Will the next-gen Lexus IS F have a twin-turbo V6?

The
Lexus IS F,
Japan’s answer to the European
BMW M3 and
Mercedes-Benz C63, has been with us since its introduction at the 2007
Detroit Auto Show. The first-generation sedan is fitted with the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 (2UR-GSE) from
Toyota, a powerplant shared with the
hybrid
Lexus LS 600h. Tuned by Yamaha, the engine is rated at 416 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 371 pound-feet of torque at 5,200. Mated to a wet eight-speed automatic, the current rear-wheel drive IS is good for a 0-60 sprint in about 4.6 seconds.

But natural aspiration and big displacement is so last year.
BMW has confirmed that the next-generation
M3 will drop its V8 in favor of a turbocharged inline-six, and it is just a matter of time before the C63 drops its naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 for the automaker’s twin-turbo 5.5-liter. Both engines will supply gobs of enthusiast-pleasing torque down low, and much better
fuel efficiency –
trademarks of today’s advanced forced-induction engines.

The replacement is reportedly much larger than the current
IS (with a dashboard inspired by the
Lexus LFA
supercar), and the new sedan will need to meet or exceed the power of its Euro rivals to be competitive. That means 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, assuming the rivals hold power at their current levels.

We recently asked
Lexus about
rumors that the next-generation
IS F will follow the same path. While nobody would confirm that the range-topping successor would have a smaller turbocharged engine, the executives admitted with a sly smile that such an approach does have its advantages. They didn’t need to say more.

As Lexus doesn’t have an obvious turbocharged solution in its current lineup, what do you think will end up under the hood in 2014? And, now that
Toyota and BMW have inked a new collaboration, what about the possibility of
Lexus borrowing a BMW-sourced engine for its next-gen IS F (much like the
Subaru deal for the
Scion FR-S)? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.