Lexus is reveling in its darker side. Toyota's luxury brand had more unassuming beginnings, of course, as the first LS was the ultimate in luxury at its time and the RX was among the first premium crossovers. Then hybridization took over. But the Japanese company is through being thought of solely as the perfect brand for green-minded soccer moms. The F models appeared, then came the awesome LFA. Now we hear Lexus could compete in the Australian V8 Supercars series. As far as racing goes, it doesn't get much more bad-ass than that.
This news comes from Down Under website CarAdvice, who spoke with Lexus Australia chief Sean Hanley on the occasion of the local RC launch. Hanley said that Lexus approached the organizers of the V8 Supercars competition, and that "high-level discussions" are being conducted.
In the past, only V-8–powered four-door sedans were allowed to compete in the series, but it may be opened to different body styles and engine types. That's good news for Lexus, as the previous IS F sedan has been replaced by the new RC F coupe, which the company aims directly at the BMW M4. As far as engines are concerned, if Australia decides to stick with the V-8, Lexus won't mind; that's exactly how the Japanese like to serve up their high-performance derivatives. Naturally, the new race car would sport the "spindle grille"—which carries the more appropriate "Diabolo grille" moniker outside of the U.S.—and we already know it will look right at home on the racetrack.
- Lexus RC F GT3: The Race-Ready Lexus Coupe
- 2015 Lexus RC F Tested: Looks Like Gundam, Moves Like Rerun
- 2015 RC350 Coupe Driven: Born of Three Cars, It's One Compelling Coupe
The V8 Supercars series is gaining in popularity internationally, and we hope Lexus goes all-in on the series—and others. Racing would be great for its brand image and, regarding V8 Supercars, would reflect positively on Australia's once-great car culture, which has taken painful blows over the last decade.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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