Lexus UC? Any merit to this Lexus twins (triplets?) rumor?
 

https://lexusenthusiast.com/forums/t...wertrain.6395/

The japanese rumor link is in the first post.

I know ive heard some rumblings of a possible Lexus version in the past but i dont think it really made any sense nor was it an actual rumor, just some person thinking Lexus could/should make its own version or something to that effect.

But now it MIGHT have legs? WTF?
How much sense does this even make?
Why does Lexus need something in this segment...?

So Lexus...Toyota's Luxury arm, will attempt to make a Luxury sports car out of a non-luxury relatively cheap economy level sports car built by a non-luxury make in Subaru.....

This is Chevy Cavalier/Cadillac Cimarron, Toyota Prius/Lexus HS and Toyota iQ/Aston Martin Cygnet, or even Subaru Impreza/Saab 9-2X level of nonsense.

Regardless of the rumor, depending on the price this might be attractive. A few 1000 more for a premium interior, sound deadening, and a better dealership experience? might be worth it.

I'm responding with BS and have no knowledge of anything and it is unlikely to happen anyway but here goes.

But now it MIGHT have legs? WTF?

Perhaps Toyota has found that the 86 GT simply wasn't luxurious enough. Like there is a market of people shopping the 86 who found it is just too aggressive. But they would spend $35~40K for a more luxurious version of the 86 with a Lexus badge.

Why does Lexus need something in this segment...?

The RC is dead soon. The LC will be gone soon after that. There is still demand for coupes and entry luxury though. Maybe they could sell it as a city car like the UX, but in a different segment.

How much sense does this even make?

A lot of sense if Lexus doesn't have to invest a lot into updates or changes. Cover everything with leather, put in a higher-end touchscreen, update the graphics on the dashboard, make adjustable dapeners standard, and just go through and finish the car with nicer materials. The R&D has been paid for already. At this point it is just profit. The added margins would also help to make the case for keeping the 86 and BRZ around.

If somehow they could work in a hybrid system, all the better. But I'm unsure if the platform has those capabilities.

Which leads to the question: Why not use the Supra? For the Supra, they would probably have to spend too much, it would cost too much for the available market, and maybe BMW would just say no since they have the 4-Series and Z4 already.

Wow that spy shot makes this rumor even more convincing. Interesting.

I think that's the crux of the problem - I doubt Lexus will let Subaru build a version for them, as they would want not only more premium interior but also more premium ride which would require changes to suspension and adding dampeners, isolators, etc. to the chassis.
Nobody would be fooled by an hourglass bumper and some extra leather bits in the interior.

The Lexus version is powered by a turbo V6.

I would agree. They could do a quick rewrap like the Subaru Impreza > Saab 9-2X situation but then all you'd end up with is a nicer version of the same car.

I'd think they'd have to go Aston Martin Cygnet which was almost a completely redone interior and some exterior to make a toyota iQ feel like an Aston Martin. And it pretty much cost more than twice as much as an iQ for just a pampered iQ....
I dont think luxifying a twin will garner a price increase to that extent but would it even be a reasonable enough price increase to justify its existence?

Yeah I was ready to call BS but if that spy shot is real that changes things

I have a Lexus "Land Cruiser" hundy... an LX470. Absolutely LOVE it. Lexus "experience" and "dealership experience" doesn't enter into it AT ALL. It's as capable as a Land Cruiser, only really quiet and even more comfortable.

If there was a Lexus version of my FRS, with a MANUAL transmission, I'd be all over it, just for the increase in cabin quietness.

The LX470 knocks it out of the park because it maintains the capabilities of a Land Cruiser. If, and I know it's probably a total pipe dream, Lexus does do a "triplet" version of the FRS/BRZ/86, and it maintains at least 98% of the capabilities of the current iterations, AND IS AVAILABLE IN MANUAL (I'm glaring at YOU, new Supra), I'd be in instantly.

These cars are based on the same platform. It is doable.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...8-06%29_01.jpg
https://cars.usnews.com/pics/size/77..._dashboard.jpg
https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/reviews/...e_1200x630.png
https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims3/GL...-ux-250h-1.jpg

That spy shot was posted somewhere here months ago.

I was going to mention that too. I thought it was just he testing team having fun with the camo tape.

Stop. Just. Stop.

A new rumor from Creative311

It is a rumor of a rumor from some dude on a forum.
Sounds legit

As far as the spy shot goes they brought the camo up to cover the hood line a bit. This gives it a sort of Lexus shape

If you look just above that bar or whatever it is you can see the actual top of the 86 grill bulging through the camo.

https://lexusenthusiast.com/images/w...XVgAE1xsd.jpeg

Up next: Porsche teams with Subaru to create entry level Cayman for 35k. I can be the some dude on a forum that said it. Now if someone better than me at photoshop can make a spy shot. We can read about it in a couple of months from now and have a laugh.

