2017 Lexus LC 500-Lexus New Flagship Coupe

[Lord T]

 

[Lord T]

First Drive: 2018 Lexus LC 500 and 500h
GT car first, sports car second – new Lexus coupe is at its best in V-8 guise on the open road

So, just what is the Lexus LC? Today, it’s my mission to find out. I’ve followed the various concept cars that have led us to this fully functioning production model, read all the technical specs and understand the significance of this new platform, which is so flexible that the next car to utilize it will be the new LS sedan. We’re going to see it at the upcoming 2017 Detroit auto show, and while the LS will no doubt arrive with a healthy dose of the brand’s edgy and distinctive design language, it’s not difficult to understand its positioning against the likes of the 7 Series and S-Class.

The 2018 Lexus LC, though? That’s a bit trickier. During the press presentation we see a slide show suggesting the BMW 650i ($89,000), Mercedes S550 Coupe ($122,750), and Jaguar F-Type R ($105,400) as natural rivals. These relatively disparate cars aren’t really rivals for each other, so either the LC has a never-before-seen breadth of ability or Lexus is struggling with where the LC fits in, too. And that’s before they mention its dynamic benchmark: The Porsche 911. A coupe that weighs more than 4,000 pounds that’s as serene as an S-Class and as exciting as a Carrera S? You’ve got to admire the ambition…

So here’s what we do know. The LC has a sports car shape that borrows heavily from the scintillating and wildly expensive LFA, stretched and teased to accommodate a 2-plus-2 seating layout and decorated with the bold spindle grille and plenty of samurai sword sharp details. I happen to love the way it looks, but there are grimaces from colleagues in the room, too. Better to be divisive than invisible, that’s the new Lexus way of thinking. The V-8-powered LC 500 and hybrid LC 500h, which features a 3.5-liter V-6, two electric motors, a CVT and a 4-speed automatic transmission, are visually distinguished only by their different badges. Lexus hasn’t announced pricing yet but expect it to dip just below the $100,000 mark. Some markets are positioning the 500h as the flagship, others the V-8 model. In the U.S. most will go gas, so expect it to be the premium and better-specified model. Deliveries are expected to start in May of next year.

Beneath the controversial surfacing is the new GA-L (Global Architecture – Luxury) platform. It utilizes steel, aluminum, and some carbon fiber (the trunk floor). The philosophy behind the platform was to create a new dynamic identity for Lexus with a lower center of gravity and by improving the front/rear balance for enhanced agility. The main factors in this are lowering the engine by 0.4-inch and pulling it roughly 2-inches closer to the center of the car for a true front mid-engine layout. The LC also features aluminum hood and fenders, a fiberglass trunk lid, and you can specify a carbon fiber roof. Plus, there are die-cast aluminum suspension towers (a weight saving of 42-percent over steel), forged aluminum suspension arms, and the engine bay has six aluminum braces to improve rigidity and steering response. Suspension is multi-link at the front and rear.

The low center of gravity is palpable in the design of the LC and when you approach it the low hood line is striking, the wheels are pushed out to the corners and the proportions look just right. There’s an innate litheness that radiates from the car. Considering the LC is nearly as long as a 650i, wider than the F-Type, and falls between the two in terms of height, it’s impressive that the aura it emits errs towards sports car rather than hushed GT. It has a longer wheelbase than the BMW and Jaguar too, which speaks well for its chances of following through on the dynamic brief. It’s a disappointingly heavy beast, though. The LC 500 comes in at a groaning 4,280 pounds and the 500h is even heavier at 4,435 pounds. Both the BMW and Jaguar are considerably lighter and to save Lexus blushes we won’t mention that the 911 Carrera S carries more than 1,000 fewer pounds.

My first taste of the LC is on a short blast from the centre of Seville, Spain, to the Monteblanco race circuit in a LC 500h. The route takes in the chaotic city and then some lovely sweeping roads. The bare figures are much less impressive than the LC 500, which produces 471 horsepower at 7,100 rpm and 398 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm, but the 3.5-liter V-6’s 295 horses at 6,600 rpm and 257 lb-ft at 4,900 rpm are supplemented by the second electric motor built within the transmission. The first acts as a generator. The total output is a still modest 354 horsepower, but of course the instantaneous torque delivery should create a much more muscular impression. The transmission of the LC 500h is heinously complicated but it’s essentially a four-speed automatic that drives through a CVT transmission to create 10 virtual ratios. This matches the new 10-speed automatic gearbox featured in the LC 500. You didn’t think eight gears were enough, did you?

