Since the era of the Lexus LFA, the luxury division of Toyota proved that they're more than just making cars for the elder gentlemen who want to hang out at country clubs on their time, and when the time of the LFA has come to an end, Lexus tried to make their cars look sporty enough to appeal to younger gentlemen but despite giving them aggressive faces, none of them feel like the time of the LFA, even their sportiest offering, the RC F, couldn't make the grade, until now...
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| 2018 Lexus LC |
Lexus's new flagship sports car, the all-new LC, maybe just the ideal candidate to become the car that can pass the torch from the now legendary LFA. In fact, there are so many questions that need to answer about the latest flagship sports coupe but there's one thing that comes to mind; just what is the Lexus LC?
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| 2018 Lexus LC |
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| 2018 Lexus LC interior |
Being one of the finer examples of concept cars turned real, with some minor alterations to make it road-legal, the LC draws inspiration from the rakish LF-LC Concept car five years ago and from every angle, this car promises to be a head-turner from all ends of the earth and on the inside, the LFA-styled interior is a clear reminder that it's like one of that mass-produced weaponry styled after the superweapon based upon but accessible to all who want to unleash their fury from within. Now, where did I hear that before? But never mind all that because that design is definitive proof of Lexus's L-Finesse design philosophy continues to evolve into perpetual heights until the word comes into sense that Lexus makes the most aggressive-looking cars in the market, albeit no one's buying on the performance issue.
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| 2018 Lexus LC |
Yes, while this is essentially a GT car, the Lexus LC is offered with two distinct powerplants which like one of which is more enjoyable to gargle with and the other one that you wouldn't last for thirty seconds. The first one, the LC 500, is powered by an old-school 2UR-GSE 4.0L V8 engine that has powered many F models in the range since the RC F and the GS F. It produces 477 PS of power and 540Nm of torque while mated to Lexus's first 10-speed Automatic Gearbox, which sounds like too much for an automatic gearbox but speedo boys can take this V8-powered LC any day rather than this unusual variant in the range; the LC 500h. The LC 500h is the first Lexus hybrid to come with the next-generation hybrid system dubbed as "Multi-Stage Hybrid."
What is Multi-Stage Hybrid? Great question, you may ask because this new system pairs the 8GR-FXS 3.5L V6 engine with two electric motors and, thankfully, a lithium-ion battery, keeps the planetary-type continuously variable transmission from Lexus Hybrid Synergy Drive, and also adds a unique four-speed automatic transmission and that doesn't stop here because when engaging in M mode, the two gearsets act together to provide the effect of 10 gears, which sounds like engaging but regular if you may ask. While the LC 500h's total output provides 359PS of power, fuel efficiency is expected to reach 15.8km/L based on JC08 Mode standards.
Both the LC 500 and the LC 500h are proper sportscars to drive courtesy of their extensive use of high-strength steels, aluminum, and CFRP for the bodywork as well as track-honed dynamics that promises to behave like the legendary LFA but without all the drama involved into making this sort of thing. As a car that puts the Chevrolet Corvette and the Porsche 911 on the crosshairs, the LC struggles to make the grade with that kind of firepower it unleashes but it can be a lot more enjoyable to drive if you got the time and effort to make use of it. The V8-powered LC 500 is a challenge worthy to label a beginner's luck but the LC 500h is not of a bigger deal compared to the Honda NSX, which is by no means one of the most enjoyable hybrid sportscars ever made check the pricing, folks. The LC starts at 13,000,000 Yen, which is more expensive to own than the American rival, the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51, while the LC 500h's pricing of 13,500,000 Yen makes it less costly to own than the Honda NSX, which sounds like a bargain. So, this is like the lesser of two evils in terms of pricing because the V8-powered LC 500 is more expensive than the Corvette while the LC 500h hybrid is less costly than the Honda NSX. Need I say more, ladies and gentlemen?
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| 2018 Lexus LC |
Like all Lexus models, the LC is still a luxury car that is well-mannered and subtle in a civilized world. It still has some safety features like all Lexus models come with, Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist and Vehicle Sway Warning, and an Intelligent High Beam system as well. Summing these cars up is hard because let's be honest, with all that amazing stuff involved in the making of the LC, we really wish we want to drive one of these right now because while some dinosaurs like to walk away from this car much as what they do with modern sportscars, we have our own ways to get involved with the new LC and looks like the jealousy breaks loose when it hits the roads, both real and viral.
Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation
