I have good news and bad news. I’ll start with the good news first: We have an update on the upcoming LC. The bad news is that the update is in Chinese and I don’t know the language. However, I’ll do my best to relay from a Google translation what seems clear.
The LC will come in two forms: the LC500 and the LC500h. They should go into production in November of 2016.
It looks as if we can expect a wheelbase as long as 9.4 feet, which exceeds the rear-wheel-drive RC 350’s wheelbase of 8.96 feet. The total length of the LC could be 15.4 feet, the width could be 6.3 feet, and the height could be 4.4 feet. Weight could be as low as 3,197 pounds because of the “doors, body sheet metal parts, hood, [and] roof … [being made out of] aluminum-magnesium alloy and plastic composite material.”
The LC’s body will look as much as 80 percent like that of the LF-LC concept. It will wear four tailpipes, 20-inch wheels (21-inchers will be on F Sport versions, as will a movable rear spoiler), and a big panoramic glass roof.
Inside, the LC will feature a head-up display and an advanced version of the Remote Touchpad.
A turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 with 550 horsepower will be under the hood of the LC500. That engine will be paired with a 10-speed automatic and enable a 0-62 time of 4.5 seconds. The LC500h will be powered by a 400-horsepower combination of a 3.5-liter V6 and electric motors. Sixty-two miles per hour will come up in 5.5 seconds.
Lexus is expected to produce 600 LCs a month; 500 of them will go to North America.
What do you all think? Does any of this sound a little far-fetched to you?
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
Where do you go for answers when you have a Lexus with a gorgeous leather interior but are not sure about how to maintain that luxurious look? The "Club Lexus" forums, of course.