I’ve already got a warm, fuzzy feeling about the LC because it evokes memories of the LFA. Of course I need to put that car’s fiercely expensive materials, build quality, and shrieking engine out of my mind, but I hope that the design themes carried over are discernible in the way the LC moves, too. Expectation ramps up a notch further because the interior really is exquisite. Sadly, there’s a TomTom navigation slapped to the windscreen because these cars have a U.S. spec infotainment system with no European maps loaded (or is it because the interface is still tricky to master on a short test drive? I’ll let you decide), but even the ugly wire and grubby little screen can’t detract from the minimalist architecture, artfully mixed materials and the glorious and configurable dash readout that has plenty of LFA inspired animation. The driving position is fantastic too, with the tarmac-scraping seat discreetly amping-up the drama, and it’s paired with a very low hood line that ensures you feel absolutely at ease.

Slipping quietly through Seville, the LC feels like a fine place to be. The Adaptive Variable suspension is smooth but still allows you to feel connected to a low, broad, and obviously very stiff chassis. Even the fitment of runflat tires doesn’t result in patter and thump upsetting the supple composure. Perhaps there’s more road noise than you’d expect of a hybrid Lexus but there’s much greater steering response, too. The electric steering is fast (2.6 turns lock-to-lock), accurate, and you can really appreciate the added bracing and the rigidity it breeds. Even the gearbox is decisive and gives a direct, most un-CVT-like feeling. There isn’t the clean, sharp action you get with a dual-clutcher or even the best conventional autos, but at least the V-6 engine isn’t braying like a demented donkey as is so often the way with continuously variable transmissions.

As the road opens out the Lexus LC remains impressively composed. However, the initial cohesion and consistency does start to erode and doubts creep in. The enhanced soundtrack through the stereo speakers isn’t especially pleasant nor natural, the gearbox suddenly starts to betray itself with slower shifts and strange moments where the revs hang at a fixed rpm, and the sheer performance on offer feels slightly disappointing. Oh, it’s fast hybrid – 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and 155 mph all out – but at times 354 horses versus 4,435 pounds feels like a one-sided argument. To be fair, the chassis response doesn’t get overwhelmed by the mass, and the LC 500h steers sweetly and contains body movements with efficiency in the more aggressive Sport S and Sport S+ driving modes. But you sense this is a car looking for an engine to make it sing. The LC 500 awaits us in the pit lane at Circuito Monteblanco. Maybe that’s the key to unlocking its potential.

I jostle myself to the front of the queue for the ultimate spec LC 500. It features the Sports package, consisting of a carbon fiber roof, 21-inch wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires and a speed activated rear wing. To further sharpen the car’s focus it also features the Lexus Dynamic Handling (LDH) rear-wheel steering system, which can dial in 2 degrees of angle and enhances agility at low and medium speeds and stability in high speed situations. LDH also brings a Torsen limited-slip differential. In short – this is the LC at the height of its powers.

From the moment the 5-liter V-8 booms into life I know that the hybrid 500h is little more than a side show. An intriguing and convincing car in isolation but blown clean away in terms of excitement by the V-8 model. These two cars are likely to have a very similar price so you’d have to be a Saint or really object to paying for gas to consider the hybrid. That much I know from the moment the first drop of fuel ignites. A dozen or so laps later I know plenty more, but that first instinct is only reinforced.

On track I’ve dialed the car right around to Sport S+ mode and so configured the 10-speed gearbox is exceptional. It hits hard and clean like a dual clutcher, and although it sometimes resists aggressive downshift requests on the paddles, a little double beep at least lets you know that you’ll need another millisecond or two of patience before it’ll give you that optimum gear. Better that than a quiet denial only to leave you floundering in too high a gear mid turn. You might think that 10-gears is way too many. I tend to agree. But whereas I expected to get lost amongst the ratios out on circuit, it’s so quick and effective that I just used my ears to keep the car right in the sweet spot. Ah yes, the noise. Unlike the 500h the V-8’s dry, multi-layered howl is all natural. Sure, they pipe it into the cabin but there’s no digital manipulation. It sounds glorious.

So the soundtrack and drivetrain response creates an expectation that this big coupe might be able to take on the 911 after all. So too the first few corners as the LDH system effectively shrinks the wheelbase to create fast reactions and help reduce understeer. The track is greasy and cold but the LC 500 copes well, the big six-piston brakes staying pretty firm and resisting that horrible juddering that can make lapping feel like torture. The car locks onto line smoothly and the V-8’s linear, slightly torque-lite delivery allows the rear tires to find good traction.

