2018 Infiniti Q60 vs. 2018 Lexus RC: Which Is Best?

2018 Lexus RC vs 2018 Infiniti Q60 exterior profile

Consumers might be abandoning coupes and sedans for crossovers and SUVs in record numbers, but they might not know what they are missing. The latest luxury-brand coupes, including the Infiniti Q60 and Lexus RC, offer an amazing amount of technology, style, refinement, and sheer performance. While the sales numbers for coupes are dwindling, the segment is one in which the various luxury brands still do battle for bragging rights.

Because of that competition, such cars' level of technical innovation, pure power, and blatant visual impact has gone over the top. That is epitomized by the Q60 and RC, a pair of cars that are as stunning visually as they are involving to drive. Plus, you’ll be amazed by the number of choices each vehicle gives you in engines, transmissions, and comfort and convenience features.

Engines

The Infiniti Q60 and Lexus RC each offer a dazzling collection of engine choices. The headliner for the Q60 is a 400-horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that is available in the Red Sport 400 model. A somewhat de-tuned version of the same engine is available in the Q60 3.0t Luxe and 3.0t Sport models. It delivers 300 horsepower at 6,400 rpm. Significantly lower on the performance scale is the 208-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder base engine.

Lexus counters with 467 horsepower in the RC F and a 311-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 in the rear-drive or all-wheel-drive RC 350. The RC 300 AWD gets a tamer 3.5-liter V6 that produces 260 horsepower. The base engine in the RC 300 is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder good for 241 horsepower. So the RC has the edge for base and top-end horsepower while the Q60 has the advantage in mid-trim-level power.

Lexus RC

Photo by Lexus

Transmissions

You need look no farther than the transmissions in both the RC and Q60 to discover technical wizardry. All 2018 Q60s feature a seven-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with manual shift mode. Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are available on Sport and Red Sport 400 models. The Q60’s adaptive shift control uses a lateral acceleration sensor to detect topographic changes — hills or turns — and selects gears based on that. Sport Mode activates a more aggressive shift pattern that holds gears longer in acceleration and shifts at higher rpm.

The rear-drive RC offers an eight-speed Sports Program Direct Shift transmission that is equally cool. It includes steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and its claim to fame is combining torque converter smoothness with the shifting speed of a typical dual-clutch system for manual shifts. The SPDS downshifts in just 0.4 seconds in M mode, while the transmission’s throttle-blipping function matches the engine speed to the gear just like a vintage Formula One driver.

Lexus RC

Photo by Lexus

Smart Suspension Tech

Both the uplevel RC 350 F Sport with rear-wheel drive and the Q60 Sport and Red Sport 400 offer handling technology that is as smart as their powertrain tech. The RC 350 features a mind-bending combination of an adaptive variable suspension and Lexus' "dynamic handling" system with rear-wheel steering. The car enjoys electric power-assisted steering to control steering torque; variable-gear-ratio steering to control front-wheel steering angle; and adjustable suspension dampers.

The answer in the Q60 Sport and Red Sport 400 is the dynamic digital suspension. Drivers can change from a comfort-biased ride to one which offers more dynamic responses by placing the electronically adjustable shock absorbers in either Sport or Sport+ modes. While in these modes, the suspension is constantly adjusting to provide ideal performance and a level ride.

Lexus RC

Photo by Lexus

Exterior Design

Lexus calls its RC a “Visual Jolt Machine,” so it is obvious that the designers were encouraged to take things to extremes. Like other Lexus models, it features the brand's signature “spindle” grille, and the execution is more artful than on some other Lexuses. The design staff also incorporated the letter “L” in a variety of places including the separate daytime running lamps. The LED headlamps are nicely flared above dramatic vertical air intakes. Like the headlights, the rear LED combination lamps offer an L-shape motif, created by a raised surface.

The Q60 shares the RC’s long-hood, fastback-roof profile. And like the Lexus, it features a prominent grille, though the Infiniti trapezoid isn’t nearly as controversial as the Lexus spindle. Infiniti designers shaped the LED headlights to emulate the human eyelid, giving the car a face. Both coupes are attractive — the Infiniti presents a slightly less frenetic look while the Lexus bristles with scoops and surface treatment.

