-electric Lexus RZ 550e F Sport. It’s a new era of fast for Toyota’s premium division.
Instant power
Two electric motors, one on each axle, are powered by a 77kWh lithium-ion battery. This little combo offers up 300kW of power and 537Nm of torque. Not a massive amount of twist in today’s high-performance world.
But the important thing is that it is instant. And these electric motors are not affected by altitude like the previous high-performance, naturally aspirated Lexus’s were.
Thanks to DIRECT4 intelligent all-wheel drive that includes intuitive torque distribution, a fast and fuss-free 0 to 100km/h time of just 4,74 seconds came up on our Racelogic V-Box at Gerotek.
Limited to 180km/h
The quarter mile was crossed in a time of 13,15 seconds, with an exit speed of 171,60km/h at Gerotek. This is quick for a heavy, full-sized crossover. Sure, the fun stops a moment or two later at an electronically limited top speed of 180km/h.
I was going to use the word ‘blasted’, but the traffic light antics will more than likely be done in complete silence. I say this because in 550e F Sport trim, the Lexus RZ offers a thing called Interactive Manual Drive. Hit the ‘M’ mode switch on the centre console and now you have eight virtual gears to play with where the ’rpm’ also rises and falls like you are driving a conventional internal combustion engine car.
Artificial sounds
A synthetic type of sound, not a V8 or V10 recording, is piped into the car. And it too rises and falls along with the ‘rpm’.
The electronic dampers also stiffen up and the drive-by-wire steering gets even quicker should you really want to hammer your Lexus RZ 550e F Sport through a mountain pass.
As an owner, you will probably use this feature a few times and then just resort to hitting the throttle in Sport mode when you want to get up and go without thinking about changing gears.
Talking of mountain passes though, the Lexus RZ 550e F Sport offers a real-world range of around 380km on a single full charge. Obviously, if you make frequent use of all the power and torque on tap, then you are going to get somewhat less range. Think petrol. Same, same.
What is the verdict?
What is not the same though is the cost of your journeys. A full charge set me back only R300 when charging at home.
A similarly sized luxury crossover offering the same performance is not doing much more than 100km on that.
Do I think a person who spends almost R2 million on a car is going to worry too much about this aspect? Probably not.
But rich people with old-school money don’t like to waste money, and this will just be another feather in the very capable cap of the Lexus RZ 550e F Sport.
Fast Facts
Lexus RZ 550e F Sport
Engine: dual electric motors
Transmission: single-speed
Power: 300kW
Torque: 537Nm
Power consumption (tested): 19,8kWh/100km
Licensing mass: 2 140kg
Towing capacity: 750kg
Payload: 495kg
Price: R1 977 600
