Lexus LC, RC Rumored to Be Replaced by One New Coupe With Hybrid V6
Both the Lexus LC and RC could soon give way to a new, stylish and elegant coupe with hybrid V6 power.
While most other automakers moved one from V8s – and in many cases, coupes – years ago, Lexus continues to churn out a handful of two-door, 2+2 vehicles equipped with one. However, over the past couple of years, we’ve seen this list begin to shrink, as models like the GX and LX have ditched V8 power for smaller displacement, turbocharged powertrains, as is the case with the automotive industry as a whole. That also seems likely to be the case with both the Lexus LC and RC at some point in the near future, according to a new report from Best Car Web.
Rumors of a new Lexus coupe model with a hybrid V6 have swirled for some time now, as Club Lexus originally reported on this potential future product last August. However, this new report suggests that the Lexus LC and RC – a pair of sporty coupes available with V8 power – will essentially be combined into one new two-door model, though in this case, it would be powered by either the existing 3.5-liter V6 hybrid utilized in the current LC lineup, or perhaps the twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 present in the 2024 Lexus GX and Toyota Tundra. Either way, those engines would be mated to the existing eight-speed automatic transmission driving either the rear or all four wheels when this mysterious new model arrives in 2025.
Interestingly, renderings generated by Best Car Web last year depicted a vehicle that looks more like the RC than LC, but in this new report, the rag notes that this new coupe will be similar in size to the LC, and like both, will be a 2+2 coupe with small seats in the rear. It also suggests that a convertible version remains possible, but either way, this future model will reportedly boast an “elegant” exterior design.
This certainly makes a lot of sense given how well-received the Lexus LC has been since its launch, as most consider it to be one of the most beautiful modern automobiles in existence. However, a shrinking coupe market means that many companies are either axing two-doors from their lineups altogether, or – at the very least – condensing them into fewer models, a la Mercedes-Benz with the GLE Coupe, which replaces the C-Class and E-Class coupes with one offering.
Unfortunately for V8 fans, that particular engine seems to be living on borrowed time within the realm of the Lexus lineup, but in all fairness, the proverbial writing has been on the wall for years to this point. Most automakers are opting to downsize in the name of increasing emissions and fuel economy standards, so if you’re a fan of luxurious V8 coupes, now might be a good time to go out and buy one before they simply don’t exist anymore.
Photos: Lexus
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