Next-Gen Lexus RC To Take Inspiration From Toyota GR GT3 Concept

Changes Coming

The Lexus RC has always been a popular offering within the brand's lineup as a nice-looking, luxurious, and sporty coupe. But the RC - which has been around since 2014 now - is a bit heavy, and that dulls performance a bit. However, it seems that Lexus is eyeing some big changes in that regard with its next-generation RC, as Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson recently revealed to Car and Driver. 

Photos: Toyota

Couple of Problems

Problem is, Lexus didn't design the RC to make a race car version, but the RC F GT3 is exactly that. Regardless, the racer is heavier and less aerodynamic than its competition, and that puts it at a big disadvantage right off the bat, one that Toyota is aiming to rectify with the next-gen model.

Photos: Toyota

From the Start

"What we’ve all come to learn is that’s not the way you bring a GT3 car to market,” Wilson said. "Before you put your first line on paper, you decide you’re going to race that car and that shapes the design parameters, the performance parameters of that production car."

Photos: Toyota

Connecting the Dots

With that in mind, Toyota will be designing the next-gen RC with racing in mind from the start, and Wilson proceeded to heavily hint that it will share a lot in common with the Toyota GR GT3 Concept that was revealed at this year's Tokyo Auto Show. "It’s fairly safe to connect the dots and suggest that that could be a precursor to the next global GT3 car for Lexus," he said.

Photos: Lexus

Coming Soon(ish)

Toyota's Gazoo Racing previously said that a running prototype version of the GR GT3 racer will arrive by the end of the year, and we know that it will also be powered by a traditional ICE powerplant. However, C&D notes that the next-gen RC will likely employ standard hybrid power.

Photos: Lexus

Broad Timeline

In the meantime, Wilson said that the new RC GT3 car will arrive "hopefully in a couple of years," which is a broad range. But since it's likely to be based on the GR GT3 concept, we'll know a lot more about it when that car launches in the coming months, too.

Photos: Lexus

>>Join the conversation about the next-gen Lexus RC right here at ClubLexus.com.

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