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Why didn’t Lexus create an “F” SUV? Would you trade it in for your RC F?
BMW and Mercedes Benz both have offered very capable, high horsepowered SUVs. Heck even Genesis offers some really sporty SUVs compared to the Lexus SUVs.
I’ve read various interviews over the years with Yaguchi sans and no one ever asked him this SUV question.
What would have prevented Lexus from creating a true “F” SUV? Couldn’t Lexus just put the 2UR-GSE in an SUV and slap an “F” badge on it? It can be done without much redesign, Chrysler did it with the Dodge Durango SUV and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk by putting in Hellcat engines and slapping a Hellcat badge.
Reading the comments it seems there would be a group of folks who would buy a high powered Lexus SUV.
”Lexus is too chicken **** to make this a reality. They almost refuse to compete with BMW, Audi, Mercedes, etc. For the life of me I cannot figure out why. They have the technology to do it, but just won’t. It is very disappointing and frustrating. The Lexus is350 has the same engine from 2006!!!! I have an 08 is350 and it is amazing. I wanted to buy a new 350…but it is the same car! Not even a slight bump in power…say actually having 350 hp.”
”There is surely a market for fast SUVs, all your competitors have filled that gap! I would be in one”
“I have had lexus IS, GS, AND RX’s over the past 10 years. My vehicle is a GSF and my wife has an rx350 f sport. My biggest complaint about the RX, it has no power and sounds wheezey. Lexus make this a reality and you have a buyer.”
I do not think slapping a 2UR-GSE onto that TNGA-K platform would be good enough to get it an F badge, not even the IS 500 got that. At best they can create a new F Sport Performance car with the engine and Aisin AA80E unit. It's Transaxle in the RX V8 above, that's surprising since the only Transaxle Lexus cars I knew are RC F GT3 and LFA. Not sure how good that RX V8 would drive, the tires are too small the chassis is not really built for that engine lol.
But personally I really do not like the idea of a high performance SUV, the height of the car hinders the performance spec engine heavily and the added weight on top. Even in the car I got some experience with, BMW X4 X40i X-drive, I do not feel confident while pulling high speed turns. Never drove a BMW XM so no idea how it handles and feels like, As for the M trims they are not real M cars so they cannot be compared to the XM.
I bet even a URUS won't be anywhere remotely close to a Hurracan in any aspect. I do like a V8 power SUV truck though like old Landcruiser.
I suppose if I suddenly developed a family of 5 and had to sell my F, an "F-UV" would sound appealing. I've just never driven an SUV that I found fun though.
Lexus is lacking a high-performance SUV to compete with the X3 M50. If Lexus offered an IS500-like SUV, I would seriously consider it for my next car (and still keep the RCF)
IMO, the F line existed as marketing for the F-Sport Line (all models). To show what the F can do, they had to race it (IMSA), that required a couple of examples to be on the road ..hence our coupe. Corp did the math and they prolly made ton more profit selling the RX F-Sport line...just slap on beauty parts to a mass market cuv.
09-09-24 | 07:45 AM
Why didn’t Lexus create an “F” SUV? Would you trade it in for your RC F?
