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Lexus says no to high-performance SUVs

Japanese luxury manufacturer Lexus says it has no intention to create high-performance F models of its SUVs to go up against its German rivals.


Speaking to the media at the launch of the new Lexus RC F in New York last week, the chief engineer of the F program, Yukihiko Yaguchi, confirmed there are no plans to make pure F models of the company’s RX and soon-to-launch NX SUV.

“To have an F badge, the car needs to have the characteristics to be able to run on track and be a race car,” Yaguchi said via an interpreter.

“Therefore it doesn’t really suit to have an SUV with a F brand model. However there may be F Sports in SUVs.”

His comments come despite the likes of Mercedes-Benz M, G, GLA and GL-Class all having AMG variants while BMW’s X5 and X6 are available with the full M kit and Audi’s recent efforts with the RS Q3.

Lexus is set to increase its SUV sales substantially when the Lexus NX300h arrives in local showrooms late October.

With the brand’s focus on creating halo models with the F range – which will ironically only consist of the RC F for the near future -  F Sport variants of its other cars have been a big hit with Australian customers.

Lexus will launch the RC F coupe around February next year and despite no official confirmation, CarAdvice believes the next vehicle slated for the full F treatment will likely be the Lexus GS followed by the new IS.

Both models are expected to use the same Yamaha-built 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 found in the RC F.

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