It may not be a turbo but the UC could provide that extra power GR 86/BRZ fans have been craving
Fresh new rumours have emerged in Japan that Lexus is developing a third performance rear-wheel-drive coupe to join alongside the RC F and LC. According to Spyder7, the car will be christened UC, which stands for Urban Coupe, and utilise the underpinnings of the Toyota GR 86.
This includes the new 2.4-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that makes 235 PS and 250 Nm in the GR 86 and 231 PS and 249 Nm in the Subaru BRZ. In the UC, however, the naturally aspirated mill will reportedly have an extra motivation in the form of a hybrid system comprising an electric motor as well as a battery pack.
It is unknown how much additional power will be generated by the hybrid drivetrain but it will definitely result in a significant power hike over the GR 86 and BRZ. Unlike the those two, which can be had with a six-speed manual transmission, it is very likely that the UC will only be available as an automatic.
Design-wise, we could picture the UC retaining the overall shape of the car it is based on but with brand-specific bits such as angular headlights with signature arrow-shaped daytime running lights and of course, the trademark spindle grille. Well, this could very well be true if the spy photo above is to be believed. These renderings by artist Elio Anzora also suggest the same.
The Japanese website goes on to claim that the UC could have a longer body of up to 4,500 mm in order to make room for the hybrid battery pack. As a refresher, the LC measures 4,770 mm in length while the GR 86 4,265 mm.
Going inside, the UC could feature the automaker’s brand new infotainment system that was first introduced in the new NX. Needless to say, the trims and materials used will also be of higher quality to further differentiate the Lexus from the GR 86/BRZ twins.
