Lexus has removed the LC and RC sports cars from sale in the UK, which means it now sells only hybrids and EVs, and no longer offers a V8.
The two-door GTs were approaching the end of their expected life cycles anyway, at seven and 10 years old respectively, but a spokesperson for the brand cited "legislative and homologation issues" as the reason for their withdrawal.
It is not clear, though, whether the decision was made in light of GSR2 safety regulations, the EU's new cybersecurity directive or fleet emission quotas.
Autocar understands both cars are no longer available in mainland Europe, and the UK allocation for each has been sold out.
The withdrawal of the LC and RC means Lexus's European line-up is now mainly made up of SUVs, with just the ES and LS saloons and LM MPV remaining alongside the LBX, UX, NX, RX and RZ crossovers.
It also means all Lexus models are electrified, with the firm's naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 retiring along with the LC and RC. That leaves the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette as the only two series-production cars available with an atmo V8 in the UK.
The LC has been on sale since 2017 with the choice of the pure V8 or an electrified 3.5-litre V6, receiving the option of a soft-top convertible in 2020. It has sold 624 units in the UK over its lifetime.
The older RC was available with a four-cylinder hybrid from launch, but that was dropped in 2020, at which point the coupé was offered exclusively in hardcore RC F guise with a 467bhp version of the V8.
The RC was the more popular car, with 2600 units sold in the decade it was here, but Lexus sold just 15 examples last year and only 12 in 2022.
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Perhaps the most surprising thing is that Lexus kept these models on sale here for so long with so little sales,absolutely nothing wrong with either car at all but here here the UK this sector of the market the public seems obsessed with German vehicles. Still well done to Toyota for continuing with the Lexus range unlike Nissan who lost patience with the Infinitti range in Europe
Oh dear artill.
People who like cars are buying EVs. It's not 1975 anymore.The penny is starting to drop at Toyota and Lexus and they realise they need to retire the old school models because no one wants them anymore.The car market is going one way - towards electrification. I would say we need to wake up and smell the exhaust fumes, but thankfully there won't be any.
yesterday for the first time i saw an LC soft top. Wow! Its hard to believe they killed it off.
Lexus are going the wrong way, all RWD saloons have gone. Almost everything is an SUV. No coupe's left, no soft tops. The V6 is dead here too.
The interiors are lovely, and reliability can be taken for granted, but come on, there must be something for people who actually like cars!
Says everything you need to know about this car. I've never seen one, never even knew it existed here in the UK.
A quick look on Autotrader says there are 12 for sale in the UK, the oldest being 2020.
Breaking news - Lexus drop car from UK that didn't sell. I don't get why fellow commentators are so upset if nobody wants it?