New South Wales Police has unveiled the latest edition to its crime-fighting squad: the V8-powered Lexus RC F.

- shares





The Japanese high-performance coupe has been provided on loan to NSW Police by Lexus Australia as part of a campaign aimed at promoting safer roads and increasing community engagement. Unlike the Mercedes-AMG GLE63 that was loaned to Victoria Police as a bonafide highway patrol vehicle - a rare arrangement - the the RC F will be confined to promotional duties for the duration of its stay. Among the RC F’s duties will be appearances at motorsport events, including this past weekend’s Bathurst Six Hour, where it was used as a race control vehicle to open and close the circuit. Based in Wollongong, the RC F will primarily service NSW’s southern region, getting maximum exposure in roadside campaigns and will travel as far west as Goulburn.

Inspector Jim Fryday of the NSW Police's Southern Region says the RC F will be a useful tool in the fight to create safer NSW roads. "The RC F will be a major help in our efforts to engage with the public at major gatherings around the state. "There will be further opportunities at motorsport events to communicate our message to race fans while showing off the RC F in a very appropriate setting,” Fryday said. Under the RC F’s bonnet lies a 5.0-litre V8 engine pumping out 351kW of power and 530Nm of torque, coupled with an eight-speed Sports Program Direct Shift automatic transmission sending power to the rear wheels.

On the power front, the RC F trumps highway patrol mainstays in the Commodore SS-V and the Ford FG Falcon XR6 Turbo, which produce 304kW/570Nm and 270kW/533Nm, respectively. Lexus Australia chief executive, Peter McGregor, says the manufacturer is happy to assist NSW Police in a project they think the public will enjoy "It gives us great pleasure to provide the NSW Police with a stunning RC F coupe to assist them with their important task of promoting safety on our roads - a critical issue for all road users as we enter the Easter Period and colder months of the year," Mcgregor said. MORE: Lexus RC F news, reviews, pricing and specs