Since the launch of the FR-S-turned 86-now turned GR 86, some have wondered if an upmarket version of the coupe could appear wearing a Lexus badge. A new rumor from Creative311 suggests that such a vehicle might be in the works and come packing Subaru’s 2.4L boxer engine mated to a PHEV powertrain.
The rumored “UC”- indicating Urban Coupe – looks good in this render but the business case for such a car leaves us scratching our heads. The formula that makes the GR 86 and BR Z so great – light weight, bare basics, focus on driver involvement with the road – seems slightly at odds with Lexus’ philosophy of luxury and serenity, even for a potential F product. It’s also worth noting that many competing products have come and gone in this segment, including the Audi TT and Mercedes SLK/SLC, and even the holdout BMW Z4 is rumored to be on life support.
Even though such a coupe might be hard to imagine, a spy photo did appear earlier this year that appeared to show a GR 86 prototype wearing a Lexus spindle on the front end. Whether that was only camouflage for the yet-to-be-released GR 86 or a potential upcoming model from Lexus, we might have to wait a bit longer to find out.
Would it make sense for Lexus to build such a car? Join the conversation in the Lexus Enthusiast community forum.
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