What started out as a rumor is now very much a reality. Lexus is developing another performance coupe, likely to have even more power than the legendary LFA but costing about half the money. These are the first spyshots of the LC F.
The regular LC has been around for about a year and offers two 500-badged engines. One is a 5-liter naturally aspirated V8 and the other a hybrid V6 with too many gears to count. But while the LC 500 has Aston Martin-like qualities, it's not a supercar, and that's where the LC F comes in.
Lexus wouldn't move forward with this project if they didn't have a new powertrain already since the LC 500 already has the same engine as the RC F and GS F. Rumors about this new flagship model say it's got a twin-turbo setup and a displacement in the 4 to 4.4 liters category.
While the luxury automaker hasn't built a twin-turbo V8 before, it does have experience thanks to that new V6 it fitted to the LS sedan. Another thing supporting the turbocharged theory is the fact that two extra intercoolers have been added to the front end of the prototype, the smaller one possibly being for the oil.
The number we are looking for is 600 for the horsepower, though 630 HP has also been suggested. The LC F will have the benefit of debuting after the BMW M8, which it should benchmark. Considering the huge amount of torque all turbocharged V8s have, we might even see some AWD system as well. Even without it, the 0 to 60 time of the coupe should slip below 4 seconds.
These are early times for the LC F. Its bumper design isn't quite ready yet while the trademark quad exhaust setup needs mufflers. But we have full confidence that they will deliver a sufficiently bold look.
And while the LC F won't have a full carbon fiber turbo as the LFA did, Lexus is looking to make about 7% of the body from CFRP. This should make it a little lighter, though it should still be pretty close to 1.9 tons.
Lexus wouldn't move forward with this project if they didn't have a new powertrain already since the LC 500 already has the same engine as the RC F and GS F. Rumors about this new flagship model say it's got a twin-turbo setup and a displacement in the 4 to 4.4 liters category.
While the luxury automaker hasn't built a twin-turbo V8 before, it does have experience thanks to that new V6 it fitted to the LS sedan. Another thing supporting the turbocharged theory is the fact that two extra intercoolers have been added to the front end of the prototype, the smaller one possibly being for the oil.
The number we are looking for is 600 for the horsepower, though 630 HP has also been suggested. The LC F will have the benefit of debuting after the BMW M8, which it should benchmark. Considering the huge amount of torque all turbocharged V8s have, we might even see some AWD system as well. Even without it, the 0 to 60 time of the coupe should slip below 4 seconds.
These are early times for the LC F. Its bumper design isn't quite ready yet while the trademark quad exhaust setup needs mufflers. But we have full confidence that they will deliver a sufficiently bold look.
And while the LC F won't have a full carbon fiber turbo as the LFA did, Lexus is looking to make about 7% of the body from CFRP. This should make it a little lighter, though it should still be pretty close to 1.9 tons.