Dare to be different
LEXUS LC LEAVES CONSERVATISM BEHIND FOR DUST, WRITES
The road travelled by Lexus takes some exciting turns with the arrival of the new LC.
The muscular flagship coupe might be destined to sell in exclusive numbers but its importance to the Lexus brand extends beyond annual sales that might at best run into double figures in New Zealand.
Launching the LC sees Lexus make a clear departure from a conservative and conventional path toward something a little more daring and visionary.
But it wasn’t a turn taken with speed. Even Lexus executives have questioned whether the LC would reach production since it debuted as the stunning LF- LC concept car at the Detroit Auto Show back in 2012.
Now not only has it reached production, but a substantial amount of the design impact and detailed craftsmanship that was showcased by the concept has been carried through to a production car that’s now on New Zealand roads.
And there are two versions, offering a choice between naturally aspirated V8 brute force from the LC 500 or modern performance efficiency from a V6 hybrid model badged as LC 500h.
It’s more than just a headturning hero for the Lexus range. The GA- L architecture with multilink suspension has already been stretched to provide the platform for the next- gen LS sedan set to launch in New Zealand later this year and it will go on to under- pin future north- south engine Lexus models.
The V8 model introduces a new close- ratio 10- speed automatic transmission while the 500h model has a Lexus- first lithium- ion battery pack and an interesting multistage transmission solution that brings together a CVT and a fourspeed automatic to provide a wider spread of ratios and more conventional shift feel.
The Lexus engineers have managed to fit the 5.0- litre V8 — also used in GS F and RC F models — under the lowline bonnet of the LC. It punches out 351kW output at 7100rpm and 540Nm of torque at 4800rpm and active exhaust routing brings an even more extrovert start- up bellow, fullthrottle roar and downshift blips from the V8.
A combined hybrid system power output of 264kW is claimed for the LC 500h with the normally aspirated 3.5- litre V6 engine producing 348Nm at 4900rpm. There isn’t a published combined torque figure but the impression is the hybrid has at least as much muscle as the V8 at lower engine speeds while achieving combined cycle fuel consumption of 6.7L/ 100km.