Engineers focused on weight distribution by moving the engine just behind the front axle and lowering the center of gravity in order to make the LC 500 handle as well as possible. “I was determined to make sure that we became a more emotional brand, and that the word boring and Lexus never showed up in the same sentence again”, he said at the coupe’s launch. Inside, the LC 500 is said to be both cockpit-focused and elegant, with lots of attention paid to the driving position and strong front-seat bolstering (with a very low hip point).
Advertisement
Despite the inevitable comparisons to other grand-touring coupes, such as the Jaguar F-Type or the Porsche 911, the LC 500’s 113-inch wheelbase puts it closer in size to the Mercedes S-class coupe or the BMW 6-series coupe.
A sports exhaust that opens flaps at about 3500rpm features alongside “acoustic plumbing” to help turn “the engine’s raucous melody into an aural thunder that helps distinguish the LC 500 in its competitive segment”.
While most of the LC is entirely new, the engine is one we’ve seen before. The underpinnings of this new coupe will form the basis for Lexus’ future front-engine/rear-wheel-drive vehicles. It’s the stiffest unibody vehicle Lexus has ever built, with extensive use of high-strength steels that outdo the LFA’s carbon-fiber platform in torsional stiffness.
On the outside, it closely resembles the Lexus LF-LC with similar proportions and shape. Behind the V8 is a 10-speed automatic trans that is supposed to shift as quickly as a dual-clutch, but we’ll be the judge of that. There’s also L-shaped daytime running lights, futuristic taillights, triple LED headlights, and a set of 20- or 21-inch forged alloy wheels.
The suspension is almost all aluminum, with new geometry to help hold the road like a sports auto, with exceptionally communicative steering.
Lexus says that the new LC500 is able of a 0-60mph time in less than 4.5 seconds. Lexus Australia has confirmed the LC will go on sale locally in 2017. The standard glass roof can be replaced with an available carbon fiber panel.
The inclusion of Lexus Safety System + integrates active safety technologies including Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Automatic High Beam (AHB), and All-speed Active Cruise Control (All speed ACC).
Advertisement
Feature highlights include a standard Pioneer premium audio system, or an available Mark Levinson system for serious audophiles.
