Now that major performance brands have introduced electric cars, Lexus’ Performance wing may also start buzzing electric. According to President Yoshihiro Sawa, Lexus' F sub-brand could be heading towards electrification, while retaining the petrol engines as well. Are we going to get newer models, or will the existing cars get hybrid souls?
The Future Is Now
Speaking to Auto Express at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Sawa said, “F is very important; with F we have to think of our own original way,” “We don’t stick to V-8, V-10, twin-turbocharged; they’re important, but we’re looking at the future. We’d like to find a way to connect to the next era.”
He also added, “I think that now, we’re in a transitional period. At this moment people say EVs are trendy but three years later, who knows? People like the sound, the dynamics . I think we cannot stick to the one solution when it comes to providing emotion.”
Currently, the F marque sells the RC F, GS F, and the LC; all of them using V-8 engines. It is most likely that all these models, along with newer models in the future, will get hybrid powertrains. This doesn’t mean the combustion engines will be ruled out anytime soon. While there was no announcement of any sorts, Sawa did mention an F GT car, “which could be a hybrid with an electric motor and a strong engine, giving a different kind of drive feel.”
Our Take
The electrification era is more or less like a shuffle, where almost everyone starts from the scratch. Lexus has not been able to give stiff competition to any of its rivals for that matter; be it the luxury marque or the performance brand itself. This seems like a good opportunity for Lexus to use this as a launch pad and showcase itself as a worthy contender against the likes of Tesla, Polestar, and BMW – to name a few. In fact, Yoshihiro kept stressing on one thing the whole time – an emotional connection with people. Now, will these hybridized fast cars put Lexus F over the top? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Further reading
Read our full review on the 2018 Lexus RC F.
Read our full review on the 2018 Lexus GS F.
Read our full speculative review on the 2019 Lexus LC F.
Read more Lexus news.
Read more Goodwood Festival of Speed.