Lexus raises the bar with stunning LC 500
I’m now a believer. I remained skeptical for years as Toyota executives vowed their company would become a design leader. No more. The 2018 Lexus LC 500 coupe is a triumph. Taken alongside the newly styled 2018 Toyota Camry that goes on sale later this year, it establishes Toyota’s designers as a group to watch.
Flawlessly detailed and beautifully proportioned, the LC’s smooth shape appears to have been poured from molten metal rather than built with wrenches and robots. But for all its beauty, don’t mistake the LC for a sports car. It’s a grand tourer in the European tradition of cars built to look good and carry a wealthy few in stately opulence.
LC 500 prices start at $92,000, plus $995 in shipping, for one with a 471horsepower, 5-liter V-8 engine and 10speed automatic transmission. The LC 500h hybrid model has a 3.5-liter V-6 engine and electric motor for 354 total horsepower, significantly better fuel economy and a $96,510 base price. There’s no F-Sport package yet, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Lexus adds one with a few racing-style frills and perhaps a performance upgrade.
I tested a well-optioned LC 500 that had the carbon fiber trim package, precollision alert and braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lanekeeping assist, forged aluminum wheels, Torsen limited slip rear differential, Mark Levinson audio, navigation and more.
The LC 500’s competitors include coupes such as the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Jaguar F-type R AWD, Maserati Gran Turismo Sport, Mercedes SL 550 and Porsche 911 Carrera. The LC’s a bargain compared to most of that group, offering more features for the money than all but the Stingray, which, at $55,495 remains a shockingly good value.
The LC’s V-8 produces competitive power figures, but the Lexus coupe is hundreds of pounds heavier than most of its competitors. That leads to relatively leisurely acceleration, despite claiming a respectable acceleration time of zero to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds.
Response to the accelerator pedal is not linear, initially responding slowly, then coming on in a rush that led me to swing back and forth between slow starts and inadvertent wheel spin at traffic lights.
The LC’s interior is comfortable and accommodating, if you ignore the rear seats, which are cramped. The trunk is also very small, offering just 5.4 cubic feet, less than all the competitors. The trunk opening is wide, but the compartment is very shallow. I recommend soft-sided luggage, and not much of it.
Instrument displays are large and clear, but the control for many audio and navigation commands is poor. In lieu of a touch screen or even the awkward joy stick Lexus used to use, there’s a small touch pad in the center console that’s almost impossible to use in a moving vehicle.
Overall, the 2018 Lexus LC 500 coupe is a car that raises the bar for the whole brand.