To address your confusion, when Jeff Bracken presented the LS500 at NAIAS 2017, he said it would beat the competitors V8's. But not just any V8 engines, more so the Naturally Aspirated units that are found in cars like the Lexus LS460, Genesis (Budget Hyundai) G90, and very low level turbo engines like the 4.7L TT V8 that was in the pre-facelift W222 S-Class.
The problem here is that naturally aspirated V8s are basically a thing of the past in Lexus' competitive set, so yes, the V35A-FTS is in an awkward position in the market. It's been brought up before, but the gestation of the LS was so long that I think originally - yes, a 3.5L TT V6 would have competed well when the S Class and 7er were making 400-430hp, but by the time the LS launched, everyone else was in the realm of 450+ and climbing higher. Similarly, we now have V6s of 380-400hp in compact and midsize cars, so the V35A-FTS actually is quite timely.... but maybe not particularly timely as a flagship engine, if that's what Lexus has planned for it.
I do not mean for this to be an discussion about the LS - it's more about the competitive placement and future of that particular engine in relation to the rest of the lineup. If history is any indication, LS engines will be flagship engines, so that means the V35A-FTS will probably be shared with the LX, Toyota's full size BOF offerings and we can expect some other future products like LF-1. This is why I DON'T think they will simply drop the engine into the IS, 4Runner and everything else, and there could be a lower level V6 engine.
The coexistence works perfectly fine. Don't worry. I and a couple of others (including Lexus themselves) have stressed the fact that they like to have their cars understressed. I even made a post about this too in the LC-C thread. A 2.0L is still viable, but why not have a larger Twin-Turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and have the same power figures?
Because from an international business perspective, that simply makes no sense. 2.0L is most important for global markets that have significant tax implications at 2.1L or higher. If you could buy an IS with a 2.0T that made 280hp but cost you $3k a year in tax, or an IS with a 2.5T with 280hp but cost you $10k a year in tax, which do you choose? 99.9% of consumers choose option 1 and Lexus is a business - they know this.
You have discussed a point very similar to a point that I made and it was in regards to tuneability. I'll reiterate from what I said above. For example, why is Toyota so adamant for Naturally Aspirated power units for all the reasons that we know but the new Toyota Supra will mark a new generation for mass-produced turbocharged engines across the lineup? Well, they over-engineer the living crap out of everything (you know, The Toyota Way [pun intended
]). Toyota and Lexus do everything to address the big elephants in the room, and that is reliability, durability, dependability, comfort, and high performance. Hell, they are so god damn meticulous and AMAZING in making things to perfection. Now I am straying off, the 2.4 L/2.5 L engines make more sense because of what I talked about in this and the paragraph before. You will be able to venture into regions with more power and torque, just because you can right? You have a larger engine, better technology, and all that insanity will be managed in a controlled manner (Porsche style [old Toyota style too]). You ask why not with 2.0 L engines? Like I mentioned before, there is a lot more ideas and opportunities you can work with under those configurations unlike the 2.0 L engines. You can undercut higher level competitors and spank them in terms of engineering (performance mainly LOL).
I am not sure that you are understanding my point here. If Toyota is already going to need to engineer a mainstream workhorse V6 for products like 4Runner, Highlander, Tacoma, GX, RX... why would it make sense to also engineer a completely different engine with similar output but that is more complicated and less durable (a 4 cylinder turbo will be less smooth, durable, reliable than a small V6 of the same output). The only justification I can think of is if the tax burden goes up significantly between 2.6 and 3.0L or 3.5L. Then, a larger displacement 2.4/2.5L engine will be advantageous over a 3.0L+ engine, even if they produce the same amount of power. Maybe someone like
@spwolf can explain the displacement taxes to us.
There will never be any high-performance FWD models if they don't have a extremely good AWD system or switch to RWD period. I assume you mean the future 300+ HP engines will be 4-cylinders for higher power BOF cars? I doubt it. Toyota is moving towards pushing a lot more power and bottom line, staying with V6 engines with the option of a V8.