Of course the weight starts to tell soon enough. Get too greedy with turn-in speed and the rear-steer can’t stop the front washing wide. Try to be the last of the late-brakers and you’ll sail past the turn-in point. The sports car vibe is real, but it’s the sort of sports car that’s more at home on a smoothly winding road, rather than scratching its way around a track. A 911 Carrera S would be long gone, its driver beaming and completely absorbed. Having said that, a BMW 650i would probably drop away from the Lexus just as rapidly and the F-Type might provide more raw entertainment but it also demands a lot more skill. The LC is a compromise but maybe, just for once, for the good.

A few laps in the 500h highlights the much lazier response of its gearbox and the softer-edged feel to every dynamic facet of the car. It’s amusing throwing a hybrid Lexus into a slide and finding out it’s well-balanced and easy to drive well beyond the limit, but you’ll still be pining for the sharper V-8. On the road the 500’s added athleticism is equally noticeable with every shift, every turn, and every time you crack open the throttle. It sounds and feels so much more up for a bit of fun. Even so, the understeer that can start to dominate on the track does rear its head in fast road driving, too. It’s far from chronic but it does just remind you that this car is a GT first and sports car second. Better to dial back a bit, enjoy the lovely engine, punchy 10-speed, and the effortlessly cool interior. Just don’t volunteer to sit in the back. Rear accommodation is definitely one area the Lexus LC does bear comparison with a Porsche 911.

2018 Lexus LC Specifications

On Sale: Spring 2017
Price: $100,000 (base) (est)
Engine: 3.5L DOHC 24-valve V-6, 295 hp at 6,600 rpm, 257 lb-ft at 4,900 rpm, plus Lexus Multi Stage Hybrid system with 131.9 kilowatt electric motor, total system output 354 hp (LC 500h);
5.0L DOHC 32-valve V-8, 471 hp at 7100 rpm, 398 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm (LC 500)

Transmission: Continuously variable gearbox linked to four-speed automatic, 10 virtual ratios (LC 500h)
10-speed automatic (LC 500)

Layout: 2-door, 4-passenger, front engine, RWD coupe
EPA Mileage: N/A
L x W x H: 187.4 x 75.6 x 53.0 in
Wheelbase: 113.0 in
Weight: 4,435 lb (LC 500h)
4,280 lb (/LC 500)

0-60 MPH: 4.7 sec (LC 500h)
4.4 sec (LC 500)

Top Speed: 155 mph (LC 500h)
168 mph (LC 500)

 

[knightmelodic]

Well, okay, it's a Lexus. That's about the only thing that separates it; the low cost to own. Other-wise...meh. I think that new Civic coupe looks better. The best thing I read was: "a new rear-wheel-drive platform." It's about time the older and present ones are horrendously balanced.
Don't worry, T, we don't have to take this one to the ring.

 

[Lord T]

Well, okay, it's a Lexus. That's about the only thing that separates it; the low cost to own. Other-wise...meh. I think that new Civic coupe looks better. The best thing I read was: "a new rear-wheel-drive platform." It's about time the older and present ones are horrendously balanced.
Don't worry, T, we don't have to take this one to the ring.

Knight, you can still take it to the 'Ring! It was there for development so I would like to see what came about from that.

The LC is a Grand Tourer. It's competition is the BMW 650i, Mercedes SL-Class, Mercedes S-Class Coupe, Jaguar F-Type, Maserati GranTurismo, etc...

There could be a true performance version coming in the future in the LC F IF Toyota decides to do so

One of the directions that can be undertaken by the brand with the all-new LC is developing a performance version under the guidance of the F division.

We are referring to the sub-brand that has developed cars like the IS F, GS F, RC F, and LFA. The same unit, led by chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi, has the resources to make a performance version of the LC, but the question on everyone’s mind is the configuration of the engine.

It is evident that Lexus will not turn the LC500h into a performance model, so it will have to employ the V8 engine of the LC500. However, in its top form, the 5.0-liter V8 engine develops 467 HP on the GS F. That level of power is considered by some to be insufficient when compared to the direct rivals of these models, so the LC could bring a change of paradigm for Lexus F.

The LC F could become the first F model from Lexus that integrates a turbocharged engine. Since the hybrid system will not be employed to boost performance, the company might have to address the issue of power with a twin-turbo solution.

While the “father” of the RC F considers turbo engines less fun than naturally aspirated units, his previous interviews have not revealed an opposition to turbochargers.

Instead, Yaguchi has stated that he preferred NA units over turbos for their throttle response and their torque curve, but he admitted that turbocharged engines provide better performance than conventional units.

