Lexus fans vote Solar Flare for new RC F hue
Wed, 18 Jun 2014What's in a name? When it comes to model nameplates, quite a lot, and automakers go to considerable lengths to find just the right one. Same goes for the names of the colors in the catalog (save for maybe the Rape Yellow in the extensive Bugatti palette), but every once in a while, an automaker will open it up for suggestions from the public.
SRT did that when it introduced a new shade of blue for its Viper, as did Chevy for the pale green on the Volt. And last month, Lexus followed a similar path when it asked fans on Facebook to come up with a name for the new shade of orange for the RC F.
Fans suggested names like Tangerine Flame, Outrageous Orange and Fiery Orange, but ultimately the winning submission that Lexus selected was Solar Flare. The name was suggested by five individuals and will now enter the catalog of colors for the new luxury muscle coupe with its 450-horsepower 5.0-liter V8.
'SOLAR FLARE' THE PICK OF THE PUBLIC NAMING GAME FOR HOT NEW LEXUS RC F PAINT OPTION
Lexus challenged its UK Facebook fans to come up with a name for the blazing orange paint finish that will be available for the hotly anticipated RC F high performance coupe.
The online challenge produced hundreds of suggestions, from which Solar Flare was picked as the best by Richard Balshaw, Lexus Director. The name will now become an official colour for the RC F in the UK when the model goes on sale here at the end of the year.
"We were impressed by the huge response and the creativity shown by our Facebook fans, who took up the challenge with enthusiasm. Solar Flare was chosen as we think it captures the power and excitement of the RC F, as well as the impact of the paint finish itself."
The RC F has generated huge online interest since its public reveal at the Detroit motor show in January. The coupe matches its visual impact with formidable performance, delivered by the most powerful V8 engine Lexus has engineered for a production model. The 5.0-litre 32-valve unit, developed specifically for the RC F, is expected to produce more than 450bhp and 520Nm of torque.
Lightweight carbon fibre parts, an eight speed direct-shift transmission, an active rear wing and a torque vectoring differential are all part of the RC F's advanced engineering package.
The name Solar Flare was suggested in five of the posts on the official Lexus UK Facebook page, submitted by Peter Robert Shaumburg Fodor, Paul Britt, Joe Ettwein, Matt Frenchy and Krisstian Allen.
By Noah Joseph
See also: Lexus boots up early NX configurator, Lexus back in luxury sales race after three-year absence, This is what a Lexus RC-based 'four-door coupe' might look like.