New Lexus sportscar: LC and RC to merge into one model: report

According to a new report out of Japan, the bad news is the Lexus LC is getting the axe…  but wait, do you want to hear the good news?

While one of most magnificent sports cars ever made by Lexus is going to be discontinued, the good news is the LC and smaller the RC coupe - which has already been given the chop in Australia - will be merged into a new monster of a hybrid sportscar. That's if you believe what Japanese publication Best Car Web says.

Best Car Web claims the news is legitimate and they've been known to be on the money in the past when it comes to inside information and predictions.

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In this case, the rumour makes sense given the age and low sales of both the current LC and the RC having to be pulled from the Australian market due to it not meeting new safety standards. There's also the need for Lexus to ensure there's a luxury high-performance coupe model in its range.

So how do you replace the LC, a big luxurious swept back two-door grand tourer that has a big naturally aspirated V8 in its range? And then there's the agile but more practical RC mid-sized coupe which also shares the V8 in the top-spec RC F?

Even more tricky than that: how will Lexus somehow combine both very different sports cars into one model?

The answer, according to Best Car Web, is a new sports coupe that will be large at 4.8m long and 1.9m wide and adopt the LC's signature long bonnet, but with fastback styling.

If anything, it could end up looking similar to a larger sibling to Toyota's Supra.

As for what will power this 'King Supra', we know it won't be the 5.0-litre V8 and there's no way Lexus would use the BMW-sourced 3.0-litre six cylinder in the Supra.

The solution would most likely come in the form of the 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 used in the Tundra and Tacoma pick-ups in Toyota's United States line-up.

Another likely option would be to use the 3.5-litre V6 hybrid powertrain in the current LC range.

Perhaps we could even be looking at a Nissan GT-R rival here?

Keep your eyes peeled for more as this Lexus Frankenstein LC-RC monster story develops.