While some reviewers say the Lexus RC F falls short of being a so-called M4-killer, others still point out that it’s a more powerful car on paper.

A quick look at the specs shows the RC F rated at 477 PS (470 HP) and 530 Nm (390 lb-ft) of torque, whereas the BMW M4 is only good for 431 PS (425 HP) and 550 Nm (405 lb-ft) of torque.

Yet, the BMW is still the quicker car to 100 km/h (62 mph), needing 4.3 seconds if the driver prefers to change gears himself, and as little as 4.1 seconds if you let the car do all the thinking for you. The Lexus, on the other hand, will sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.5 seconds, which is not a big difference, but it does point to a bigger issue – weight.

Whereas the manual M4 comes in at around 1,572 kg (3,465 lbs) and the automatic at around 1,612 kg (3,552 lbs), the RC F does look at bit overweight at 1,765 kg (3,891 lbs).

Now, say what you will about rolling starts, but in one specific way, they’re a lot more honest than standing starts, even though a “true” drag race takes place only when both vehicles set off from a stationary position. With a rolling start, you hardly ever run the risk of losing traction if the road surface is anywhere around decent and you don’t happen to be packing way too much power.

But enough about that. Let’s all take a look at how this RC F did against what many consider to be the benchmark vehicle for this segment.

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