BMW 230i vs Lexus RC F

What's the difference?

If one is good, two must be better, right? Or twice as good. The question is whether that simple equation adds up for BMW's upgraded 1 and 2 Series siblings – the former, a range of five-door hatches, the latter, a line-up of cabriolets and coupes, with a major addition in the shape of the full-house, performance-focused M2.

Prices are up, and changes are mostly under the skin, so you're not getting  big visual bang for your extra bucks. But the new and improved 2 has plenty to offer when it comes to added spec and tech.

BMW invited us to the new car's Australian launch program along Tasmania's wet and wild west coast.

Ford’s growling Mustang GT isn’t the only rear-wheel drive performance coupe powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engine on the Australian new car market.

Pfft! Those things are everywhere. If you’re willing to literally double-down and spend twice the pony car’s circa $65K asking price, the Lexus RC F comes into range; the Japanese luxury brand’s take on a two-door, four-seat, muscle car.

Rather than wrestling with the blue oval, it’s a challenger to the German ‘Big Three’, pitching its deep-breathing, high-revving atmo power against shove-in-back, low-down, turbo-torque.  

We spent a week behind the wheel to see how this mature, but recently updated machine, measures up in 2020.