// 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.
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.