A Japanese publication has suggested that Toyota/Lexus may share a rear-wheel drive platform and inline-six engine with Mazda.

A couple of months ago, Mazda announced that they are developing a family of straight-six Skyactiv-X engines for use in its higher-end models and these engines can be matched to a rear- and all-wheel drive drivetrain.

This prompted Best Car to investigate, revealing that Toyota’s first Mazda-based model could be a successor to the Mark X sedan that sells in Japan and other ASEAN markets. Lexus could then use the same plaform for a new coupe to sit between the RC and LC in its existing line-up.

While this news might seem a little far-fetched, it is definitely a possibility with an increasing number of manufacturers coming together to share common architecture and parts.