New and smooth

Lexus has entered the large luxury coupe segment with a car that plays by its own rules. Darren Cassey takes it out.

The LC is a large luxury coupe designed to be the new flagship of the Lexus range, but it’s difficult to pinpoint a direct rival. To the manufacturer’s credit, it has forged its own path with the development of this car to make something fairly unique, so direct comparisons can be tricky – to the LC’s benefit, I hasten to add. Apart from the two engine options, most of the major talking points are totally new. For a start, the chassis it’s built on gets its first outing and will also underpin the LS luxury saloon. The big story is the multi-stage hybrid transmission, which uses a mix of traditional automatic technology and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) commonly used in hybrid vehicles. With exceptionally comfortable seats and a ride that makes even rough roads feel silky smooth, there are few cars that can do long-distance schleps in such a relaxing manner. But what’s just as impressive is how it handles a winding back road. Naturally, it responds better when you find a smooth rhythm rather than chuck it into corners, but it settles into direction changes with admirable aplomb. When it comes to styling, the LC 500 is stunning. When Lexus revealed the LF-LC concept back in 2012 no one in their right mind suspected the production version would look that good, but it truly does. It turns heads wherever it goes. Lexus interiors can be a bit hit and miss. Often looking a bit like a 1980s vision of the future, the bold styling doesn’t always work. But this time the nail has been hit squarely on the head. The seats are ludicrously comfortable, the seating position perfect and the design quirky enough to be interesting without feeling try-hard. There are three trim levels available – Luxury, Sport and Sport+. Interestingly, Lexus has made the pricing identical, whether you opt for the V8 or hybrid powertrain. The Sport package costs £5,000 extra and adds 21in alloy wheels, extremely comfortable Alcantara upholstery and a carbon-fibre roof.

£80,595 3.5-litre V6 petrol and electric IN A NUTSHELL It’s easy to fall quickly in love with the Lexus LC 500h. Those looking for a sportier drive would be better-suited going for the V8 because the hybrid’s transmission and engine note get in the way...