# Lexus RC F GT3 (2017–2026)

- Source: https://racingcarnetwork.com/wiki/lexus-rc-f-gt3/
- Publisher: Racing Car Network (racingcarnetwork.com), the race car marketplace
- Type: car · Brand: Lexus
- Discipline: gt-racing
- Series: gt3
- Era: 2010s
- Last updated: 2026-11-06

The Lexus RC F GT3 is a front-engined FIA GT3 coupe built around a 5.4-litre version of the road car's 2UR V8. It raced from 2017 to 2026 in IMSA, Super GT, GT World Challenge and the WEC. For buyers it is a rare, works-supported car near the end of its factory life.

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Engine | 5.4-litre naturally aspirated V8 based on the road car's 2UR-GSE, direct injection, Cosworth engine controller [1][2] |
| Power | 500 hp plus, set by balance of performance and restrictor size [1] |
| Max Revs | 7,200 rpm [1] |
| Gearbox | Xtrac 6-speed sequential, rear transaxle with clutch and bellhousing [2] |
| Weight | About 1,300 kg, balance of performance dependent [10] |
| Chassis | Road-car base structure, almost all-carbon body panels, roll cage [2] |
| Suspension | Double wishbones front and rear, four-way adjustable Öhlins dampers [2] |
| Dimensions | 4,845 mm long, 2,030 mm wide, 2,730 mm wheelbase [2][10] |
| Years | 2017–2026 (homologated car); development cars from 2014 [0][7][10] |
| Class | FIA GT3; IMSA GTD and GTD Pro; WEC LMGT3 [0][4][6] |

## History

Lexus showed the RC F GT3 concept at the Geneva show in March 2014 [10]. Early cars raced without homologation in Super GT GT300 and the VLN SP-X class. The car won its VLN class on debut in 2015 [10]. European development ran through Farnbacher Racing and Emil Frey Racing [8]. The RC F name also raced in Super GT GT500 from 2014 to 2016, a separate purpose-built car that won the 2016 title [10].

The GT3 project struggled. In September 2015 the car missed the FIA balance of performance test at Ladoux, and homologation slipped to 2017 [8]. In May 2016 Lexus handed the design to its most senior engineers in Japan and sent a development engine to the test cars [9]. The finished, FIA-homologated car was shown at Tokyo Auto Salon in January 2017 [0]. It debuted at the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona with two 3GT Racing cars in GTD [0].

From 2019 the IMSA cars ran under AIM Vasser Sullivan [13]. The first IMSA win came at Mid-Ohio in 2018 [10]. By March 2024 Lexus and Vasser Sullivan had 13 wins, 39 podiums and 19 poles with the car [5]. They also won the 2023 GTD Pro manufacturers' title [5]. Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat won the 2023 GTD Pro drivers' crown [4]. In Japan, K-tunes Racing won two GT300 races in 2018 and finished second in the 2019 standings [12]. Emil Frey Racing and Tech1 Racing raced it in GT World Challenge Europe until 2020 [4].

Akkodis ASP took the car to the WEC in 2024 as the RC F LMGT3, with revised aerodynamics [4]. It won in Brazil and Bahrain in 2025 [6] and finished second in class at Le Mans in 2026 [15]. Toyota will end the Lexus Racing programme after the 2026 season, with Gazoo Racing USA taking over from 2027 [7]. The Toyota GR GT3 is the planned successor [10].

## Palmarès

The RC F GT3 debuted at the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona [0] and took its first IMSA win at Mid-Ohio in 2018 [10]. With Vasser Sullivan it scored 13 wins, 39 podiums and 19 poles by March 2024 [5]. GTD Pro endurance wins include Petit Le Mans 2022, Watkins Glen 2023 and Sebring 2024 [5]. It won the 2023 GTD Pro manufacturers' title [5] and the drivers' title for Hawksworth and Barnicoat [4]. In Super GT GT300, K-tunes won two races in 2018 and was runner-up in 2019 [12]. In the WEC, Akkodis ASP won in Brazil and Bahrain in 2025 [6] and took Lexus's first Le Mans podium in 2026 [15].

## What to check before you buy

Match the chassis plate to its race record in public archives: Some chassis raced very hard; RCF GT3-0007 alone logged 89 entries. Ask for engine km since the last rebuild and the rebuild invoice: The factory interval in IMSA was 10,000 km, done by TRD. Confirm the ABS system is Bosch, not Continental: Bosch arrived with the 2018 Evo and marks an updated car. Identify the aero package (IMSA, Super GT or LMGT3) and which kits come with the car: LMGT3 bodywork differs from the original and spares were very limited. Ask how long the car has stood and what was refreshed: Cars parked for two or three years needed rebuilding before racing. Get written confirmation from your target series that the car's homologation is accepted: The original seven-year homologation was stated to run through 2023. Check the Cosworth engine controller and data system are included and unlocked: The car runs a Cosworth controller and WEC cars carry extra FIA loggers.