But... but... but...

500 lbs of sound deadening, softer, heavier seats, more fancy electronics, a softer suspension for a smoother ride, automatic transmission only, and a higher price is just what we have been asking for and would make our cars perfect!:thumbsup:

Funny thing about that is that i think it was Tada himself said he would love to team up with Porsche to recreate some form of MR2 revival.

Love to and will are not the same thing.
Not to mention that about half his "quotes" I have ever read were either taken out of context, twisted to mean something totally different than actually said or just downright made up.

Lol you guys are likely getting excited about nothing.

Did you guys not see all the Japanese aftermarket companies that got their hands on the GR86 and already have almost-full (or in one or two cases, full) body kits already developed on real cars?

My money is that this is an AIMGAIN kit that just hasn't been announced yet...

http://www.aimgain.net/english/bodyk...g/86lfs/p7.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pr...82NUrRN1WsIaFY

We definitely need a Lexus version so that Toyota can make $10k extra profit easily from the badge. More $ to keep future sports car alive!

Porsche's ugly SUV (money maker) saved their 911 and 718 (I think)

yep, that pic has been out for quite some time.

aint camo, just looks like a new twin with blacked out headlights and another aimgain lexus inspired bumper as they did with the first gen twins....


Lexus RC starts at 42 K, how the hell would they be able to convert a twin into something that would slot below the RC and be competitive? Not to mention it could also cut into 4 cyl Supra sales. But logically what would they stick in there? absolutely ain't happenin

It is camo. There were other shots of it. It is just somebody at Toyota trolling or they wanted to hide the hood lines. Like I said before you can clearly see the 86 bumper bumps through the camo.

https://www.supramkv.com/attachments...ium-jpg.40362/

The whole thought that there is any validity behind this rumour is laughable.

But it’s on the Internet!

Well I would buy a mid engine version of the twins and many others would too. You heard it here first. :)

It would no longer be a Twin though. Once you change it that dramatically you change everything. Calling it a Twin is just a badge game at that point.

you're suggesting a person took some camo, which isn't even black on any of the past mules, shaped it up to look like a lexus grill and some large side intakes, and blacked out the headlights (which might even be a totally different headlight looking at shape of the projectors) just to troll? I don't see a GR 86 bumper poking out of it, and my eyes work great! :D

perhaps that could be the case but I wasn't convinced from seeing any of the pics. that car was seen long before launch. another aimgain bumper is still my vote. :iono:

https://bulletproofautomotive.com/wp...frs1-1.347.jpg

for comparison & close up..

https://s3-prod.autonews.com/s3fs-pu...SIX-MAIN_i.jpg

either way it ain't no Lexus mule.

that we can both agree 1000% on lol

The blacked out sections look like a covering to me vs actually part of the bumper. It looks like someone cut up some trash bags and taped it on, impromptu camo for someone who got to drive it before Toyota wanted it seen.

the blacked out sections below the headlights, sure, they look stuck on but come on, what were they trying to hide when it seems like hundreds of other GR 86/BRZs only without badges were out roaming around japan for months before these pics came out. what do you think they would be trying to hide on portions of JUST the bumper...? They didn't go through all that trouble for just small "camo" on the bumper that happens to look like an lexus inspired bumper with a random GR 86...to me it just looks unfinished, who knows if they are still shaping the bumper :iono:

Looking at the blown up pictures I totally agree with your theory
The section you can see protruding above and below the bar here:
https://www.ft86club.com/forums/atta...1&d=1624491467

Is the flat section across the grill here:

https://bulletproofautomotive.com/wp...frs1-1.347.jpg

True but it could be an MR2 for Toyota and maybe a BR2 for Subaru. But the rumor says it’s with Porsche.

Toyota apparently approached Porsche for the Supra, but they weren’t interested.

The blacked out section between the headlights still looks like a cover to me, not integrated. It could be hiding the Lexus bodykit update underneath if that was being worked on, but I don't think the gr86 face had been shown when these dropped originally. Whole camo cars sure, but nothing completely exposed.

I dont think the Porsche/MR2 rumor was anything more than just Tada saying it would have been a ideal combination if they were to pair up for any kind of MR2 revival.

If you say it enough times it will come true. If it was true it will not be cheap.

Could be but I was following the 2nd gen launch very closely, these pics came out long after plenty of badgeless GR 86 & BRZ were all over Japan. Go back the original threads if you're feeling bored :D if they were trying to hide, it wouldn't have been just portions of the bumper..

I’ve seen this picture before the Subaru event in October iirc. It’s old

So what you're saying is, the deposit I gave to the Lexus dealer for the GR86 variant might as well have been tossed in the shredder?