This week, we reviewed the recently unveiled luxury coupe, Lexus LC 500 2018, and here is all you need to know.
While key auto giants are focusing on treading the path less traveled with their hypercars, super SUVs, automated car, hybrid supercars and more (and all that’s very well), the Lexus LC 500 goes on to show us that a classic never goes out of style. Slated to be pegged against the BMW 6 Series, the newest offering in the Lexus range is the quintessential luxury vehicle – large, fast, and elegant – with some sprinkling of fairy dust to add to its charm. The luxury car is being rolled out in two variants – the LC 500 and its hybrid twin, the LC 500h. We did a Lexus LC 500 review recently, and here’s a look up close at the new Lexus that’s just about hitting the roads:
Lexus LC 500 Review: The Look
The Lexus LC 500 is a gorgeous car, to say the least, and could be a potential game-changer vis-à-vis Toyota’s image as a car maker. Not only is it the best looking Lexus ever made, it boasts of a design that auto bigwigs like Ferrari and Porsche would be proud to put their stamp on. The most striking feature of this luxury coupé is how it is so beautifully proportioned and faultlessly detailed. It is almost, as if, the LC has been carved out of free-flowing molten metal instead of being built in parts and brought together using screws and wrenches. With a pinched waist, incredibly low bonnet, wide rear track, it is the kind of car that will make passers-by stop in their tracks for a second glance and an appreciating nod.
The body has been clearly inspired by the carbon fiber masterpiece – the LFA. Even though much of LC 500’s body is made from a mix of aluminum and high-tensile steel, it does have enough carbon fiber elements such as the boot floor and inner door structure. That being said, there are a few design elements here that may take some getting used. Topping that list is the spindled front grille with a number plate slapped across the middle. So is the assortment of design cues accumulated around the C-pillar.
Lexus LC 500 Review: The Interiors
The interiors of this two-plus-two sports coupe resonate the typical Lexus style. The most striking of these are the granite build quality on the inside and a three-dimensional dash appeal. The seating position is as comfortable as it gets. Inside a Lexus LC 500, you are seated low with ample leg room – just the way it should be in a luxury car. There is even a moving instrument binnacle sitting atop the digital display just behind the wheel. A splurge of touchpads, keys and screens on the panel seem like they have been put there to augment the sense of luxury but can appear a tad too confusing for first-timer and the not so tech-savvy drivers, even though the entire infotainment panel here has been designed with great attention to detail and executed with flair befitting of an expert who knows their job like the back of their hand. The angular design and jumbling of layers can make the interiors look a bit hectic, even if one settles for the sober color combination. Perhaps going for such a strikingly different interior look was a conscious decision from the makers, as the car is going up against segment offerings from stalwarts like BMW and Mercedes.
The back seats can be a bit of a disappointment for those who are looking to use this has a family car, as the legroom here is quite compromised for a luxury offering. The same is true of the boot space, which at 197 liters is not even half of what’s available in its arch competitor, the BMW 6 Series. This space further shrinks to a mere 172 liters in the hybrid version, the LC 500h.
Lexus LC 500 Review: The Specs
Even though it is out to take on the BMW Series 6 that is powered an engine capable of a 552bhp output, the LC 500 sports a 5.0 liter V8 non-turbo engine with a 470 bhp output. But what the engine lacks in terms of figures, it more than makes up in terms of character and performance. The LC 500 is capable of delivering a steep 7,100 rpm, stopping just 200 rpm short of the red mark. The gearbox with its all-new ten-speed torque-converter auto is the real draw here. It makes for shorter gearing and more evenly spaced out ratios. You can not only alternate between Comfort and Echo with ease, engaging the Sport+ mode makes for a swift transition too, and just like that your LC 500 is rearing to go full-bore. The spike of revs helps in building a strong connection between your foot on the pedal and the spinning of rear wheels. It also boasts of a reputable acceleration time, going from 0 to 60 mph in just under 4.4 seconds. As far as the engineering is concerned, the LC 500 displays sharper throttle response, firmer suspensions and sportier gearing.
In terms of specs and performance, the LC 500h is markedly different from its automatic variant. To begin with, the LC 500h sports a highly complex and all-new Multi-Stage Hybrid System. This hybrid variant is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 295bhp engine as wells as a 177bhp electric motor that is propelled by a lithium-ion battery placed behind the rear seat (and that also accounts for a further compromised boot space in the LC 500h). The engine and the motor work in tandem to produce a total output of 354bhp. The hybrid version is capable of scaling a top speed of 155 mph, and an acceleration time of 4.7 seconds, going from 0 to 60 mph. The CVT gearbox that is part of the all-new hybrid system installed in this variant has been bolstered by a four-speed auto, slapped on just behind it. The first three gears here are fused with three artificially chosen ratios, which makes up for nine gears in totality. The fourth (or the tenth) gear is meant to put the LC 500h in an overdrive mode.
Lexus LC 500 Review: The Verdict
Everything about the Lexus LC is bold and beautiful. The pricing, the technology, and the design all works very well to make it an engaging and aspirational drive. Since Toyota has put two very distinct models out there, buyers have a choice to make. And that choice is a fairly simple one. Even though the LC 500h is a clever play with technology, the overall performance and driving satisfaction make LC 500 the clear winner.
