If you believe – before seeing the 2015 Lexus RC – that Lexus lacks excitement in their lineup of hybrids and SUVs, then Junichi Furuyama, chief engineer of some of the Toyota’s luxury division’s most important projects, is right there with you.

The fact that the average Lexus customer is about ten years older than say, Audi’s, is not lost on the man behind the new IS. While all manufacturers are banging their heads on whiteboards hoping an idea that appeals to younger buyers rattles out, Furuyama has a pretty simple solution to sex up the big L: a really good-looking Coupe.

“Of the entire Lexus lineup” Furuyama tells me, “there are only two models in the sporty and specialty segment. The IS-F and the IS-C.” The IS-F is a fine example in the classic American practice of sticking a big burly V8 in a car it was not necessarily intended for. As well as this formula works in the IS-F it isn’t necessarily a sports car from the ground up. The IS-C is sexy only in that it catches your attention the same way a bawdy blonde on the beach does -- by going topless. So to fill this hole in the lineup, Lexus developed a coupe designed to be a coupe from the beginning.

The 2015 RC is unmistakably a Lexus. Look no further than the family-staple Spindle Grille that stretches even further and more taught across the low, wide nose. The radical, detached Nike Swoosh/Fish-Hook LED DRLs from the new IS still sit separated by a hunk of the bumper below the primary projector housing. The new LED headlights comprise three ‘L’s for the low beam – a design element that, according to one designer, Lexus has been trying to incorporate for a while.

Beyond the love-it or loathe-it Predator grille everyone by now at least expects, and relatively busy headlight design, the RC is refreshingly restrained from the front fender flare on back. This is, of course, in comparison to extreme examples like the LF-LC or LF-NX concepts Lexus has introduced recently. One editor points out if you cover the nose of the car with your hand (go ahead, give it shot); the profile is barely indistinguishable from the Honda Accord Coupe, for better or worse.

Moving inside the sleek, two-door body, anyone that has spent some time with the contemporary Lexus line will feel right at home. Though they’ve been rearranged a bit, all the familiar switchgear is neatly laid about the cabin. The shifter from a GS sits aside the drive-mode select wheel and below them is the touch-pad that replaces the mouse-like control toggle introduced on the LFA.

This particular concept is fitted with the same “Integrated Foaming” seats found in the new IS Sport models. It’s a process Lexus recently adopted that ultimately involves placing the seat covers inside a mold to be filled, rather than molding the filling then placing the cover over it. This allows for more complicated seat designs and shapes in the cushioning otherwise not possible. Two rear buckets are suitable for smaller occupants or short rides. This may be just enough for the singles and couples in their 30s and 40s Furuyama says the RC targets.

So what’s on the docket to propel the potential four passengers in Lexus’ new Sport Coupe? The RC350 badging in these pictures is a good indication the tried and true 3.5-liter V6 will be a popular choice. A 2.5-liter Hybrid powertrain will also be available. When asked if it will be a performance-oriented hybrid system a la the Infiniti or Acura units, Furuyama said “The Hybrid system for this car is going to be the same as the Lexus Hybrid Drive System found on the IS”. So anticipate something closer to Camry Hybrid efficiency than NSX like acceleration.

Speaking of the IS, in asking Furuyama why Lexus wouldn’t use the brand awareness of their most popular sedan and just call this the IS-Coupe, he explained, “One thing I want to emphasize, the aim of introducing this new model RC is to add a new level of excitement to the existing Lexus lineup. This is not an IS Coupe, it is the RC, a new coupe in its own right. It is an independent model. It’s not a deviated version of the IS so it has its own unique styling and its own unique performance.” See what else Furuyama has to say about the RC when the car is officially unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month.

Now we have been treated to the first photos of the new Lexus RC Coupe, speculation and imagination can hit full swing on a convertible variant. This new rendering has been complete by artist Theophilus Chin and gives a first look at what the model could look like.

Would Lexus go with a hard-top or soft-top? Theophilus has stated his preference for the fabric option which would certainly assist the model with its performance figures but it isn't as practical as the heavier hard-top option.

Should Lexus decide to build an open-top variant, we would expect it to inherit the same engine options employed by its sibling. This would include a range topping V6 3.5-liter gasoline engine and a hybrid option that consists of an electric motor and a 2.5-liter engine.

If we are really lucky, we could also be treated to a hardcore RC F Convertible. Rumors have stated a powerful 5.0-liter V8 is set to be employed with output rated at around 455 bhp (339 kW) and 543 Nm (401 lb-ft) of torque.

The Lexus RC Convertible ticks all the right boxes as far as WCF staffers are concerned. Do you agree? Let us know below.