Being an auto journalist, I’m fortunate to drive new cars every week, however, there are only a few that have been as exciting as the 2021 Lexus RC F Fuji Speedway Edition. If you’re unfamiliar with this car, it’s a tire-burning, rear-drive two-door coupe with a V8 engine under the hood. If that’s not impressive, then just know that it’s also only one out of 60 units being made and it’s really fun to drive. Here is what it’s like to drive this special car every day.

The Lexus RC F Fuji Speedway Edition gets a lot of attention

Upon first glance, you’ll notice that the 2021 Lexus RC F Fuji Speedway Edition is not your run-of-the-mill RC F. There’s a large carbon fiber hood upfront, a carbon roof cap, and a carbon-fiber wing in the rear. These accessories not only save weight and add a bit of aerodynamics, but they also garner a lot of attention from onlookers.

When sitting at a stoplight on a busy downtown street, I had multiple people give me the thumbs up and one excited boy crouched down to take a well-framed picture. Don’t worry, I made sure to smile. But the attention isn’t the only thing to smile about when driving this street-worthy racecar, there’s also everything else to enjoy.

You don’t need to worry about passing power

And by “everything else,” I’m referring to the car’s 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated V8 that produces 472 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque. Those specs are good for 0-60 mph in 4 seconds flat and a 12.4-second quarter-mile time according to Car and Driver’s testing. Even on normal roads, you can definitely feel that power, but you have to put your foot deep into the accelerator to get it there.

The RC F Fuji makes power all up to 7,000 rpm, which is really high for a V8 and for the street. Fortunately, the copious amount of mid-range torque was enough to pull me past cars on the freeway and power out of tight turns on a curvy back road. There’s definitely no lack of power in this car, but the same can’t be said for the interior room.

Inside the RC F Fuji Edition

Step inside the Lexus RC F Fuji Edition and you’ll be overtaken by its red interior. That Circuit Red Alcantara interior with carbon fiber trim is exclusive to the Fuji Speedway Edition and it can only be matched with an Arctic Blast Satin white or Cloudburst gray exterior. Once you get over the red interior, you’ll enjoy the bolstered seats that hold you in tight either every turn, in addition to the leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Speaking of the car’s steering, it’s tight and semi-over boosted at lower speeds. However, it does match the car’s stiff, but comfortable ride, and ultimately, the Lexus RC F does a great job doing double-duty as a hardcore street racer and comfortable cruiser. It is a Lexus, after all.

As for fuel economy, the EPA estimates that the RC F Fuji can get up to 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. The best I could do in my combined driving for a week was 18 mpg. That’s not bad considering the car’s high-strung nature.

Is the Lexus RC F Fuji Edition worth $102,000?

The regular 2021 Lexus RC F has a starting price of $65,975 (before destination charges) and it comes with the same engine and suspension setup as the Fuji Speedway Edition. However, opt for the latter and you’ll get the carbon fiber bits, the special red interior, and the bragging rights to owning one of only 60 ever produced.

Is that worth an extra $40,000? I personally don’t think so. But to the right collector or hardcore Lexus enthusiast, I’m sure it is. Also, at least they know they’ll get all of the attention that they paid for with the extra money.