We would like to note that even Ferrari has begun to ditch naturally aspirated engines for turbocharged units, so there are solutions to the problem of throttle response for this category of powerplant.

The earliest launch date for the potential Lexus LC F would be the year 2019, but that will only happen if the bosses of the company will consider that there is a business case for this model.

Yes you are right, the GA-L is an all-new platform that will be spread across the Lexus lineup (with the next car being the Lexus LS sedan)

The LC is the first model to be constructed on Lexus’ new Global Architecture, or luxury front engine/rear-wheel drive platform. The GA-L platform allowed Lexus engineers to build the LC with a low center of gravity and a lower driving position. The frame of the Lexus LC is very rigid, made up of materials with different properties such as ultra-high-tensile strength steel and aluminum. These materials are placed strategically in different areas to give the vehicle strength, rigidity, and energy-absorbing performance in appropriate quantities while still being lightweight.

 

[knightmelodic]

Knight, you can still take it to the 'Ring! It was there for development so I would like to see what came about from that.

The LC is a Grand Tourer. It's competition is the BMW 650i, Mercedes SL-Class, Mercedes S-Class Coupe, Jaguar F-Type, Maserati GranTurismo, etc...

There could be a true performance version coming in the future in the LC F IF Toyota decides to do so

Yeah, I know it's a GT and the GT3 version might be interesting but this one does nothing for me. Maybe it's that horrendous grill but it just doesn't say "go fast" to me.
BTW, come summer I'm planning on visiting my fam again and I hope I get on The Ring again too.

 

[GAMBINO]

I actually like it. And I'm not a coupe person at all.

 

[Lord T]

Yeah, I know it's a GT and the GT3 version might be interesting but this one does nothing for me. Maybe it's that horrendous grill but it just doesn't say "go fast" to me.
BTW, come summer I'm planning on visiting my fam again and I hope I get on The Ring again too.

Nice! I'm sure you'll enjoy that! What is the rate for the 'Ring? Do you pay for a certain amount of time? Or is it per lap?

Lexus Spindle Grill is very polarizing. It's either a love or hate thing, rarely have I heard any middle ground. I really don't like it on the rest of the cars in the Lexus fleet except for this and the IS.

 

[Lord T]

(Car And Driver)

2018 Lexus LC500 / LC500h
An engaging flagship coupe that engrosses all the senses.

A few years ago, I had an epiphany on a Saturday morning while attending the mega Cars and Coffee in Irvine, California—an event that grew so large that it eventually had to be shut down. After perusing literally hundreds of vehicles, everything from daily-driven enthusiast fare to the latest supercars, with a car-guy friend of mine who at the time worked for Toyota, we both realized that there wasn’t a single Toyota or Lexus. This would seem to be a problem for those brands.

Toyota president Akio Toyoda wasn’t there, but he would agree with that assessment, as he’s on record stating that the long-term success for the Toyota and Lexus brands requires going beyond smooth, quiet, and comfortable A-to-B transportation. The company as a whole needs aspirational vehicles that inspire passion and cast a shadow of excellence over the two brands. In fact, Toyoda-san has made it his personal mission to prevent the word “boring” from coexisting ever again in a sentence with “Lexus.” If the new LC, which stands for Luxury Coupe, is an indicator of things to come, we’d say he’s well on his way to succeeding.

Mere minutes into our drive of the LC500 on the sinuous and extremely well-maintained back roads of southern Spain was all it took to have another epiphany: There’s actual road texture being transmitted through the well-shaped and expertly finished steering wheel. It’s a much-desired quality that has been disappearing in the wake of electrically assisted power steering and misguided neutering billed as progress.

Get to Know This GA-L

The mission to build exciting cars could bode well for the brand’s ability to court enthusiasts going forward, and it also portends good things for the new LS sedan, which will ride on a larger version of the LC’s all-new front-engine, rear-wheel-drive architecture, dubbed GA-L (for Global Architecture-Luxury). And the company promises an increased focus on dynamics across the lineup going forward, although that doesn’t necessarily mean Lexus is aiming to be the most athletic in every segment.

