You can get yourself a copy of Lexus's highly celebrated 5-liter V8, wrapped in the luxurious and racy two-door body of the RC-F Coupe, for the same spend as a brand-new, freshly-refreshed BMW 4 Series. That's a potential conundrum for enthusiast shoppers looking to spend $65,000 or $75,000 on a new rocket-propelled plaything.

 

Though choosing between a slightly used version of Lexus's raciest Coupe and a still-in-the-wrapper copy of BMW's thrilling do-it-all 4 Series is a difficult decision, the spec tables reveal some important similarities and differences to understand en route to making the most informed purchase decision possible. Of course, the real reason to choose one machine over the other isn't just a matter of numbers or output. Read on.