2018 Lexus LC 500 V-8
The 2018 Lexus LC 500 V-8
is fast, sexy and luxurious.
Price: $92,000
The Lexus LC 500 V-8 coupe isn’t for introverts. Its rakish
styling gets stares, and its snarling exhaust prompts long glances.
The flagship LC 500 Lexus V-8 coupe comes as a $92,000 model with a
mighty 471-horsepower V-8 or as a $96,510 gas-electric hybrid with 354
horsepower. I tested the hybrid and found it generally outstanding. But
this time around I drove the V-8 gas-engine model, which
we’ll examine here.
The sophisticated, free-revving V-8 generates 398 pound/feet of torque
and provides a 0-60 m.p.h. time of 4.4 seconds and a claimed top speed
of 168 miles per hour. The underbody is almost completely smooth for
excellent aerodynamics.
If nothing else, the rear-drive LC 500 looks alluring, with a grille
that has a unique mesh texture, sweeping roofline, prominent quarter
panels that flare away from the center of the car and door panels that
are pulled inward. The combination of a large glass panel and
blacked-out rear pillars creates a floating roof appearance.
The LC 500 V-8 has the first 10-speed automatic transmission used in a
luxury car. It operates quickly and smoothly and has magnesium paddles
for manual shifting. The smooth transmission executes shifts at speeds
rivaling dual-clutch transmissions and does such a good job that
there’s really no need for manual shifts during normal
driving.
Premium fuel is required for the 21.7-gallon tank and estimated fuel
economy is 16 miles per gallon on the city and 26 on highways. With 10
speeds, I found the transmission lets the V-8 loaf at about 1,800
r.p.m. at 65 m.p.h.
A driver can adjust the car via its Drive Mode Select feature for
various driving modes, including economical, normal and
sport-plus. He can even control the exhaust-sound level so he
doesn’t wake the neighbors up at 5 a.m. on his way to work.
Sport-plus gives the car its best responsiveness.
Steering is nicely weighted and quick, with good road feel. The ride is
quite good even in sport-plus mode, with the suspension easily soaking
up road imperfections for comfortable long-distance drives. Lexus says
the car has the stiffest unibody it has ever produced. The heavy duty
brakes are controlled by a pedal with a firm, high engagement.
The LC 500 has sports car moves, although it weighs a hefty 4,280
pounds. It’s a genuine fast, docile, high-speed
“two-plus-two” (as they used say) luxury
coupe. It has an adaptive variable suspension and a new
platform designed for a low center of gravity to aid agility and enable
more alluring vehicle designs. The car would weigh more except Lexus
used aluminum for the hood, front fenders and door skins. Only the rear
fenders are steel.
The low hood height is made possible by a double ball joint front
suspension that allows for control of the smallest movements from
driver inputs and the road surface, yielding more precise steering
response with better initial effort.
There’s plenty of interior luxury here, with sumptuous
leather, attractive stitching throughout, microsuede and (optional)
Alcantara material and carbon fiber door sills. The electroluminescent
gauges can be quickly read. But the remote touchpad is rather clumsy,
and the secondary dashboard area controls are too small to easily find
when driving.
Doors are long and heavy, and door sills are wider than normal.
However, one still can slide in and out without making unusual moves,
and the doors have a handy grab feature to help close them.. The rear
seats look great but are really just suited for small children. The
modestly sized trunk has a high opening.
The heated and ventilated leather-trimmed power front seats provide
good support. Those seats and the power adjustable steering wheel
should help drivers of various sizes find a comfortable driving
position. Still, the optional power sport seats are worth the extra
money, holding you extremely well and comfortably at the same time.
You expect a lot from a top-line Lexus interior, and you get it with
the LC 500. For instance, the super-quiet cabin has a pushbutton
start/stop, automatic dual-zone climate control, backup monitor, Lexus
premium audio system, cruise control, power windows with one-touch
automatic open/close features. ..and so on.
My test car had options, including a heated steering wheel, Intuitive
Park Assist, blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, 21-inch
forged wheels with run-flat tires, Mark Levinson premium
surround system and a carbon fiber roof instead of the standard glass
roof, limited-slip differential and active rear steering.
Standard safety features included a pre-collision system with
pedestrian protection, all-speed dynamic radar cruise control,
lane-keep assist and lane-departure alert, smart stop technology and
LED daytime running lights. However, the
“fasten-seat-belt” bell is annoying, and pulling
the driver sun visor down a lot partly blocks the view through the
small inside rearview mirror. The large outside mirrors provide good
rear vision and fold flat against the side glass when the car is parked
to prevent parking lot damage.
The LC 500 has premium craftsmanship and is so solidly built it feels
as if it will last a very long time.