LC chief engineer Koji Sato is a former chassis engineer, so perhaps the high priority he places on steering isn’t all that surprising. And he was utterly flabbergasted when we mentioned that other automakers, such as BMW, have told us that steering feedback has been deliberately diminished because that’s what some customers want. Sato-san refers to the LC as a “back to basics” car. Much effort was expended to nail the fundamentals, and he and his team have mostly succeeded. The front suspension is a double-ball-joint (both upper and lower) multilink design very similar to Audi’s latest, with a five-link setup at the rear. The opposed-piston brake calipers on both axles do an excellent job of hauling the LC down from high speeds. There was much effort to reduce weight and lower the center of gravity. Engineers also cut mass at the extremities to diminish the polar moment of inertia for improved rotational response. This includes the use of aluminum for the hood, front fenders, and door skins, with the inner panels of the doors and trunk made from carbon-fiber-reinforced sheet-molding compound (that’s the random-oriented fiber stuff, not the neatly entwined weave). There’s also an optional carbon-fiber roof (with the weave). On the exterior, only the deep-draw rear fenders are rendered in steel. Underneath, the front suspension is forged aluminum, and the front shock towers are cast aluminum. Still, the LC500 comes in at a rather heavy 4300 pounds, according to Lexus, with the LC500h hybrid adding an additional 150. That roughly matches the slightly larger and less sophisticated V-8–powered BMW 650i. And those pounds are also front heavy, with a claimed 54/46 percent front-to-rear weight distribution for the V-8 and 52/48 for the hybrid.

Nevertheless, the LC feels alive when pushed hard on the road. We’ve already mentioned the steering, and although its effort is on the light side at highway speeds, it imparts a natural confidence when hustling down wriggling roads. The suspension is tied down, there’s little body roll, and the LC transitions athletically. Although a variable-ratio rack and rear-wheel steering are available together as an optional bundle, we’d skip them, as the base setup felt great. Another strike against the so-called active steering is the way the LC’s rear end breaks loose at the limit, which feels unnatural; although the LC isn’t a track car, nor do we think it should be, Lexus had us understeer the LC around a circuit anyway. It wasn’t that the LC was uncontrollable, but we suspect its variable-steering hardware had something to do with its lack of yaw-response communication as the rear end reaches its limits. We didn’t get the chance to drive a car without it on track to verify that theory.

LC 500h

A Very Different Hybrid Approach: Mimic the Nonhybrid

We should note that these dynamic comments and compliments apply equally to the hybrid model as well, because Lexus has taken the unusual approach of engineering the LC hybrid to be as similar as possible to the conventional car. Both LCs wear the same 20- or 21-inch wheels and Michelin Pilot Super Sport or Bridgestone Potenza S001 tires—no efficiency-oriented low-rolling-resistance rubber here—and the hybrid retains the prominent tachometer and the large magnesium shift paddles. The hybrid powertrain has been substantially altered to mimic the conventional 10-speed automatic in the V-8, too, and it starts with the basic building blocks from the GS450h: an Atkinson-cycle 3.5-liter V-6 connected to the typical Toyota/Lexus hybrid system, with two electric motor/generators and a planetary gearset acting as a pseudo CVT. The V-6 was chosen instead of the 438-hp V-8 hybrid hardware from the LS600h so that, unlike the LS, the hybridized LC would have a meaningful fuel-economy benefit.

The LC’s hybrid system, however, has a four-speed automatic transmission appended to the back of it. This allows for more electric assist at lower vehicle speeds, and it enables the system to operate with the engine off at higher speeds of up to 87 mph. But here’s how it gets 10 speeds: The original CVT-esque part of the equation jumps among three fixed ratios, which are then combined with the first three downstream gears from the conventional automatic to create ratios one through nine. Tenth gear uses the final ratio from the automatic and is the only time the hybrid bits operate as a CVT. Combined power output is 354 horsepower, an increase of 16 compared with the GS450h, although 9 horsepower of that comes from revisions to the V-6. (For a deeper look at the hybrid system, head here.)

Aural Fixation

In addition to the steering, Lexus nailed the booming V-8 sound. Powered by the same 5.0-liter V-8 that’s in the GS F and the RC F, the LC500’s is up a few horsepower, to 471. With the help of a tube running between the intake manifold and the firewall plus flaps in the exhaust—but no electronically produced noise—the cabin is positively filled with nigh-on-perfect V-8 frequencies. The sound swells appropriately with engine speed but isn’t overbearingly loud. The march toward turbocharging has made achieving memorable sound more difficult, which makes the LC500’s naturally aspirated roar even more of a standout. Playing this V-8 opus is a rapid-fire new Aisin 10-speed automatic. It’s not as quick-shifting as a dual-clutch gearbox, and we also experienced a few low-speed shift bobbles, but gear swaps are about as swift as they come for conventional automatics, and upshifts are punctuated with a satisfying pop from the exhaust. Paddle-requested downshifts, too, are exceptionally swift.

