// FRONT ROW SEAT
LEXUS’S GROUNDBREAKING NEW FLAGSHIP SPORTS CAR, THE 2018 LC500, IS BREATHTAKING BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. HERE, WE TAKE ITS NEXT-GENERATION INTERIOR FOR A TEST-DRIVE.
Lexus’s new 2018 LC500 is groundbreaking both inside and out. Here, a test-drive of its next-gen interior.
GAUGE CLUSTER
Inspired by the design of Lexus’s LFA supercar, the LC500’S center gauge ring [1] employs thin-film transistor (TFT) display technology and moves to the left and right while driving. Metallictrimmed rotary knobs [2] next to the steering wheel provide quick traction control and suspension setting changes. Plus, the low instrument panel position and hood line [3] help give the driver a commanding view of the road, despite lowto-the-road, sporty seating.
STEERING WHEEL
Attention to detail is on display with the leatherstitched center cap [4] as well as the outer wheel [5], which features different circumferences and careful stitching for the perfect grip, allowing the magnesiumalloy paddle shifters [6] to fall readily into hand.
DOOR PANEL
The flowing lines of the doors [7] add visual depth and a sense of movement to the interior, while the 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 also 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 adds another layer of depth to the interior design.
LOWER CONSOLE
Knurled seeking and tuning buttons, plus a gleaming volume knob [15], make audio adjustments painless. A high, padded armrest
[16] is ideal for operating Lexus’s new Remote Touch Interface pad [17], which understands gestures like swiping, tapping, and drawing when entering infotainment commands. Mcgrath Lexus of Chicago, 1250 W. Division St., 855659-5629; mcgrathlexus ofchicago.com