Skip to main content

Lexus teases ‘track-ready’ F-badged car ahead of the Detroit Auto Show

new lexus f car teaser images detroit auto show 15naias 001
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Lexus, you really know how to start an argument.

Teaser images are nothing unusual on the eve of a major auto show, but today the luxury automaker dropped two images of a planned reveal, as well as saying juuust enough to get the speculative gears churning.

Recommended Videos

Lexus announced that a second vehicle will be added to its F performance brand, along side the recently launched RC F. This second F-badged car will be “track-ready,” and fully revealed to the world at the Detroit Auto Show. We’ve already begun guessing.

Lexus_F_15NAIAS_002
Image used with permission by copyright holder

One could speculate that it’s a replacement for the IS F, the Japanese automaker’s popular compact sedan that housed a 415-horsepower 5.0-liter eight-cylinder engine and kicked off the F line of sporty Lexii.

Still, it could very well mean that the GS midsize sedan could be getting some high-powered upgrades. Swapping out the existing 3.5-liter six-cylinder in lieu of the RC F’s eight-cylinder wouldn’t be much of an effort, and the four-door already receives the F Sport performance package upgrades. Who’s to say Lexus won’t take things a step further?

Still, “track-ready.” Hmm.

Lexus is no stranger to the motorsport paddock. It’s supplied engines for Daytona Prototype race cars in the past and have seen many of it’s cars take to the track in GT series races. Could this be a track-kitted version of the already existing RC F?

Judging by the photos, and the fact that there would be much more fanfare around it, this isn’t the second coming of the LFA or a vehicle of that caliber. These photos imply something built around an existing model, leaving us back where we started: this could be anything, and now the wait for the Detroit Auto Show just got a little more difficult.

Alexander Kalogianni
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…
It looks like the end of the road for Cruise robotaxis
A Cruise autonomous car.

Autonomous-driving operations at Cruise look certain to end after its main backer, General Motors (GM), said it will stop funding the initiative.

GM, which has owned about 90% of Cruise since 2016, announced the decision in a statement shared on Tuesday. It follows a challenging period for Cruise after one of its autonomous cars ran over a woman after she was knocked into its path by a human-driven car in San Francisco in October 2023. The incident led to California regulators suspending Cruise's license to test its driverless cars on the state's streets, a decision that prompted Cruise to pause operations in other locations where it operated. It restarted low-level testing in Arizona in May 2024.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs. Kia EV9: Electric SUV sisters battle it out
Hyundai Ioniq 9 driving

The long-awaited Hyundai Ioniq 9 is finally on its way. Hyundai has taken the wraps off a production-ready version of the electric SUV, showing a modern vehicle that could well be the electric SUV to beat when it finally rolls out to the public. But it will have to contend with Hyundai’s sister company in order to truly gain the title of best electric SUV in its price range. The Kia EV9 has been a go-to option for a few years now.

But is one of these SUVs actually better, or are they just different? We put the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and the Kia EV9 head to head to find out.
Design
There are some similarities in the designs of the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and the Kia EV9, but they also look a little different. First, the similarities. Both vehicles are clearly SUVs, with larger blocky shapes. But, while the Kia EV9 has straight lines and sharper angles, the Ioniq 9 is a little curvier, with a rounded roofline and sculpted curves in the side panels.

Read more
Find Ford gifts for everyone on your holiday list, no really
Ford Accessories used while camping for holiday gifts

When you're shopping for holiday gifts, auto and Ford accessories probably don't cross your mind, at least not initially. Unless, of course, you're planning some gift ideas for the car enthusiast you know. But actually, Ford has a lot of different gift options even for those who aren't big into cars and vehicles. I know, it's an odd proposal but hear me out. From electronics and exterior accessories to truck bed augments, interior gear, and even outdoor-friendly gear -- like for camping -- Ford has a ton of options. Just to provide some examples, first aid safety kits, truck bed camping tents, portable fridges, pet-friendly seat mats, even dashcams, keyless entry systems, and beyond.

You never know, you could find the perfect gift in Ford's accessories lineup.
Shop Now

Read more