Unfortunately, sound is where the hybrid loses the plot line. Unlike the V-8, it does employ electronic enhancement, and its artificial moaning is further amplified in Sport S+ mode. It’s also down 117 horsepower compared with the V-8. Does anyone looking to spend roughly $100,000 on a two-door fashion statement care about the LC500h’s potential 50 percent fuel-economy benefit if it means sacrificing the V-8’s sound and performance? Lexus claims that the transmission arrangement makes the hybrid only a few tenths of a second slower to 60 mph, but at higher speeds, the performance gap felt considerably wider. Plus, the hybrid’s pseudo 10-speed slurs its shifts, which aren’t nearly as satisfying as those of the V-8’s automatic. And EV-only range, as is typical for Toyota and Lexus hybrids, is still minuscule, with the slightest prod of the throttle often causing the engine to fire up.

So where does the LC fit in? There’s not that much dimensional variety in the luxury-coupe world. After all, the wheelbase in the Mercedes-Benz S-class coupe is just 4.1 inches longer than that of the two-sizes-smaller C-class coupe. At 113.0 inches, the Lexus LC’s wheelbase roughly splits those of the Benzes. However, its overall length is much closer to that of the C-class and more than 10 inches shorter than the S, which helps to explain the LC’s paltry trunk space; at five cubic feet, it’s half that of the big Mercedes. And Lexus says that back-seat space is not a concern for potential customers. The design certainly isn’t as classically beautiful as that of the S-class coupe, but the aggressively creased design language that seems hopelessly overdone on the Lexus RX crossover works here, thanks in no small part to the coupe’s excellent proportions. The interior design is adventurous, with flowing sweeps over the door panels and through the center console. The base seats are heavily bolstered, and the optional microsuede-trimmed upgrade versions are even more so. But we wonder if the latter might fit a little too tightly for luxury-coupe clientele, and they have surprisingly few adjustments: no bolster or thigh-control adjustment and only two-way lumbar. The LC is a more dynamic grand touring alternative to the S-class or 6-series coupes, but it’s not nearly as dynamically fabulous as a Porsche 911—and it’s roughly 1000 pounds heavier.

Lexus says it expects to sell roughly 4800 LC cars annually in the U.S., of which only 20 percent will be the hybrid, once the car reaches dealers next spring. That estimate may be high, which is good, because then the LCs you’ll see at your local Cars and Coffee almost certainly will pack the V-8.

 

[gtg305h]

Meh

 

[knightmelodic]

Nice! I'm sure you'll enjoy that! What is the rate for the 'Ring? Do you pay for a certain amount of time? Or is it per lap?

Lexus Spindle Grill is very polarizing. It's either a love or hate thing, rarely have I heard any middle ground. I really don't like it on the rest of the cars in the Lexus fleet except for this and the IS.

Yeah man I've been twice. It's crazy. You can't believe those F-1 cats took it flat out. Man. It's not that expensive, I think like 60 euro last time I went. They have different packages but on free day you drive as long as you want. Believe me it won't be long that circuit is murder on brakes. I gotta check the website. Also when there's no fog you can open up on those autobahns.

As far as the grill (whole body really) there's just nothing there that would make me choose it over say, a Mazzi or a Caddy or an Astin. The damn thing even makes those boring german bodies look exciting.

 

[PJN]

The Camry is about to have the same or similar taillights.

 

[Famous1]

Yeah man I've been twice. It's crazy. You can't believe those F-1 cats took it flat out. Man. It's not that expensive, I think like 60 euro last time I went. They have different packages but on free day you drive as long as you want. Believe me it won't be long that circuit is murder on brakes. I gotta check the website. Also when there's no fog you can open up on those autobahns.

As far as the grill (whole body really) there's just nothing there that would make me choose it over say, a Mazzi or a Caddy or an Astin. The damn thing even makes those boring german bodies look exciting.

Yep....Very Toyota like... They always seem to favor function over form... and they will never let the excitement meter get too high...

 

[Lord T]

Yeah man I've been twice. It's crazy. You can't believe those F-1 cats took it flat out. Man. It's not that expensive, I think like 60 euro last time I went. They have different packages but on free day you drive as long as you want. Believe me it won't be long that circuit is murder on brakes. I gotta check the website. Also when there's no fog you can open up on those autobahns.

As far as the grill (whole body really) there's just nothing there that would make me choose it over say, a Mazzi or a Caddy or an Astin. The damn thing even makes those boring german bodies look exciting.

Cool! Yeah I would love to go on the 'Ring at least once (bucket list). It is crazy that Formula 1 use to race on the old Nordschleife!

That price is actually much better than I thought! You can still run the 'Ring after it rains too right?

 

[knightmelodic]

Cool! Yeah I would love to go on the 'Ring at least once (bucket list). It is crazy that Formula 1 use to race on the old Nordschleife!

