Lexus is determined to shed its conservative image as a brand that's more attractive to older luxury buyers than a younger generation of up- and-comers. Signs of this demographic shift have been evident for some time but perhaps one of the clearest indicators was the IS F. Based on the decent but ultimately unimpressive previous-gen IS sedan, the IS F is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 that produces 416 horsepower – a solid alternative to foes such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG.

And now that the all-new 2014 IS prepares to hit showrooms, you'd think Lexus would be gearing up to launch an even more potent IS F based on the new model. But apparently not. USA Today is claiming after the 2013 model year, the IS F will be discontinued without a scheduled replacement. Why? Just 486 units were sold last year in the US. Fortunately, there is still hope for a new Lexus high-performance model. Lexus Enthusiast claims that a production version of the LF-CC Coupe, displayed last September in Paris, is on the way soon, perhaps to be called the RC F. In the meantime, Lexus will continue selling the IS F until the end of this model year.