Lexus LC500 Convertible review

The LC500 convertible is one of those moments where, every once in a while, Lexus pulls it off. Maybe even Lexus doesn’t know exactly when those moments happen. Once upon a time, the new LS limousine arrived and gave the Mercedes S-Class sleepless nights. Ten years ago, something called the LFA arrived and rewrote dream garage queues all over the world. And now there’s this: the LC500 Convertible.

It’s a Lexus attempt at making a GT sports car, and while it struggles to make its case on paper, the experience of hitting the road in one of these idiosyncratic masterpieces is one of the great pleasures of the automobile. It is a machine to be savored, coveted and adored. Very soon, they will no longer be allowed to do so.

What are the versions of the LC?

So what we have is a soft-top version of the LC500 coupe. The LC convertible is only available with a V8 engine: Lexus decided not to bother cutting the roof off the V6 hybrid version, as the batteries make mounting a folding roof difficult and the weight doesn’t support reflection. We’re not complaining: the V8 is the engine we want to hear about.

During the 2021 model year, all LCs have revised suspension settings, whether they have a roof or not. Here, the frame clamps and the hood mechanism tilt the weight of the LC500 the other way by two tons. Meanwhile, the naturally aspirated V8 (remember that?) displaces a glorious five liters and still makes 465 hp and 398 lb-ft. Not big numbers by modern standards, but it’s a pretty big heart.

Power gets to the rear wheels through a ten-speed automatic transmission, presumably stolen from a mountain bike, but even with its paddle shifters and sport mode, there’s just nothing in the LC500 convertible to brighten up a lap. Nurburgring. It’s as traditional a roadster as Toyota’s luxury brand can get away with, and it’s a £90,000 replica for fans of the German marque who see Lexuses as just a Prius with an angry mouth.

What else is weird?

To that end, one of the only optional extras besides the vibrant color scheme is a Sport+ package. So what does it add? Ceramic braces, perhaps? A carbon fiber diffuser? No. Try neck warmers in the seats, upgraded leather upholstery, and 21-inch wheels. Style, comfort and exclusivity. That’s what the LC500 Convertible is all about.

If you’re happy to leave the masses of XXL wristwatches to your BMW M8 convertibles and various types of Porsche 911s, read on. Fair warning: you may be about to fall deeply in love.

Lexus openly admits that the LC exists primarily as a halo model, to pique your interest in the brand and perhaps make you consider a UX instead of an Audi Q3, or an ES instead of a 4 Series Gran Coupe. It will never stop the avalanche. of sports car sales that is the Porsche 911. But that, in fact, is at the heart of its attractive charm.

You’re unlikely to see another, and when you do, you’ll share a nod with your fellow LC driver. You took the road less travelled, you thought to hell with depreciation. Yes, he is a YOLO-Lexus.

While the coupe is arguably the best proportioned piece of design, the convertible suits the personality of the LC500 as there is no further pretense, it will be a sports car in its own right. It is less of a car that you drive, more of an object that you experience. You might feel more turned on sitting up in one of these than doing a topless 95 in a Mercedes SL.

Also, a low-slung 275g/km non-hybrid V8 convertible is the least scalable menu you can use to make a car. So even if you don’t get the badge, the looks, or the interior, you have to respect the bloodthirsty perfectionism that made this flagship happen. Because you’ll miss cars like this when they’re gone, and it won’t be long.