The announcement that 2025 will mark the final year of the RC F is a bittersweet moment for performance car enthusiasts. The Lexus F brand, which debuted with the IS F in 2008, has long symbolized the brand’s attempt to merge luxury with true performance. But with the end of RC F production, many are questioning whether the F brand is fading or evolving into something new, perhaps in collaboration with Toyota’s GR (Gazoo Racing) division.
The F brand has struggled for years, with few updates or new models since the mid-2010s, leaving it stagnant compared to competitors like BMW M and Mercedes-AMG. The discontinuation of the LFA, alongside the lack of fresh F offerings, has caused the brand’s performance division to lose momentum. While others have advanced performance and technology, Lexus has failed to reinvigorate the F brand, leaving it overshadowed by both its rivals and the brand’s focus on hybrid and electric vehicles. While this may seem harsh, enthusiasts have been given numerous unfulfilled promises by Lexus about the F brand.
The End of the F Era?
The RC F, along with the IS F before it, showcased Lexus’s ambition to enter the high-performance market. While it didn’t quite match the raw, track-focused aggression of rivals like BMW’s M division or Mercedes-AMG, it offered a unique blend of performance and luxury with an emphasis on reliability and refinement. The naturally aspirated V8 in the RC F, for example, was an appealing proposition for enthusiasts who wanted a thrilling drive without sacrificing the everyday usability and dependability that Lexus is known for. This balance of performance and reliability set the F brand apart, even if it didn’t directly compete with the most hardcore offerings from BMW and AMG. In 2007, Lexus unveiled its performance brand, F, at the Detroit Auto Show. The first model under the Lexus F banner was the IS F, a high-performance version of the IS sedan, featuring a 5.0-liter V8 engine and a focus on driving dynamics.
The GR-ification of Lexus?
One question that immediately comes to mind is: Could Lexus performance products (if they are to exist) join Toyota’s GR brand? After all, Toyota has found tremendous success with the GR Supra and GR Corolla, and its GR division has become synonymous with performance and motorsports heritage. It’s not hard to imagine Lexus benefiting from a similar strategy, particularly when considering that the brands share significant engineering and platform resources.
Lexus already shares components with Toyota in its higher-performance vehicles, so it’s entirely plausible that we could see a closer collaboration in the future. Lexus could develop its own versions of existing GR models, adding the luxury and refinement that the brand is known for, while adopting the performance DNA of Toyota’s GR division. This would allow Lexus to maintain a clear performance identity while focusing on electrification, hybrid powertrains, and cutting-edge technologies.
Electrification and Hybrid Performance
One thing that could shape Lexus’s future in performance is the ongoing shift toward electrification. The F brand, traditionally focused on high-output internal combustion engines, could transition into a hybrid and electric performance division. Lexus has already made significant strides in hybrid technology, with models like the RX 500h and LS 500h, and it’s likely that hybrid performance models could carry the torch for the F brand going forward. However, with Lexus’ ambitions to be fully electric by 2035, these plans might be short lived.
A hybrid F car, or even a fully electric “F” vehicle, would allow Lexus to push the boundaries of power, efficiency, and performance. It’s worth noting that electric motors offer instant torque, which can deliver blistering acceleration — something that aligns with the F brand’s focus on high performance. Lexus could take a page from Porsche’s playbook, where electrification is embraced without sacrificing driving engagement.
What’s Next for Lexus?
The final year of the RC F doesn’t necessarily spell the end of Lexus’s performance aspirations. Instead, it could be the closing of one chapter, leading into another that’s more closely aligned with the future of mobility. Whether it’s collaborating with Toyota’s GR division or forging its own path with a new, electrified performance lineup, Lexus has a solid foundation to build upon.
In the end, the F brand might evolve into something more sustainable, relevant, and future-proof—offering high-performance vehicles that push the boundaries of electric and hybrid technology while staying true to the luxury and sophistication Lexus is known for. So while we may be saying goodbye to the RC F, this could very well be the start of an exciting new era for the brand’s performance lineup.
Will Lexus fully embrace the GR brand? Time will tell, but the potential for collaboration between the two makes a lot of sense, especially as the new GT3 concept has been heavily favoring a GR nameplate as F has been nonexistent for years.
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