Lexus RC News

The Toyota-owned Lexus brand has given the motoring world some truly desirable sports cars, and even a legendary supercar.Yamaha-tuned naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engines have graced the engine bays of sedans, coupes and tourers, and a similarly developed 4.8-litre V10 found under the long bonnet of the Lexus LFA supercar is often cited as one of the world's best-sounding.More accessible, the still-available (for now) Lexus LC500 sounds like a NASCAR on the limiter, and the back-to-basics dynamics of cars like the relatively recent RC F were a far cry from the ‘retirement-spec’ Lexus SUVs that make up the bulk of the brand’s sales (and, at times, image).At the Australian launch of the updated 2026 Lexus RZ electric SUV, CarsGuide asked the brand’s local top brass where the next desirable halo model is coming from.Lexus Australia Chief Executive Jack Hobbs said, for now, the F Sport models available in the line-up and cars like the LBX Morizo have enough pep to fill customer demand for performance.“Certainly you know we'd love to have those sorts of products in our suite,” he told CarsGuide.“At the same time I think we've got enough offerings through the F Sport grades across the model range, and offerings like the LBX Morizo to, I guess, extend the range enough at this point in time.”While Lexus doesn’t quite have a high-performance aspirational model like the LFA - not even the limited-run RZ 600e F Sport Performance seems to fit the bill - the Lexus LFA Concept unveiled in stages as the Lexus Sport Concept in 2025 is starting to become more concrete.It’s just that it’s a battery electric vehicle.Strategic Communications Manager Nam Luong added some context around what the brand sees as its future direction, focussing on mobility and luxury rather than outright performance.“Yes, I think what you saw at the Japan Mobility Show in the Discover concepts, what we're looking at is broadening the expansion of the model range to encompass multiple forms of mobility, in terms of land, sea and air.”Other concepts that joined the LFA under the ‘Discover’ banner included a high-end people mover, the LS Concept, and a high-riding LS Coupe Concept sedan. Autonomous personal pods and even water-faring luxury yachts are part of the vision.“From a land perspective, the LFA concept has a role to play from that performance point of view, but what we're trying to identify is, well, how do we create a Lexus experience ecosystem beyond just the land element, seeing where and what Lexus Australia can continue to deliver on is also ‘what is that lifestyle experience’ that we can provide to our customers as well.”

Japanese automotive publication Bestcar has graced us with digital renders once again, which this time take shape as the next-generation Lexus LC.It’s the latest conceptualisation of the upcoming LC in line with Lexus’ new design language, and we have to say, it looks pretty mean.The two-door sports coupe has been imagined in the same silhouette as the current-generation model, albeit with more aggressive styling.That includes fresh LED headlight clusters, a dual-chamber front grille, a new bumper and multi-spoke black alloy wheels.At the rear, the Lexus badge has been replaced by ‘L-E-X-U-S’ branding, which accompanies a new LED taillight bar, a small lip spoiler and a new lower apron.The 2026 model is a part of a sports car rebirth by Lexus and its parent company Toyota, which are committing to reinstating and introducing new sporty nameplates in the face of electrification, such as the LFA-based Lexus LFR, LC and Toyota Celica.As one of those models, the LC will purportedly return as a hybridised amalgamation of the RC and LC as both cars are gradually phased out across global markets this year.Bestcar reported that the new LC will carry a 3.5-litre V6 hybrid motor, with a battery-electric version also expected to accompany it – though details on the latter remain under wraps for now.Other engine possibilities are said to be the 3.4-litre V6 twin-turbo borrowed from the full-sized Toyota Tundra pick-up or the smaller 2.4-litre turbo-petrol-hybrid engine from the Tacoma, which is more comparable in size to a HiLux.Toyota is currently developing super-efficient 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines that are compatible with hybrid systems as well as synthetic fuels, however, these appear to be off the table for the future LC.Either way, we will certainly be saying goodbye to the 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated V8 that currently powers both the RC and the LC.The LC still remains in on sale in Australia, with global production set to wrap up later this year. The Lexus RC was discontinued for Australia three years ago, but will still remain available in some markets for 2025 before it meets the same fate as the LC later this year.

Just as European, Chinese and American carmakers hurry to downsize engines, consolidate models and electrify everything, Japan looks set for a combustion-engined sports car resurgence. 

Lexus is expected to launch an all-new entry-level hybrid crossover in Australia within the next 18 months, slotting in underneath the established UX as the brand’s most affordable offering.

The Australian Government's Vehicle Recalls program has announced a recall for 14,270 Lexus cars due to a fire risk.The cars, which are Lexus IS, RC, and GS models from between 2012 and 2018, have been recalled for a fuel tank vent fault which could lead

A new year is always tinged in a tiny bit of sadness for us car peeps.

Mitsubishi will continue to sell its Mirage micro car for a while yet, despite the hatchback not complying with the Australian Design Rule (ADR) changes that came into effect on November 1.The Japanese carmaker looks like it is the only manufacturer affec

Lexus Australia has discontinued the IS mid-size sedan, RC sports coupe and CT small hatchback due to a new local safety regulation that’s a world first

Lexus Australia has given non-performance versions of the RC sports car an update, with improvements made on the transmission, suspension and safety fronts

Ever wanted to know what it's like to stoke the roaring V8 of the Lexus LC 500?