That price is actually much better than I thought! You can still run the 'Ring after it rains too right?

Damn bro, you wanna do the Green Hell on inters? lol. They determine when it's safe for the public sessions so unless you pay big money to buy a coupla hours then that's that. Believe me it's hard enough dry. Flugplatz is freaking awsome but to me the real killers are Armberg and Bergwerks. If you plan a trip to the area there's plenty more to do so it won't be like you just went for the Ring (but we don't tell wifey that).
I wish I could've driven the old Spa (Masta) and on my bucket is Monte Carlo. Oh yeah, the old Lemans too. I remember watching Group C cars going down Mulsane and taking off like airplanes. Ah, good times. Good times.

 

[jack walsh13]

Post that new LS 460 when it's available. That's what I'm waiting for!!

 

[a1rimrocka]

The Lexus LC 500 Coupe Starts At $92,000

Want a massive, comfortable, beautiful Lexus coupe with a naturally-aspirated V8? The Lexus LC 500 will cost you no less than $92,000. If you’re curious, that’s around $20,000 less than its German rivals.

That’s the starting MSRP for the Lexus LC 500, as Lexus announced today at the Detroit Auto Show. The LC 500h, which has a twin-turbo V6 and hybrid drive, starts at a somewhat more serious $96,510.

If you’re wondering how much that is in relation to, say, a Mercedes, it’s a fair bit more affordable. A V8 S class coupe (that’s the S550) starts at $122,000 and a V8 SL550 starts at $110,800. Both of those are good cars and at least one of them is nearly as handsome as the Lexus, but that’s a huge price gulf.

 

[HellBoy]

Anyone else see an elongated 300Z?

 

[Varis]

Saw silver one on the road, it was like yes I own the road

 

[mchammertoeeesss]

The Lexus LC 500 Coupe Starts At $92,000

Want a massive, comfortable, beautiful Lexus coupe with a naturally-aspirated V8? The Lexus LC 500 will cost you no less than $92,000. If you’re curious, that’s around $20,000 less than its German rivals.

That’s the starting MSRP for the Lexus LC 500, as Lexus announced today at the Detroit Auto Show. The LC 500h, which has a twin-turbo V6 and hybrid drive, starts at a somewhat more serious $96,510.

If you’re wondering how much that is in relation to, say, a Mercedes, it’s a fair bit more affordable. A V8 S class coupe (that’s the S550) starts at $122,000 and a V8 SL550 starts at $110,800. Both of those are good cars and at least one of them is nearly as handsome as the Lexus, but that’s a huge price gulf.

The LC 500 is a sexy car but this GS F is functionably fast. 467 HP, has the trunk space and can still fit in a garage.

 

[DVS X]

Nice looking car.. But that shit they put around the tail lights makes the rear end look really tacky...either get rid of it or paint it the same color as the rest of the car cause its an eyesore on a pretty good design.

 

[Lord T]

 

[Lord T]

 

[Lord T]

Why the Lexus LC500 Is the Perfect Halo Car
A lesson in how to influence buyers.

The horns won't stop honking.

It's not because I'm driving like a turd. Nearly every time I get to a light, the car next to me honks gently to get my attention. The driver of that car is smiling and enthusiastically giving the thumbs up. Sometimes they gesture that they want me to roll the window down. Most of the conversations go something like this:

"That car is gorgeous. What is it?"

"Right? Lexus LC500."

"I've never seen a Lexus like that!"

That's far different than the conversation that you'll have in any other Lexus, mainly because you won't be having one. People aren't pulling up next to an ES, IS, or even an RC F and trying to get the driver's attention.

But you knew that. You likely think of a Lexus as a nicer Toyota. That's a perception the company has been trying to shake for years. Company head Akio Toyoda is a racer at heart, and it pains him that the cars are seen as boring appliances.

To shed that image, Lexus started injecting performance cars into the lineup. They built the V8-powered IS F to compete with the BMW M3. The LFA was heralded as one of the greatest cars of all time and a fittingly Japanese take on the supercar. Cars like the RC F and GS F both use naturally aspirated V8s while all competitors have gone to turbo power. That engine may be down on torque, but it sounds and feels so much better. Those cars are superb on a backroad and a highway, making them excellent grand tourers, but are too heavy to be amazing on a track.

The LC is not a track weapon either. And that's fine. Just look at it.

