As a car guy, the only thing I like seeing more than a dramatically styled automobile is a scantily clad, attractive woman. I’ll admit there’s nothing novel about that. Lots of heterosexual men have the same interests. And Lexus must know that. It’s combined the seductive movements of Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Lisalla Montenegro with the RC F’s titillating audio and captivating curves.
Despite all of the eye- and ear-candy, Toyota’s luxury division still manages to educate its viewers. The RC F coupe has a 5.0-liter V8 with over 450 horsepower and more than 383 lb-ft of torque. That output will be processed by an eight-speed Sports Direct Shift (SPDS) gearbox and a Torque Vectoring Differential (TVD) with three modes: Standard, Slalom and Track.
The four-seater is being developed to make better gas mileage and to go from zero to 60 miles per hour quicker than the IS F. Top speed is an estimated (and electronically limited) 168 mph.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s great and all, but what’s Ms. Montenegro’s phone number?
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
