LC 500 Gave Lexus its Mojo Back
With the heart of a muscle car and the gorgeous looks of a concept, the LC 500 is a grand-touring car that’s hard not to love.
Some halo cars are so good that they help an automaker get back into the groove of making amazing cars. After the Lexus LFA, the Japanese automaker lost some of the magic and tried to win it back with a new radical design for its entire lineup. While the exterior changes helped a little bit, the new LC 500 is what really aided Lexus in getting back its charm back.
Motoring Australia got behind the wheel of an extremely bright LC 500 and found it to be one of the best cars the outlet’s ever driven. And it all starts with the way the car looks and feels. “It looks like a concept car, it feels like a concept car, but this is not science fiction,” says Motoring Australia. “The LC 500’s long bonnet, sleek silhouette, pumped rear-wheel arches, and ground-hugging posture create striking visuals.”
There’s no denying that the vehicle is a looker and the outlet calls the machine a piece of “eye candy.” And better yet, the machine’s exterior goes against everything the automaker has previously done. “The initial draw card is the eye candy,” says the outlet. “This vehicle is not just a form of transport, it’s automotive art.”
And the interior has the same striking, high-end look. “Lexus has gone all out for the sumptuous, but high-tech interior,” says Motoring Australia. “You are almost ensconced, bobsled-like, in this seat, and it really is something to behold.” While some may pass right over the infotainment system, the outlet found that it was easy to use and better than previous vehicles. “Lexus has finally come up with a better infotainment input system – a touchpad.”
Getting out onto the open road reveals that the LC 500 can also hand itself quite well in different situations. As a grand-tourer, the LC 500 should be good at covering large distances with ease, and it does just that. But it also has a sportier side. “It should be an absolute handful in the corners, but it’s actually surprisingly nimble, it doesn’t feel half as heavy as it should, and the way it grips is very, very impressive,” says Motoring Australia.
During the five-minute review, Motoring Australia raves over the LC 500 and has a lot of great things to say about the machine. To get the full lowdown on the coupe and to hear the glorious naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine roar, check out the video above.
