The exquisite-looking Lexus LC 500 Convertible has landed in Mzansi. We put the ravishing newcomer through its paces on the sweeping bends around Nelspruit.
Lexus’ design team was set quite an extraordinary challenge to shape what’s arguably the most exotic model in the Japanese premium brand’s line-up. They had to take the distinctively sculpted – and intricately detailed – Lexus LC 500 sports coupe and turn it into one of the world’s most beautiful convertibles and, if these photos are anything to go by, we’d say: “Mission accomplished!”
A vehicle’s design is entirely subjective, yet in the case of the Lexus LC 500 Convertible, we can’t help but admire it from every conceivable angle. It looks incredibly striking, particularly with the roof down.
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Is this the most beautiful open-topped sportscar that’s ever been produced by a Japanese car company? Discuss.
Suffice to say it’s an extraordinary-looking road machine with creases and angles in the right places and sensuous proportions, not to mention those gorgeous 21-inch alloy wheels and bold spindle grille.
The drawback of chopping the roof off a coupe is a loss of structural rigidity and, in the past, open-topped variants suffered from excess rattling and body flex – a phenomenon known as scuttle shake.
Lexus reckons it has minimised the problem by redesigning 3 major panels, reinforcing existing bodywork (with additional spot welds), fitting underbody bracing, shifting the car’s weight distribution around and implementing an aluminium/magnesium structure for the fabric roof. Impressively, the Convertible’s headroom and boot space compare quite favourably with those of the LC 500 coupe.
Then there’s that interior! Not only does the LC 500 Convertible’s luxurious cockpit look the part – it creates that must-have sense of occasion, but the craftsmanship and build quality are out of this world. The level of fit-and-finish is near-perfect, and other manufacturers would do well to (or least try to) replicate the immaculate interior detailing.
What’s on offer?
There are no derivatives of the LC 500 Convertible, it’s a standalone variant of the coupe. The Lexus’ fabric roof can be opened in around 15 sec and at speeds of up to 50 kph, which is useful when a sudden downpour interferes with your divine drop-top experience mid-journey.
Now, you’re probably wondering what engine sits under the newcomer’s bonnet. While Lexus’ LS “500” first-class sedan uses a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6, the Convertible sports a refreshingly “old school” motor. Yes, this arrestingly styled roadster utilises a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, which produces 351 kW/540 Nm and propels the car’s rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Also, at this price point, you get all the proverbial bells and whistles. The leather seats are 10-way electrically adjustable, wonderfully supportive and heated. There’s also a steering wheel heater and neck heaters for those who prefer “driving topless” during autumn or winter, as well as a 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with a pair of USB ports as well as Apple Carplay/Android Auto compatibility.
Safety-wise, Lexus has equipped its LC 500 Convertible with features such as a pre-crash safety system, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, stability control and 6 airbags.
What’s the Lexus LC 500 Convertible like to drive?
If the Lexus drop-top’s vivacious styling is all-but-guaranteed to cause onlookers to stop and stare, the 5.0-litre V8 is more than likely to make them smile when you start it up. It’s a glorious-sounding engine that should enthral motoring enthusiasts who fondly remember the “V8’s glory years”. The start-up sound is gloriously old-school with a traditional rumble, but the downshifts, wow: they really stir our senses.
There’s something wonderfully magical about this free-breathing Lexus V8 engine… Not only does it deliver a sonorous soundtrack as it spins smoothly through its rev range; it delivers its power in a linear fashion. There’s no sudden shove in your back, instead, the powerplant encourages you to “stretch its legs” all the way up to the redline.
If you have the car’s transmission in manual mode, there’s a soft rev limiter around about the 7 000 rpm mark and the digital rev counter changes colour from white, to orange, to red as the revs climb.
Downsides of the Lexus LC 500 Convertible? You’re probably not going to get used to all the attention this vehicle attracts. There will be so few of these on SA roads, “unicorn status” is all but assured.
What’s more, if you drive the Lexus in manual mode and the car’s running in its high gears, you have to really “work the transmission” to summon rapid overtaking acceleration. The 8th, 9th and 10th ratios are for cruising, so there’s very little response when you lean on the accelerator. If you’re in automatic, the powertrain will immediately change down to 5th gear to rediscover the motor’s sweet spot.
When enthusiasts see the LC 500 Convertible’s lofty price tag (R2 345 500 in August 2021) they may instantly compare the Lexus with high-end sportscars, but that’s not what this car’s about. It’s a beautiful, luxurious cruiser; something that rewards a spirited driver, but is eminently useable for longer trips. With this level of comfort and refinement available to occupants, you could drive the length of the Garden Route in the Lexus and arrive at your destination still feeling fresh. The same can’t be said of most high-performance exotica…
Our short drive gave us a good taste of what the 2nd most expensive model in Lexus South Africa’s line-up offers. While its straight-line efforts are brisk, its refinement and cornering capability are the real highlights. Usually, vehicles of this type are compromised by overly firm suspensions, but this is not the case with the LC. As for the scuttle shake? There was none of that, so kudos to Lexus’ engineers.
Summary
With head-turning looks that are out of this world and an old-school (but sufficiently revvy) V8 engine under its shapely bonnet, the Lexus LC 500 Convertible is a very special vehicle. It has the performance to match its athletic image, and while its outright grunt may not be best-in-class (the comparatively-priced BMW M850i Convertible makes 390 kW), there’s more than enough pace to entertain most drivers.
It’s hard to think that this treasure of a vehicle comes from Lexus, a brand that prides itself on its range of luxurious hybrids that are the polar opposite of what the LC 500 and its Convertible sibling represent. Will this be the last truly exciting model to come from the Lexus stable before the motor industry shuts the door on the (non-electrically assisted) internal combustion engine? Only time will tell.
