Lexus LC F will be a 600bhp Premium rival to Nissan’s GT-R Nismo, say Japanese press

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The Lexus LC F – a high performance take on the new LC Coupe – looks to be on track and will arrive as a luxury rival to the Nissan GT-R Nismo by 2019.

Back at the start of the year, we reported that there’s a high performance Lexus LC F on the way, complete with a 4.0 litre turbo V8 delivering 600bhp. 

Since then, we’ve heard nothing more, but now Japan’s Best Car Web is reporting more details, including Lexus’s aim to show the Nissan GT-R a thing or two in the process.

The new LC is just starting to arrive in the UK, and it’s a stunning looking car with a choice of either a 345bhp hybrid or a 467bhp 5.0 litre V8, both offering strong performance, but performance fitting of a luxury coupe.

But the LC F will get a 600bhp 4.0 litre V8, with the Lexus development team stating that the plan is to exceed the performance of Japan’s most impressive performance toy – the Nissan GT-R Nismo.

The 4.0 litre V8 heading for the LC F (and probably the GS F later) is arguably a step up on the GT-R’s 3.8 litre six-pot, and looks set to match its 600bhp too.

Clearly there’s going to have to be some fettling of the LC’s underpinnings to make it as dynamic as it will need to be to turn in to a luxury take on the GT-R, and we hope Lexus won’t spoil the stunning looks of the LC by bolting on too many go faster body bits.

Best Car Web is saying the LC F will arrive as a 2019 model year car, but our report earlier this year suggested it would arrive at the Tokyo Motor Show in October. But both could be right if Lexus start off with an LC F Concept at Tokyo, and deliver a production version for the 2019MY.

But whenever is does arrive, it could be a stunning car.