Lexus rules out CT F and NX F

The Lexus F performance sub-brand will not develop a rival for the popular Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG or forthcoming BMW M2 and nor will it delve into the super SUV segment.

Instead, F will remain focussed on building large rear-wheel drive performance cars powered by V8 engines, as per the IS F sedan and its successor, the RC F Coupe, which goes on sale in Australia in early 2015.

Lexus F chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi told motoring.com.au at the global launch of the RC F in New York last week that the choices for the sub-brand were dictated by what architectures were available that could handle the track-focussed design brief of F cars.

“The reason they picked the 4.70 (the approximate length of the RC F) is they have to have a base model to be able to develop an F model from there on,” Yaguchi explained via his interpreter.

Yaguchi also made plain his preference for naturally-aspirated V8s such as the 5.0-litre that powers both the RC F and it IS F predecessor, over the downsized turbocharged route taken by BMW with its latest 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder M3 and M4.

“He has driven the M4 and he doesn't feel or he doesn't like the linearity of the acceleration feel of that car,” his interpreter explained. “He doesn't think the current turbo really delivers that feeling they are looking for.

“Turbo technology has been around for ages so it is nothing new. It is more a matter of choosing the right package for the characteristics of the vehicle we are doing.”

Yaguchi's puritanical take on what should constitute an F model may not be a universally held view within Lexus.

For instance, Lexus International Executive Vice President Mark Templin told motoring.com.au last year that a dramatic expansion of F models was on the way and, separately, that a higher performance version of the next generation CT model would be a good idea, although he did not specifically say it should be an F.

When asked if F would consider developing a CT-based high-performance model, Yaguchi was dismissive.

“He is not interested in building with front-wheel drive configuration,” his interpreter told motoring.com.au.

Asked if F could develop an all-wheel drive version Yaguchi replied via his interpreter: “Basically they have to consider taking whatever is available in the production unit, or baseline unit. So if you are going to build something smaller then it is going to require having a brand-new architecture.”

So no F small car then? “No”.

Yaguchi was also less than impressed by the concept of an F SUV, which could be based on the RX and/or the new NX which launches in Australia in late October.

“To have an F badge, the car needs to have characteristics to be able to run on track and on race course,” he explained. “Therefore it doesn't really suit to have an SUV as an F model. There may be an F Sports SUV (there are already – ED), but as far as F models go, no plans.”

While quite happy to say what he wasn't interested in developing under the F label, Yaguchi wasn't so inclined to discuss mooted future models, apart from saying he supported an expansion of the line-up.

He was most forthcoming about the prospect of developing a second-generation IS F sports sedan.

“We will have to asses within our line-up and perhaps it could be the next-generation IS F. But at the moment what we have is the RC F, which is a coupe, so it's a matter of looking to see whether we need the IS F, or if we need to expand a little more in the coupe line-up, similar to RC F.”

Separately, Yaguchi confirmed RC F development would be ongoing and that a CCS-R club racer would be added in 2015.

However, Yaguchi was silent on the much-photographed GS F, other than to say an expansion of the F range wouldn't mean an expansion of the engine line-up beyond the current 5.0-litre V8: “We don't think it is good to have numerous different engine sizes.”

He also said there were no plans currently for an RC F version of the mooted RC convertible.

More intriguingly he said reports of a twin-turbo RC FS with 450kW supposedly due in 2016 as "probably rumours", which hardly constitutes an emphatic denial.

Yaguchi did say F had not tested a turbocharged version of the 5.0-litre V8. However, Toyota Motorsport GmbH has worked on just such an engine for its one-off Lexus TS 650 which made 478kW and 710NM.

Read our first drive review of the new RC F and RC 350 coupes here from 1:00pm Friday.