It's as close to a concept car as you can get on the street. The front end is impossibly low, with headlights encased in what looks like titanium. On certain color LCs (read: not silver), it really stands out. The side profile is sleek, with flush, Aston Martin-like door handles and a floating roofline. Around back, the taillights disappear into the trim when they aren't lit. When they are lit, there are layers to them, like the OLED tails in a BMW M4 GTS. You can stare at them for hours.

The nuttiness continues inside, where the LC has knobs that feel more expensive than entire cars, suede that is far nicer than any leather (the red in our car is the color to get), and door handles that are just floating in the middle of the door, nothing around them. The only bad part is Lexus's infotainment system, which has a mouse for some reason and is probably the most infuriating system on the market.

Since you can't look at the exterior when you're driving, and, let's be honest, you can't really look around and appreciate the interior either, this car needs to drive well. And it truly does, depending on your expectations.

The LC500 doesn't wear an F badge on it, even though it has the RC F and GS F's 5.0 liter, 471 horsepower, 398 lb. ft. V8 (you can also get a hybrid). That's important, because if it had the F badge, the same (wrong) expectations of track readiness could be placed on the LC that are on the RC F and GS F. It'd let you down.

If you want the LC, you want a large GT car that has a free revving V8 that sounds unreal, a smooth ride, and a seriously comfortable interior. It delivers on all those things. It's an excellent high-speed GT coupe that's surprisingly agile in the corners. You also get a 10-speed gearbox, which is a bit of a conundrum. It works just fine, with smooth shifts in auto mode and quick, rev-matched ones in manual. The problem is that it's just way too many gears. The LC is geared tall, and that means you really only have three gears to let it hit redline before you're breaking all local speed limits. Then you have seven more gears that are effectively for the highway.

The solution? Just drive the LC as a GT car with occasional bursts to redline. It won't let you down, but we'd prefer to have the ratios shorter so we could enjoy that V8 sound.

Manufacturers introduce cars like this as a halo for the brand. They know that it won't be the best seller in the lineup, but it will generate interest from people who otherwise wouldn't care. Most halo cars are insanely expensive and you only see them at car shows, dealers, or on YouTube. But the LC isn't $300,000 like the LFA was; it starts at $92,000 for the V8 and $96,510 for the hybrid. Not economy car cheap, but attainable. People will buy them. You'll see them on the road, at the store, parked on the street. You'll start thinking that maybe you want a Lexus instead of something from Germany.

And that's exactly what Akio Toyoda wants.

 

[Lord T]

 

[Lord T]

 

[Lord T]

 

[Lord T]

 

[Lord T]

 

[Lord T]

 

[djpolo]

I think you're thinking about the 2012 Lexus Lf-LC. That was the CONCEPT


This is the 2017 Lexus LC 500 This is the final-production version

Nioce. And it's in my fav color. Let me ask a question that doesn't matter in my world but imma ask anyway, how much is it?

 

[djpolo]

Starting out at Just under a hundred G. Damn. Like they say if you gotta ask how much it cost you can't afford it

http://jalopnik.com/the-100-000-lexus-lc-500-is-the-most-badass-lexus-sinc-1752278150


The $100,000 Lexus LC 500 Is The Most Badass Lexus Since The LFA

The new Lexus LC 500 isn’t just a new car for the company; it’s a new rear-drive “premium” platform. It does, however, get a very familiar 467-horsepower engine. Besides all that, it looks completely unreal.


This new LC is not based on the lesser Lexus RC coupe, but they do share an engine: Lexus’ 5.0 liter, naturally aspirated V8. The failing of this engine is that it’s a little short on torque for an engine its size, with 389 lb-ft at a rather high 4,800 RPM. That said, it makes a good 467 horsepower, revs up to 7,300 RPM and sounds extremely throaty while doing so.


It’s a high-value engine, and now it’s going in a high-value car. Lexus says this LC 500 will start at just under $100,000, though the world will know it as a six-figure car. A new 10-speed automatic, carbon fiber in the door structure and an optional carbon-fiber roof help justify the price, I suppose.


That and it looks completely wild. In person it really comes across as a beautiful widebody, even with the somewhat abrupt detailing, only just barely changed from the LF-LC concept upon which this production car is based.


Sadly, Lexus Will Never Build The LF-Lc Concept
If you've already seen early photos of the Lexus LF-Lc concept you can stop reading. It's …

Read more
The LC 500 will be in showrooms next year, Lexus says.

 

[bgbtylvr]

Looked into it. Nice, roomy. Larger than it looks, but not as long as i assumed. 100k at a dealer. That Ad velorum kept me from copping it.

 

[Teknique310]

Skillz...

 

[Varis]

 

[Adam Knows]

iti's nice, i 've never been a lexus person though....