ON THE ROAD: IT’S fair to say the school run turned into something of an event.

With Lexus’ most powerful V8 to date hidden beneath a pretty dramatic looking body, the RC F is not what you would call discreet.

Add to its looks the noise coming from out of the huge exhaust pipes and we were soon the centre of attention.

If the looks are stunning, the RC F also has the performance to match.

Thanks to that five-litre, 471bhp powerplant, nought to 62mph comes up in 4.5 seconds and the top speed is electronically limited to 168mph.

The eight-speed direct shift gearbox is smooth and the changes accurate, while the ride, though firm, never verges on the uncomfortable. In fact, if you wanted to use the RC F as a European tourer, say, rather than a track day demon it would cope admirably.

The steering responds well to commands and grip is sticky enough to make driving the twists and turns an engaging experience.

The Northern Echo:

ON THE INSIDE: THERE is no doubting the intent of the RC F when you get sat in the cabin. The seats are figure hugging and you hunker low down. In fact, getting out required me to place a hand on the door sill, while pushing myself upwards.

As you might expect from the Lexus brand, hi-tech is where it’s at.

The instrument display is based on that of an aircraft, while the speedometer reflects the way in which the car is being driven – be it eco, sport or off the scale. There’s also a G-force meter for those who really want to push the boundaries.

The information display unit is accessed via a touchpad. It’s not the most intuitive, at least initially, and quite often I’d get Smooth Radio when really I wanted Planet Rock, for example.

WHAT DO YOU GET: THE RC F features 19ins alloys, an active rear spoiler, rain sensing wipers, smart entry and start, auto dimming review mirror, TFT combination meter, dual zone climate control, high back sports front seats, semi aniline leather upholstery, F Sport steering wheel and gear lever, aluminium pedals and footrest.

The Northern Echo:

There is also the aforementioned 7ins multimedia screen, ten speaker sound system with DAB, Lexus premium navigation system, remote touchpad, Bluetooth and USB and Aux in.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT: PRACTICALITY in a vehicle such as this is always going to be relative. But while this is ostensibly a sports car, you do not feel overly cocooned. Yes, rear passengers may feel a little cramped, but the times that all seats are occupied is probably few and far between. Space in the front is more than acceptable, while there is a decent – albeit not as big as some rivals - 366 litre boot to cope with shopping, luggage etc.

RUNNING COSTS: LEXUS’ official figures say it should be possible to get a shade over 26mpg on the combined cycle. At times I did considerably better, especially in eco mode, but at other times, when the pedal was firmly pressed to the metal, it came in a little under. CO2 emissions are 252g/km, so it’s probably best not to bring that up in conversation.

VERDICT: EYE-catching alternative to German machinery.

ALTERNATIVES: BMW M4, Audi RS5