The Lexus RC is Toyota’s answer to the questions asked by BMW’s M4 or Audi’s RS5, among others, and tested here with a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 producing 470bhp under the bonnet, it's primed to offer its German rivals a serious challenge.

The two-door coupe has a swooping, fluid profile that manages to combine all the trademark Lexus styling cues, including the boldest interpretation of the unmistakeable spindle grille to date, in a stunning, desirable and, some might say, sexy design, especially in Carbon spec which sports a bonnet, roof and rear spoiler made out of the lightweight material.

The styling is an amalgamation of form and function, say Lexus, claiming that every line, crease and curve has a purpose, a raison d’etre but, whatever the truth of that statement, the result is undeniably eye-catching.

The interior largely forgoes the flowing curves on display outside, the dash adopting a squarer, layered design. Build quality is impeccable but Lexus, in a world where most other manufacturers are ridding their cabins of buttons, have seen fit to ignore that particular trend and do things their own way.

Consequently the dashboard is littered with controls. Personally, I don’t have issue with that, particularly as they are all within easy reach, function well and are much easier to operate reliably than a touch-centric interface.

To manage the functions of the seven-inch screen Lexus have kindly provided a touchpad which does, in all honesty, require a little patience to master. Haptic feedback helps, sending a pulse through your fingertips when the cursor alights on an onscreen function, and once acquainted I didn’t find it to be any worse, or better, than most other input methods I’ve encountered.

The sat nav is easy to operate and the instructions clear but there were occasions when the traffic updates were, well, out of date and hold-ups that were reported simply weren’t there. Had I accepted the detours on offer it would have increased my journey time unnecessarily. It's fortunate, then, that I am a man and, consequently, possess a keen sense of direction.

The driving position is close to perfect – just a little on the high side with a lack of adjustment in the steering column to blame for my failure to get everything exactly as I’d want it – but the front seats are very comfortable and supportive.

Those seats, in Carbon spec, are electrically adjustable, heated and cooled while a not-to-be-sniffed at 17-speaker Mark Levinson surround system that sounds, quite frankly, amazing is also included.

There are two rear seats and, though some reviewers might suggest that adults would find it "a bit of a squash", I’d go as far as to question the wisdom of putting anyone you're remotely fond of in there. The long doors open wide, so access is reasonable but, with a six-footer behind the wheel, there is so little leg room that rear-seat passengers would have to sit with their knees tucked under their chins. Or behind their ears.

Performance is delivered in an idiosyncratic manner. Lower down the rev range throttle response is languid, with very little of the imagined potency available underfoot. However, as you close in on the 4,000rpm mark the engine suddenly bursts into life, and does so with a considerable increase in volume.

You’re faced, then, with two very clear choices. You can either treat the RC F as a grand tourer, of sorts, and enjoy the laid-back, effortless character of the naturally-aspirated V8, or you can wring every last drop of performance from it, which will bring up 60mph in less than five seconds, like the two-door sports saloon Lexus want it to be.

There is no middle ground, despite the myriad of driver configurations Lexus have placed at the driver’s fingertips. The drive mode selector dial lets you choose from Eco, Normal, Sport S and Sport S+, and thus affect the responsiveness of the engine, transmission and power steering, as well as changing the display set-up for the LCD instruments.

There are also four modes for the VDIM stability control and three for the optional active diff. I’ve done the – very complex – maths and that equates to a staggering 48 driver-selectable configurations.

You can have too much choice, and the RC does a sterling job of proving the truth of that old adage. Your best bet is to find a setting that suits, and stick with it. It’s unlikely that you’ll uncover any combination that will alter the RC’s character significantly.

The Sachs dampers do a fine job of imbuing the RC F with just about the right degree of handling prowess without sacrificing too much comfort. The ride is firm – why would you expect anything else – and at low speeds it can feel a little uncompromising but, pick up the pace and it will all start to make significantly more sense.

There isn’t a huge amount of feel flowing back through the chassis, and that impacts on fluidity through a series of corners, but there’s a decent level of grip and body control. Certainly more than most drivers would ever need.

Push on beyond that, however, and the chassis’ shortcomings begin to make themselves known, with a rear end that will happily step out if provoked but, once you’ve crossed that line, the RC has a tendency to drift into unwelcome oversteer that, thanks to the lack of feedback through the steering wheel, will almost always surprise you.

The controls are precise, and the steering has a nice meatiness to it, but that vagueness disconnects the driver from road, making it difficult to read what’s going on beneath the wheels.

The CVT gearbox is a rare delight. Picking up speed and shifting through the metaphorical gears is, as it should be, seamless. You can change manually using either the gear selector or paddles on the steering column but, in my experience, you'll find little advantage in doing so.

The RC F is certainly a tempting prospect, with a glorious V8 that can, when pressed, deliver a huge amount of drama. Kit levels are generous and the build quality and materials in the cabin are absolutely first class. It also, to this reviewer’s eyes, looks stunning.

It isn’t, however, quite the nimble, point and shoot, coupe that those looks suggest it should be and the V8’s hesitancy lower down the rev range also has the power to disappoint.

If I was in the market for a fast coupe, despite the RC F’s shortcomings and my head telling me otherwise, I’d almost certainly be making my way to the nearest Lexus dealership.

Lexus RC F Carbon

Price from: £69,310

Engine: 5.0-litre V8

Transmission: 8-speed Sports Direct Shift automatic

Max power: 471bhp @ 7,100rpm

Max torque: 530Nm @ 4,800 – 5,600rpm

PERFORMANCE

Max speed: 168mph (regulated)

Max cruising speed: 150mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 4.5sec

ECONOMY

Urban: 17.6mpg

Extra-urban: 36.2mpg

Combined: 26.2mpg

EMISSIONS

Urban: 372g/km

Extra-urban: 181g/km

Combined: 252g/km

For more information visit www.lexus.co.uk