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Lexus pushing upmarket as others move down, LF-LC production hinted [w/video]

Jeff Bracken, Lexus' US group vice president and general manager, knows his company lost its position as America's biggest luxury brand back in 2011, and it's a mantle that his employer probably won't be getting back any time soon. That's because Lexus is electing not to follow the luxury segment's downmarket trend any more than its $32,500 CT 200h hybrid hatchback. "Since we won't be going down below $30,000, it will be very difficult for us to ever regain luxury leadership," Bracken admitted on Autoline After Hours late last week.
Rivals Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi all have new low-end entries on sale or in the wings to entice new buyers and fortify their CAFE scores, but Lexus has Toyota and Scion to capture sales underneath its lineup. Instead, Bracken hints that Lexus is going upmarket and higher-performance, fueling ongoing rumors of a LFA successor, or perhaps a new offering based on the lauded 2012 LF-LC coupe concept shown above, a production version of which could also slot in where the unloved SC convertible left off. "We need to begin bringing to market luxury performance... higher performance vehicles. IS-F certainly was the beginning of that, maybe on the lower end," says Bracken.
Later in the online video interview show, Bracken gets even more candid:

2015 Lexus RC F leaked out ahead of upcoming debut?

Lexus has had a somewhat volatile relationship with coupes. The first-gen SC gave way to the bloated second-gen convertible, which itself went out of production three years ago. The LFA arrived the same year the SC departed, but awesome as it was, it's six-figure price tag and limited production put it well out of reach even for the brand's typical upscale customers. That left only the IS Convertible to hold down the two-door end of the lineup, but Lexus is keen to fill that void with the arrival of the upcoming RC.
Oft been spied and speculated, the RC has reportedly leaked out from Japan's Best Car magazine in tantalizing RC F spec - although with the increasing quality of renderings (and the graininess of the photos in question), we could be looking at an artist's impression. That will upgrade the base coupe's anticipated 3.5-liter V6 and 306 horsepower with a 5.0-liter V8 churning out 455 hp, along with more aggressive styling previewed by the LF-CC concept.
Signs point toward the RC serving as the coupe counterpart to the IS, while the IS Convertible is expected to carry on (either in current or facelifted form) on the outgoing model's platform. Look for a reveal at either the Tokyo Motor Show in November or the Detroit Auto Show in December.

Lexus GS F points its gaping grille at the BMW M5

A mere trio of weeks after the latest report in the slow-moving Lexus GS F rumor cycle, we have a brand new batch of spy photos of the BMW M5-fighting sedan. Looking more and more production ready - notice the more finished exhausts compared to our last round of photos - the GS F can be seen poking around what we imagine is Germany.
If the RC and RC F Coupes are any indication, it looks like Lexus will start fitting its high-performance models with a new, single-frame version of the spindle grille while a dual-frame grille will be reserved for lesser trims. Backing up that suspicion is the new single-frame grille found on this prototype, marking the first time the suspected F line styling piece has been seen on a GS F prototype.
The aforementioned staggered quad exhausts look good on the GS' rear end, while a none-too-subtle rear spoiler ups the rear's visual flair. The low-profile rubber and the multi-spoke, black wheels are nice touches that work well with the front fascia features, in addition to the new, camo'd grille and substantial brake cooling ducts.