Infiniti Q60

Photo by Infiniti

Interior Design

Interior designers for both the Infiniti Q60 and Lexus RC let their imaginations run wild. The Q60's interior features aluminum, dark maple wood, or genuine carbon-fiber trim, depending upon the trim. The 3.0t Sport and Red Sport 400 versions offer white or red leather seating with silver optic fiber accents. High-contrast stitching is evident throughout the cabin. Four interior colors are available: graphite or stone leatherette and graphite, Monaco red and gallery white semi-aniline leather.

Lexus offers five interior colors for the RC — stratus gray, playa, flaxen, black and Rioja red, the last exclusively for F Sport models. The RC offers two types of genuine shimamoku wood trim for the door panels and dash. Shimamoku is a layered production technique that gives a deep-polished finish to the wood.

Lexus RC

Photo by Lexus

Safety

Electronic safety aids win headlines for both vehicles. The RC comes standard with a pre-collision system, a lane-departure alert with steering assist, intelligent high beams, and high-speed dynamic radar cruise control. Its available blind spot monitor provides information about vehicles beside the car and also about traffic approaching from the rear in adjacent lanes. The package also includes a rear cross-traffic alert.

The Q60 can be equipped with a surround-view camera system, intelligent cruise control with distance control assist, forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure prevention, blind-spot intervention, and backup collision intervention. Both RC and Q60 feature an array of airbags and other passive safety features.

Lexus RC

Photo by Lexus

Infotainment Displays and Controls

The Q60 includes Infiniti's InTuition central control system. Now with a faster processor than earlier editions, the system enables occupants to personalize the Q60 according to their preferences. The Q60’s standard system includes an 8-inch upper touchscreen display and a 7-inch lower screen. Temperature, seating position, audio-visual settings, and navigation are all customizable.

The top-level system in the RC includes a 10.3-inch multi-media screen. It delivers up-to-date traffic and weather information, 3-D city views, and simulated views of approaching highway junctions. Another nice feature is the ability automatically to display nearby gas stations if the fuel level is low. For navigation-equipped vehicles, a touchpad uses smartphone-like control, including tap, flick and pinch gestures to control the audio and navigation systems.

Infiniti Q60

Photo by Infiniti

Sound Systems

The Q60 offers a Bose Performance Series Audio system with 13 speakers, simulated surround-sound, a CD player, and MP3 playback capability. Matched with Q60's noise-canceling technology, the up-level audio system delivers remarkable performance.

The RC’s equivalent is the available Mark Levinson premium audio system, which pushes produces 835 watts of total output through 17 speakers. One of the system's features is Clari-Fi audio restoration technology, which recovers some of the clarity lost during compression in commonly used digital formats. The control panel for the Lexus system riffs on the clean, logical designs of Mark Levinson home audio equipment. That is a welcome change from many overly complicated in-car sound systems.

Lexus RC

Photo by Lexus

Driving Impressions

In spite of their high-tech powertrain, suspension, and powertrain technology, both the Infiniti Q60 and Lexus RC are excellent personal luxury cars, not performance coupes. Both are enjoyable to put through their paces on curvy roads, but the best German performance coupes offer quicker acceleration, better road-holding, and sharper steering.

Part of the problem is weight. The technical additions all come at the price of added pounds, and two tons do not typically add up to an agile sports coupe. Even in its 400-horsepower trim, the Q60 feels the burden of the load it is pulling. Most RC versions don’t have the luxury of that much horsepower, so they similarly struggle against the weight of their options. (The RC F is another story.) The Q60 offers a leading-edge steer-by-wire system, but those seeking feedback through their steering wheel are better off optioning for the conventional steering system. Both coupes do a superior job of delivering quiet, comfortable rides with a performance lilt.

Infiniti Q60  

Photo by Infiniti

Pricing and Value

Equipped with its 208-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, the Infiniti Q60 has a base price of $42,300. Stepping up to the 300-horsepower version of the optional V6 and adding all-wheel drive takes the price to $46,500, and one could make the case that is the best value of the bunch. Adding 100 addition horsepower by opting for the Red Sport 400 takes the price up an additional $7,500 to $54,000.

In comparison, the Lexus RC with rear-drive and a 241-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder has a base price right around $40,000. Working up the chain a 311-horsepower V6-equipped RC with all-wheel-drive bears a $45,735 price. Again, this could be the value leader. If you go all-in for the RC F with 467 horsepower, the tariff zooms up to $64,650. While the high-horsepower top-end models grab the headlines, the best values in both cars are under $50,000.

Lexus RC

Photo by Lexus