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I still believe this is nothing more than a crazy, unfounded rumor and won't amount to anything. Nothing about this makes sense to me.
Make it a Lexus by adding an additional 9 inches of overhang?
Making it more luxurious is only going to add weight, which goes against the whole point of the GR86/BRZ.
And if they do offer it as a hybrid, plug-in or otherwise, they are again just adding weight and ruining the whole point of the car. I just don't get this.
Interesting. Toyota and Subaru were playing with at least one hybrid prototype of the BRZ/GT86 a few years back which resulted in the Toyota HV Sports concept car.
With a longer wheelbase and Lexus styling this would handle differently than the Subaru and Toyota versions as well as offer a different driving experience with the hybrid FA24 (presumably) engine. I'd like to see them keep the cool H-pattern shifter for interactive fun even though there wouldn't be a clutch pedal in the hybrid edition.
I don't think a true manual transmission would be offered unless the production 6MT GT86 drivetrain were also on offer in the UC. I think it will be Toyota's 86 that keeps the manual transmission option for its second generation while the UC probably won't have it since it would be a brand new model.
Toyota is already committed to every new model other than existing legacy models being hybrid at minimum starting for model year 2026, so while the 2nd generation GT86/GR86, turbo AWD 6-speed M/T Corolla GR/MN and (hopefully) manual Supra will probably be allowed to finish out their regular production runs a little past that date any new Toyota and Lexus models that would be starting production much too close to MY2026 or after it are going to be hybrid.
Still, the 2nd gen 86 6MT and Corolla GR will be available (no idea if the Supra will ever get an off the shelf manual) and this UC, if actually produced, will definitely be a fun model.
I'm not sure a proper luxury sports car can get away with a relatively weak NA 4cyl engine. Perhaps if they shove the new 2.4t from the new NX in there and not overprice it, then maybe?
I still believe this is nothing more than a crazy, unfounded rumor and won't amount to anything. Nothing about this makes sense to me.
Make it a Lexus by adding an additional 9 inches of overhang?
Making it more luxurious is only going to add weight, which goes against the whole point of the GR86/BRZ.
And if they do offer it as a hybrid, plug-in or otherwise, they are again just adding weight and ruining the whole point of the car. I just don't get this.
Exactly. Lexus has more areas to worry about than a small numbers selling coupe. There's nothing to this.
Exactly. Lexus has more areas to worry about than a small numbers selling coupe. There's nothing to this.
They seem to be fine selling all the crossovers and SUVs in their lineup.
The RC coupe is a very heavy car for what it is and hasn’t been selling well. The UC would be a big improvement over that for people who want a true driver-focused Lexus coupe well below the $100k+ price of an LC.
Besides, they already have some R&D into a prototype of this style variant of the platform and it’s another way to use it while they still can.
On the Toyota side the GR86 6MT offers the most pure driving experience in a practical personal car while the lengthened and hybrid Lexus version will give a slightly more luxurious experience while still being very much a driver’s car.
It's rumored to use the same 228-hp 2.4-liter flat-four as the new Toyobaru rear-wheel-drive sports cars, but with a hybrid drivetrain making more power.
Lexus declined to comment on the existence of the new car, but reports say it could make its debut by the end of the year.
Lexus might have a hybrid version of the recently revealed Toyota GR86 on the way, if rumors from the Japanese website Spyder7are any indication. If this model comes to fruition, the new entry-level luxury rear-wheel-drive sports car would join the RC, RC F, and LC coupes in the Japanese automaker's lineup. It's said to be making its debut by the end of the year, and we'd love to see something like this in the States since many other small luxury coupes have disappeared.
It will reportedly be called the UC for "Urban Coupe," using the same naturally aspirated 2.4-liter flat-four as the new Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86. In those applications, the four-cylinder engine produces 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, and a six-speed automatic is optional. We think it likely the Lexus would only be available with the automatic. The Lexus is expected to use a hybrid drivetrain with the flat-four in conjunction with an electric motor and battery pack, which should increase power over the BRZ and GR86.
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An alleged spy photo (above) of the car's front end shows a Lexus spindle grille and the same overall shape of the Toyobaru siblings. The UC could be slightly stretched to accommodate the hybrid battery pack. The Subaru BRZ measures 167.9 inches in length. If the photo posted on Twitter does indeed show a prototype for the UC, we can also expect the production car to have other Lexus-specific trim pieces such as more angular lighting elements and larger wheels. The GR86 offers 18-inch wheels.
THE CARS THAT EXIST 2022 Subaru BRZ Gets 228-HP NA Flat-Four 2022 Toyota GR 86 Revealed for U.S. with 228 HPThe UC's interior should also be a step above the BRZ and GR86. The interiors of those two feature 8.0-inch touchscreens and a 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster. The 2022 Lexus NX crossover debuted a new infotainment system for the luxury automaker with a standard 9.8-inch touchscreen and an available 14.0-inch unit. We don't expect the small sports car to get a screen that large, but it could be larger than the other two sports cars' screens.
It's unclear if the Lexus UC will be sold in North America, as entry-level sports cars including the Mercedes-Benz SLC-class have disappeared from luxury automakers' lineups in our market. However, a Lexus spokesperson told Car and Driver that there are "some exciting things coming to Lexus." We sure hope that includes this new Lexus sports car. Look for more information in the coming months.
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As I read previously, this rumor began when someone snapped a pic of an 86/BRZ with a spindle grille and the assumption was then made that Lexus was testing their own version.
I am challenged to view this as anything valid, especially since there are several conversion kits available to put a spindle grille on your 86/BRZ. Someone in my neighborhood drives an FR-S with a very poorly fitting (homemade?) version of a Lexus spindle on it. I'll try to snap a pic next time I see it.
07-14-21, 11:01 AM
Can the Lexus UC Give the Brand a Proper Sports Car?
