Yahoo Autos Check Out the Lexus RC F GT3's Surprisingly Advanced Suspension
The Lexus RC F GT3 is among the oldest cars in IMSA's GTD class, dating back to the 2017 season. Vasser Sullivan's RC F is leading the GTD Pro class championship over newer cars from Corvette, Porsche, and Aston Martin anyway, thanks to a deceptively modern car that was built to remain relevant well past its original expected expiration date. One major element, a unique front suspension design, has helped play a part in that success
In the first installment of a new video series showcasing unique features of cars racing in IMSA, American racing journalist and Road & Track contributor Marshall Pruett illustrates how that suspension works. A quick look underneath the car's massive flared fenders reveals a structure that looks more like an open wheel racer than a road car, one that allows the car to move its front springs from inside the wheel well to beneath the hood. That would be a unique choice for any GT3 car, let alone one that has been around long enough to have raced against a last-generation Aston Martin V12 Vantage.
Pruett's video is part of a continued expansion of online content produced for IMSA's official YouTube channel. This weekend's race at Indianapolis is something of a pilot program for more video coverage, like a conversation with BMW's technical director about their prototype's setup and an after-practice trackside report with Cadillac factory driver Sebastien Bourdais. The series has been running a docuseries that has followed the GTP class throughout the 2023 season on their YouTube channel, too.
The RC F GT3 is set to be replaced with a new car soon, one based on a Toyota concept shown in early 2022. That car has been seen testing and seems to be in active development, but neither the race car nor the road car it will be based on have officially been announced yet. That means the RC F will still be racing for at least one more year, still running a big V-8 in a relatively large car and still using this surprisingly advanced pushrod suspension system.
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