Capitol File

// FRONT ROW SEAT

LEXUS’S GROUNDBREA­KING NEW FLAGSHIP SPORTS CAR, THE 2018 LC500, IS BREATHTAKI­NG BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. HERE, TAKE ITS NEXT-GENERATION INTERIOR FOR A TEST-DRIVE.

- BY NATE CHAPNICK

Lexus’s groundbrea­king new flagship sports car, the 2018 LC500, is breathtaki­ng both inside and out. Here, take its next-generation interior for a test-drive.

GAUGE CLUSTER

Inspired by Lexus’s LFA supercar, the center gauge ring [1] employs thin-film transistor (TFT) display technology and moves to the left and right while driving. Metallic-trimmed rotary knobs [2] next to the steering wheel provide quick traction control and suspension setting changes. Plus, the low instrument panel position and low hood line [3] help give the driver a commanding view of the road, despite a very low, sporty seating position.

STEERING WHEEL

In addition to a leathersti­tched center cap [4], attention to detail is on display in the outer wheel [5], too, which features different circumfere­nces and careful stitching for the perfect grip, allowing the magnesium-alloy paddle shifters [6] to fall readily into hand.

DOOR PANEL

The flowing lines of the door panels [7] add visual depth and a sense of constant movement to the interior, while the metallic door handle [8] is perfectly contoured to the hand.

CENTER CONSOLE

Embedding the 10.3-inch color screen [9] in the leather dash (at the level of the instrument cluster) while extending the center stack [10] toward the driver adds depth—a plus for ergonomics and the driver’s sight lines. The screen responds to the Remote Touch Interface pad, displaying everything from navigation instructio­ns to Lexus’s Enform App Suite. In a nod to old-school luxury, Lexus added an elegant analog timepiece [11] just to the right of the screen.

LEATHER DETAILING

“Takumi” is the Japanese word for artisan, and Lexus’s takumi craftsmans­hip is on full display in the meticulous­ly wrapped leather gearshift [12], the contrast stitching just underneath the magnesium-colored climate control buttons [13], and the sculpted side bolster [14], which gradually rises to create a grab handle for passengers and add another layer of depth to the interior design.

LOWER CONSOLE

Knurled seeking and tuning buttons, as well as a gleaming volume knob [15], make audio adjustment­s painless. A high, well-padded armrest [16] is ideal for operating Lexus’s new Remote Touch Interface pad, which understand­s gesture inputs like swiping, tapping, and drawing when entering various infotainme­nt commands.

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