The idea of a super-sporty Lexus GS F, built after the model of the IS F but on the new 2013 Lexus GS platform, is nothing new—rumors have circulated for at least half a year now. But they may have more substance than previously thought.

At the least, there appears to be strong support for the idea within Lexus, if not corporate parent Toyota. Speaking with Autocar, product planning head Karl Schlicht said he'd "love to see" a GS F built to rival the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG. Unfortunately, the necessary sign-off hasn't been given yet by Toyota's management, according to the report.

There's an interesting word in the mix in Schlicht's statement however—"yet." That would imply that the idea is perhaps past the bare formative stages, even nearing something like a plan, awaiting the official stamp of approval before moving into the development phase. If so, a GS F could be closer to reality than ever before—yet still just as far, too.

Lexus' IS F hasn't sold terribly well, and while the LFA continues to hang a halo over the brand, there's a strong disconnect between it and the volume cars wearing the Lexus badge. A GS F might not be a high priority for the brand.

On the other hand, it could be exactly the connecting link the company needs to push its F performance line up from relative obscurity, as well as handing a serious competitor to its German rivals, timed well with the refresh of much of its product line. With F Sport models (featuring mostly appearance upgrades and minor suspension enhancements) like the GS 350 F Sport pictured above already found throughout the range, a rising F brand could raise the whole brand's profile.

We're not holding our breath, as we're already six months into the roundabout with the new-generation GS F rumor cycle, but we will have our ears to the ground.

This post originally appeared at MotorAuthority.com