RUMOR: New Lexus Luxury Coupe Will Kill the V8 and Replace the LC and RC

RUMOR: Lexus will merge the LC and RC into a single luxury coupe in 2025 and changes are coming to the GR86 and Supra.

This is your final warning. If the following rumors are true and you love the sexy Lexus LC 500 with the thumping V8 engine, go buy one now. The clock is ticking on this fantastic Lexus model, and if you don’t get one now, you may end up regretting it. The latest speculation has Lexus working on an all-new luxury coupe that is expected to be revealed in the fall of 2025. This new model is apparently going to replace the LC and the RC models. The new model is expected to ride on the same platform as the current LC, but it will be much improved. It will be more rigid and lighter weight. That is the good news. The bad news is that it will lose the lovely V8 engine and instead get a smaller 3.5L V6 engine with hybrid assist.

There is more to come on that, but there is other news to share thanks to a video recently posted on the Kirk Kreifels YouTube channel about a new report coming from Best Car magazine. There is a redesigned GR86 that will likely get the engine from the GR Corolla combined with an electric motor. And the Supra could be getting as much as 550 horsepower and a dual-clutch transmission. These cars will be serious performers but also come with serious price tags.

Lexus Luxury Coupe

The design rendering that we see of the new Lexus luxury coupe looks good, but clearly has more RC style than LC style. It will be more like the RC on the inside as well. This new coupe is expected to have rear seats like the RC and unlike the LC. Bad news for LC fans. But this new coupe is expected to be significantly less expensive than the LC 500. The power is expected to be roughly 400 horsepower and be routed through an 8-speed automatic transmission. While this new coupe will be a hybrid at first, it is possible, and probably likely that a full EV version will be offered in the future. This new car, especially a full EV version, will probably outperform the current LC 500. However, it won’t have anywhere near the style or intoxicating V8 soundtrack.

New GR86 and Supra

The new GR86 is going to look a bit different, but that is not the biggest news. The prevailing theory is that the 1.6L engine from the GR Corolla will be turned 90 degrees and placed in the GR86 to send power to the rear wheels. And that tiny engine will be assisted with a battery-powered electric motor that should boost horsepower into the 330 range. That is roughly 100 more than the current car. But nothing in life is free, and this more powerful car will be more expensive. But you have time to save up as it probably won’t be out until 2027 or 2028. A Supra with a twin-turbo straight six making 550 horsepower is also on the way. This new Supra not only gains an extra turbo but also a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. All these changes are a few years away, and details can change but it seems like some big changes are coming to some of our favorite models.

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.