## Did you know

- K-tunes driver Morio Nitta's Suzuka GT300 win in May 2018 was his 19th in the class, tying the all-time record [11].
- Second place at Le Mans in 2026 was Lexus's first podium at the race, on its third appearance [15].
- The same chassis, RCF GT3-0007, raced for Vasser Sullivan from 2019 into 2022, logging 89 archive entries [13].

## Frequently asked questions

**How many RC F GT3s were built?** Lexus has not published a production total. Race archives show chassis plates in RCF GT3-00xx, -01xx and -02xx series, with RCF GT3-0231 the highest among the most-raced cars. That numbering does not prove a total, so treat the car as rare and research each chassis on its own.

**Who rebuilds the engine, and how often?** In IMSA the 5.4-litre V8 was rebuilt every 10,000 km, about twice a season, by TRD in Costa Mesa, California. Ask for the km since the last rebuild and the paperwork. Outside the US, confirm who will do the work before buying, because no public rebuild network is documented.

**Can I still race it in GT3?** In 2026 it still runs in IMSA GTD and GTD Pro and in WEC LMGT3. TRD said in 2020 the seven-year homologation ran through 2023, so get written confirmation from your chosen series that your car's specification is accepted, especially for national or club GT3 grids.

**Is the LMGT3 car different from the IMSA car?** ASP says it is mechanically the same. The LMGT3 car has a new splitter, bumper, rear fenders, wing and side skirts, giving less downforce and drag, plus extra FIA data loggers. If you buy one, ask whether the earlier aero parts come with it for other series.

**What happens to support after 2026?** Toyota ends the Lexus Racing programme after the 2026 season and Gazoo Racing USA takes over from 2027. The Toyota GR GT3 is the planned replacement. Long-term spares commitments for the RC F GT3 are not published, so ask TRD or Toyota Gazoo Racing directly before committing.

**What does an RC F GT3 cost?** No public asking prices or auction results were found as of November 2026. Cars appear to change hands privately between teams. Budget for an engine rebuild, a gearbox service and aero spares on top of the purchase price, and compare against other GT3 cars of similar age.

## Sources

- LEXUS RC F GT3 Revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2017 — https://toyotagazooracing.com/release/2017/other/0126-01
- Questions Answered: Lexus RC F GT3 — https://www.toyota.com/racing/lexus-gt3/news/questions-answered-lexus-rc-f-gt3
- The Lexus RC F GT3 Differs From the Road Car in Fascinating Ways — https://www.thedrive.com/guides-and-gear/the-lexus-rc-f-gt3-differs-from-the-road-car-in-fascinating-ways
- Second Evo Possible for Lexus RC F GT3 in 2021 — https://sportscar365.com/?p=85709
- Policand: Lexus LMGT3 Updates Focused on Aerodynamics — https://sportscar365.com/?p=122767
- Victory for No. 14 RC F GT3 etches Lexus, Vasser Sullivan in Sebring history books — https://pressroom.lexus.com/victory-for-no-14-rc-f-gt3-etches-lexus-vasser-sullivan-in-sebring-history-books/
- Akkodis unveils new-look Lexus for LMGT3 title tilt — https://www.fiawec.com/en/news/akkodis-unveils-new-look-lexus-for-lmgt3-title-tilt/8624
- Lexus Racing program ends with 2026 season — https://lexusenthusiast.com/2026/04/16/lexus-racing-program-ends-with-2026-season/
- Unpicking The Lexus GT3 Saga — https://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/09/22/unpicking-the-lexus-gt3-saga.html
- Lexus RC F GT3 updates: new design team, new engine, Detroit withdrawal — https://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/05/31/lexus-rc-f-gt3-updates-new-design-team-new-engine-detroit-withdrawal.html
- Lexus RC — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_RC
- Lexus RC F finishes first in Super GT300 round 3, third in Blancpain GT Series — https://lexusenthusiast.com/2018/05/21/lexus-rc-f-finishes-first-in-super-gt300-round-3-third-in-blancpain-gt-series/
- K-tunes Racing — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-tunes_Racing
- Complete Archive of Chassis RCF GT3-0007 — https://www.racingsportscars.com/chassis/archive/RCF%20GT3-0007.html
- Lexus RC F — https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/Lexus/RC%20F.html
- Lexus achieves its first podium place at the Le Mans 24 Hours — https://media.lexus.co.uk/lexus-achieves-its-first-podium-place-at-the-le-mans-24-hours/
- Racing Car Network search: lexus rc f — https://racingcarnetwork.com/?s=lexus+rc+f

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