The Lexus RC F has turned out to be a decent GT3 race car, but it wasn’t without some extreme effort from Lexus engineers. See, the current RC wasn’t designed with motorsports in mind at all, so when Lexus launched the RC F GT3, it did so as an afterthought, so it was way too heavy and hard to adapt. We’ve learned that the next-gen RC will rectify this issue by being designed for motorsports from the ground up, but what we didn’t know is that Lexus already has a working DNA pattern, and it comes from the recently revealed Toyota GR GT3 Concept that was shown off at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon.

Evolution of the Lexus RC F - It's a Toyota Affair

This report comes directly from TRD President, David Wilson, who spoke to Car & Driver earlier this month. Now, he didn’t exactly confirm that the GR GT3 Concept would become the nexr-gen RC (or RC F, for that matter), but he did certainly hint that it will lend some of its DNA to the next-gen sports coupe.

could be a precursor to the next global GT3 car for Lexus.”>

He is, of course, talking about the next RC-based GT3 racecar, but this is also significantly good news for the road-going RC and RC F sports coupe as well. As we saw with the RC F Track Edition and the RC F Fuji Speedway Edition, Lexus is already using carbon fiber to lower the weight of the current RC, and that philosophy will carry over to the next generation, so expect considerable use of carbon fiber. This will translate to less weight and, ultimately, improved overall performance.

Next, because the next-gen RC will be at its core to participate in motorsports and will be significantly lighter, Lexus won’t have to go out of its way to bring massive performance increases under the hood. In fact, it could even see a decrease in power output yet end up faster and more dynamic. The current RC F has a 5.0-liter V-8 that delivers 472 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque – enough for a 4.1-second sprint to 60 mph when put to the test by Car & Driver. It went on to hit a top speed of 168 mph, too. The lighter Fuji Speedway Edition saw the 60-mph sprint drop to four-seconds flat, so with the same engine and extra weight reduction, the next-gen RC F could be good for a sub-four-second sprint to 60 mph.

This isn’t the full story, though, as there’s a good chance that Lexus could ditch the V-8 altogether in the name of being more compliant with emissions regulations. That means the next-gen RC could be offered with a range of V-6 or engine inline-four engines. Through the application of forced induction and, potentially, electrification, a smaller and lighter engine could provide even more horsepower without the extra pounds to tug around with it.

Outside of this, being designed for motorsports first means a specifically tuned chassis and suspension system. So, the next-gen RC won't just be a rocket in a straight line, but it’ll also be able to carve corners with the best of them. Expect to see huge improvements to the suspension and the chassis that will allow for more dynamic handling and a sportier ride. As for when the next-gen RC will make its debut, sources claim it’ll happen in the next couple of years, so we could see it on the road as soon as 2025.

Lexus RC and RC F Performance Specifications