Lexus RC F and 350 here this year

Lexus has confirmed it will launch the all-new RC coupe in Australia by early next year, in both six-cylinder RC 350 and V8-powered RC F form, but motoring.com.au understands both brand-building sports cars will be available here by the end of this year.

However, despite plans to offer it here from launch, the RC 300h hybrid will not be offered in Australia for the foreseeable future due to short supplies from Japan, which is already struggling to keep up with global demand for the IS 300h sedan.

Instead, the Japanese luxury brand's first turbocharged petrol engine, the 2.0-litre turbo-four that produces a healthy 175kW/350Nm in the upcoming NX 200t, is also being readied for use in both the IS and RC.

motoring.com.au has learned that Lexus has registered the 'IS 200t' trademark in both Australia and the US, meaning its newest engine is likely to appear next in its mid-size sedan, before becoming available in the RC coupe.

The direct-injection turbo-petrol four, which employs a twin-scroll turbo to produce 350Nm of torque over a wide 1650-4000rpm, is designed to replace the 2.5-litre V6 that makes about 153kW/252Nm in the IS 250 and GS 250 sedans.

Lexus has also expressed its desire to eventually produce full-house F versions of every model, and the GS F is expected to appear next, followed by a replacement for the previous-generation IS F sports sedan.

As widely reported, the GS F could be powered by a twin-turbo 5.0-litre petrol V8 delivering up to 478kW/710Nm, making it Lexus' first direct rival for the BMW M5 and Mercedes E 63 AMG.

However, a lower-output naturally aspirated version will produce around 330kW/520Nm in both the RC F and IS F, making them legitimate rivals for BMW's upcoming M4 coupe and M3 sedan respectively.

The old IS F's 5.0-litre V8 produced 311kW/505Nm, sprinted to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds and was last priced from $129,945.

Lexus is yet to reveal performance figures for the RC F ahead of its global launch in August and its local arrival late this year, but it – and the subsequent IS F – are expected to be quicker.

The two-door RC F and four-door IS F, which will both come with an eight-speed automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter as standard, will be cheaper than their opposite numbers at BMW. Powered by a 317kW/550Nm turbo-six, the new M3 and M4 both arrive here in June, priced from a respective $156,900 and $166,900.

The base RC 350, meantime, will open Lexus' all-new coupe range for now, powered by a 234kW/380Nm 3.5-litre V6 matched to a regular eight-speed auto, making it a rival for BMW's 435i (from $108,500).

When the turbo RC 200t eventually joins the range, it should lower the RC's entry price to under $70,000, in line with the 4 Series and other mid-size prestige coupes like Audi's A4/S5 and Mercedes' C-Class Coupe.

Expect two specs of the RC 350 to be available, including an F Sport model revealed at Geneva (pictured in white) featuring a milder bodykit than the RC F, which rides on 19-inch wheels, "exclusively tuned front and rear suspension hardware” with the option of Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) and the Lexus Dynamic Handling (LDH) system including rear-wheel steering.

The RC is based on another variation of the medium/large rear-drive modular platform that underpins Lexus' medium IS and large GS sedans, and is as about as long as the IS but as wide as the GS.

In the absence of the discontinued LFA supercar, completing the Toyota premium brand's F performance family in the medium term -- beyond the RC F, GS F and IS F -- will be an F version of a two-door convertible based on the RC, to replace the previous IS 250C and rival the 4 Series Convertible.

But there's no word yet about bona-fide F performance flagships for the CT hatch, ES sedan and LS limousine, or the NX, RX and LX SUVs.