This Race Car Concept Could Be the Next Lexus Sports Coupe

After nearly 10 years of service as Lexus’ stalwart sports coupe, the RC F might finally pass the mantle along to a new vehicle.

According to Motorsport.com, the replacement vehicle will be based off of a concept shown at last year’s Tokyo Auto Salon car show.

Toyota’s luxury wing Lexus has had a robust number of performance vehicles roll out wearing its sharp “L” badge, not the least of which have been the LFA supercar and the muscular LC 500. It makes sense given Toyota’s commitment to motorsport and that Lexus itself fields a number of race cars throughout various disciplines.

The RC coupe has been a long-running example of what Lexus brings to the performance car market, particularly the super-sporty RC F model. This two-door coupe represents Lexus’ blend of luxury for the daily drive along with the chops to handle a weekend visit to the track.

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The true grand tourer we’ve been waiting for

Powered by a beefy 472 horsepower 50-liter V8, the rear-wheel drive coupe can sprint from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds. From our experience, the RC F can handle this double-duty well, so long as expectations are properly set come track day. It can be fun and quick, but at the end of the day, it’s home is on the road. Lexus, aware of this fact, does make a Track Edition RC F that’s mechanically the same but better kitted for circuit-stomping.

As it happens, 10 years is about the lifespan of a car model, and even with occasional refreshes, facelifts and upgrades, it’s often the point where a new generation or replacement vehicle needs to step in. Our peek at what could be coming down the line comes in the form of the GR GT3, a concept vehicle shown at the Tokyo Auto Salon last January. The sleek concept is a very low-slung front-engined racer with a short tail that mirrors the LC 500 Grand Tourer more than the RC, though Toyota of America’s Group Vice President Product Planning and Strategy Cooper Erickson confirmed to Motorsport.com that this was the case.

In particular, a GT3 race car is in the works, and that the development will also produce a road-going version. Its similarities to the LC 500 could also be a good thing if the concept is particularly up your alley. Concept vehicles famously debut with knockout looks, only to have productions vehicles look like a half-baked end result, but the LC famously hit the streets mirroring its showcase model very closely. For those who like the look of this Batmobile-esque hot rod, this could be a trend to hang your hopes on.

At the moment, when we’ll see anything close to an RC F replacement is anyone’s guess, though development for the next Lexus GT3 race car could extend to 2026. That gives Lexus three years to give the RC F a proper send-off, and lot of time for us to build up our excitement.