'Emotional' and 'exhilaration' are two terminologies that have recently become buzzwords for Lexus. In fact, before cars like the LFA and the IS F saw daylight, the luxury Japanese carmaker proved itself time and again incapable of such resilient feelings in its cars. Sure, there is a strong disparity between these two words but as lovers of video games stored on heavy-duty cartridges (we enjoy the simple blow into the bottom), flower babies and The Beatles, we believe in giving credit where it is due. And it seems Lexus has successfully united the expressions with the RC350 and the RC F.

We're at Sepang International Circuit, in Kuala Lumpur, which consists of 15 turns - or a rather decent mix of corners - making it a particularly perfect place for assessing the RC350 Luxury, the RC350 F Sport and the RC F.

The Lexus RC F first then is just about the perfect 'F' specification, with its massive 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, new suspension hardware, Torque Vectoring Differential (TVD), Active Rear Wing, the whole lot. The mechanical layout of this car is quite a case of fusion, and for good reasons. As in the RC, the front section is based on the GS, but with increased apron panel thickness while the centre floor section is based on the IS Convertible with its significantly enlarged rocker structure. The rear floor, on the other hand, is based on the IS sedan with added centre-floor reinforcements.

It does, thus, feel nose heavy as you negotiate bends at three-digit speeds. The good thing is that the steering, with two slow turns back to back at Turn 1 and 2, has a positive and precise response. It's not as talkative as the BMW M4, but the messages sent from tarmac to wheels to chassis and on to the steering are clear as crystal. The ride is firm and very well-controlled without being too crashy - a form of demeanour that compliments itself much better than the Bimmer. All in, the RC F is enjoyable at any speed as a road or track car, which is essential to a Singaporean car buyer of this particular taste. It's so keen and desirable yet luxurious that you simply know you can expect a mature ride along the highway without causing hurt to the backs of your passengers or yourself.Of course, the RC350 F Sport isn't as sharp as the top-of-the-line brethren but with its 3.5-litre V6 engine, it's undoubtedly alive and alert. This shouldn't come across as surprising because of its lighter weight, the availability of Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS) that provides the benefits of four-wheel steering while maintaining the feeling of a conventional two-wheel steer vehicle and of course the stirring exhaust note.

On the track, where it really counts, the car could have had the chance to be more nervous and short-tempered than the RC F but it didn't succumb to such a typically bad attitude of a second-tiered sports car. Stating that the car is well-sorted is a supreme understatement. It never feels limited to your decisions on braking and speed when you tackle different corner entries and exits. There is definitely more delicacy in the way it drives compared to the Luxury trim because it doesn't lack the conviction or the confidence.

That's not to say the RC350 Luxury is all that bad. Round the circuit, it does feel soft and tame but it scores high on comfort. You'd be hardly pressed for high expectations, even if this car has the capabilities of exceeding them. The lack of an exciting note chewing up the engine may be missing but once it's on song and spinning through the revs, you'll uncover its natural beauty of finesse, originality and a particularly evocative sheet metal. Arguably, this car outperforms the RC350 F Sport and the RC F in this area, where inner beauty hasn't been traded - justifiably or not - for, say, pure performance.

Lexus is betting big not just on the NX but also on the RC. Going up against more established brands in the sports car segment, the RC isn't exactly the kind of car that will sell on its own. But as things stand, only the absence of emotion and exhilaration will mark the RC350 and the RC F down, which isn't the case for the brand. Such convincing expressions matter much less in a car like the ES or the CT, but for the cars you see here, they're key.

So is Lexus still incapable of such resilient feelings in its cars? We don't think so…