Lexus LF-LC Coupe heading for production

It looks like the impressive Lexus LF-LC Concept is heading for production as Lexus tries to inject some sportiness in to their brand.

The stunning Lexus LF-LC Concept we saw at the Detroit Motor Show in January was certainly the most impressive Lexus concept for some time, although Lexus made it clear it was just a showcase of what their US designers were capable of envisaging.

But we thought at the time that the LF-LC had potential as a proper halo coupe for Lexus (ignoring the stand-alone, madly priced LFA) that could be brought to market as an LS Coupe – the Lexus LC, perhaps?

Now Automotive News are reporting Lexus insiders saying that the LF-LC is almost certainly heading for production by 2015 as Lexus try to recover their slipping sales in the US and try to re-invent themselves as luxury and sporty.

The thinking is that Lexus will take the IS-F platform and turn that in to a production version of the LF-LC, complete with the impressive spindle grill and 2+2 body shape inspired by the LFA.

But what seems more likely to us is that Lexus will use the underpinnings of the new GS to create the LS Coupe with a design based on the LF-LC, as well as a Lexus GS Coupe, a car already flagged up as a stong contender for production by Lexus.

Whatever route Lexus choose to make the LF-LC Concept a production reality, the expectation is that it will be ready to rock by 2015 and priced somewhere north of the Lexus LS. That means a starting price of around £120k, taking aim at cars like top end Porsche 911s and the Aston Martin Vantage.

And is it too much to hope that Lexus could offer not just the 5.0 litre hybrid powertrain from the LS in the LC, but a high-performance, forced-induction V8 version too?