We are here in the age of 300+hp Camry, so I would not say "never." If history is any indication, cost sharing between Toyota and Lexus works well for Toyota because cars like Camry, Avalon and Highlander get large, sophisticated, powerful engines since they are platform-mates with RX and ES. Lexus will have to push higher in the future, especially for RX. I expect some trickle down effect at Toyota. My whole point is that I do not see Toyota putting a turbo 4 under the hood of the 4Runner, Highlander, Tacoma, RX or GX (at least in North America) for quite a while.
2GR-FKS in the Tacoma has been very unpopular with owners/shoppers as it has a very sedan-like torque curve and power delivery. Many 4Runner owners are dreading this engine coming to the 4Runner for this very reason - it's a higher horsepower engine that's higher revving but low on torque. Pretty much exactly what you don't want for an actual work truck or heavy BOF vehicle. Toyota could very well say, "screw it" and drop the 301hp V6 underhood, but it would be nice if they didn't.
In terms of Lexus, I am thinking of the mind of the enthusiast, is to base all of their cars with a RWD system and have a damn amazing AWD system at the same time (similar to the SH-AWD or Quattro). Then, they follow Mercedes-Benz's basic playbook except they do it in Lexus style. Also forget about single turbocharging and Twin-Turbocharging the same engine (only exception is the I4 engines), it would case too much complications within their lineup. One of the last things you want to do is to confuse a customer.
This will simply never happen as Lexus' bread and butter - ES, RX, NX and upcoming UX - are all FWD. As GS is retired, ES prominence and importance will only grow.
I thought those tax-based countries are going more lenient in the coming years? So it shouldn't be an issue? Not sure to be honest. If so, then you shouldn't worry about it.
I haven't seen that... in fact, many of them are starting to ban ICE completely in large cities. Source?
2.0L 2.4 L/2.5 L I4 T or TT (we don't know for sure): ~280-300hp
Lexus applications: UX F, NX 350, IS 350, ES 350, RC 350,
GS 350, GX350, base RX 350 for global markets
Toyota applications: Base engine for 4Runner/Tacoma/Highlander/Supra, optional on Rav4 GR/TRD,
(possibly Sienna too???)
The 2.4/2.5L I4 will never replace the 2.0T because of global taxes on displacement, as mentioned above.
3.0/3.5L T/TT V6: ~360- ~400+hp
Lexus applications: NX 450, base RX 450 for USA, GX 450, IS 450, ES 450, RC 450, LS 450,
GS 450, LC 450, LX 450, LF-1 450 (I guess we're going to bring the denominations down from 500 [the LS and LC] to 450)
Toyota applications: Optional on 4Runner/Tacoma/Highlander, base on Tundra/Sequoia/Land Cruiser,
(possibly Sienna too???), RAV4 could also make an appearance here
There will never be a 416hp 4Runner, Tacoma, Highlander, etc. if for no other reason than that engine is way too expensive for mainstream $35-50k applications. 3.5L TT V6 is good as an option on higher trims of Tundra, Sequoia and Land Cruiser - that part is logical. Those vehicles all still need a base engine though - that's logically the optional or standard engine on 4Runner, Tacoma, Highlander, etc.
4.0L T V8: ~450 - 500hp
Lexus applications: LS 550, LC 550, LX 550, LF-1 "550", IS F, RC F (if ever on GA-L, RX F) (You can do that if you want to confuse your customers, though I think that's an interesting idea to be honest )
Toyota applications: Optional on Tundra, Sequoia, Land Cruiser
The more that I think about it, I believe Toyota truly sees the V35A-FTS as their corporate replacement for a flexible, workhorse V8, so this probably won't happen at all. I simply included it as an engine that is a missed opportunity. Tundra will probably be the highest volume vehicle needing a 400+hp engine, and they already have that with the TT V6. I assume Toyota will say that engine is "good enough" and let it stand with no other uplevel option.
4.0L TT V8: ~600-625hp AND (mid 500 HP range) --> so we're looking at two guises here
Lexus applications: LS F, LC F, LF-1 F, LX F,
NX F (if we're looking at this like Mercedes-Benz), RX F (same what I said for NX), IS F, RC F, GS F, ES F (same what I said for NX), GX F and then...... go for the lower tune V8 engine for the ES 500/RX 500 all the way to the flagship models.
What? lol