The hot Toyota GR RAV4 is an inch closer: what Lexus' plans for the Mercedes AMG GLC 63 S and formidable BMW X3 M NX F mean for Australia's beloved SUV

Because they share Toyota's new global architecture and most powertrains, any future Lexus NX F could also spawn a RAV4 version.

Is Lexus planning a hot NX F to threaten the BMW X3 M, Mercedes AMG GLC 6 S, Audi SQ5, Volvo XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio?

This tantalizing question was posed to Lexus Australia COO John Pappas, and his answer leaves hope not only for fans of fast mid-size luxury SUVs, but also for everyday buyers yearning for the Toyota GR RAV4.

“F is for us…performance is part of our DNA at Lexus,” he told Australian media at the launch of the second-generation Lexus NX luxury midsize SUV in Melbourne earlier this month.

“During the global announcement at the end of last year, you would see a lot of cars that looked very exciting, and one of them was an electric car with very good performance.”

The latest recognition indicates that Lexus is following rivals such as the Volvo XC60 PHEV in pursuing a gasoline-electric course to achieve its high performance goals.

Continuing to expand on the growing electrification specification of the new NX, it can build on the recently unveiled NX450h+ PHEV, which is currently the fastest and most powerful model in the lineup.

Powered by a 136kW/227Nm 2.5L engine paired with a 134kW/270Nm electric motor up front and a 40kW/121Nm engine at the rear axle, the NX450h+ delivers a respectable 227kW peak power output; while it prioritizes high economy and low emissions with an EV-only WLTP range of around 70 km and just 29 grams of CO2 pollution per kilometer, it can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds.

Of course, Lexus engineers still have a lot of work to do to match the 375 with a 3-3.8 km/h 0kW BMW X100 M, but with Toyota's 100-year move to a $2030bn mass EV coverage, the resources and scale are there, especially since NX is so closely related to RAV4.

Which begs the inevitable question: if the NX becomes an F, will there be a RAV4 twin?

Toyota is also pushing its GR (Gazoo Racing) agenda with the GR Supra, the successful GR Yaris and soon the GR86, and it's likely that the GR Corolla will be with us sooner rather than later, so why not expand on the RAV4?

While no one at Lexus Australia has mentioned any connection between the potential NX F and the possible GR RAV4 spin-off, sharing two vehicles of Toyota's new global architecture and most powertrains certainly raises the possibility that this could be teasing. .

Returning to Lexus' high-performance midsize luxury SUV, Mr. Pappas declined to elaborate on how far any future performance NX would be from local showrooms.

However, he suggested that the Australian division is already discussing with the head office the possibility of competing with competitors such as the SQ5, Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S 4Matic, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio and Volvo XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid.

“We are reviewing and talking to Lexus International,” he said, “including (o) the entire F series and performance models (future)… and while I don’t have anything specific to announce today, I am very excited about what lies ahead of us. Really exciting.

“It's part of our DNA. We are very passionate about performance."

NX F below 5.0s? The fastest and most exciting RAV4 ever, thanks to the greatness of the GR? Start believing in it.