The Lexus LC Convertible Is Here To Fill Your Ears With N/A V8 Noise
The Lexus LC500 is one of the few remaining cars keeping the naturally-aspirated V8 flame going. It’s fitting, then, that Toyota’s luxury brand has decided to take a big tin-opener to the roof and turn it into a convertible.
What you see here is officially a concept Lexus has cooked up for the Detroit Auto Show, where the production version of the coupe made its debut three years ago. But, save for those giant 22-inch wheels, everything on it looks showroom-friendly.
Lexus hasn’t explicitly said if it’ll make the car. “A production version of this concept would be exhilarating in many different ways,” said Tadao Mori, the car’s designer, being very careful to say “would” rather than “will”. But don’t be fooled: we’re all but certain this will happen.
Lexus hasn’t provided any technical details for its “aspirational halo vehicle,” but the inevitable production version would most likely be available as an LC500 with the aforementioned 5.0-litre V8 - which develops 471bhp in the coupe - and as an LC500h with a V6 hybrid powertrain. There’s no mistaking which one Mori is referring to when he talks about how drivers would “hear its engine when you start it up and feel everything around you once on the road,” however.
Lexus hasn’t gone into specifics about the roof, either - it’s only referred to as a “retractable top” in the press release. It’s shown in the above image to be a fabric roof, setting it apart from Lexus’ last convertible supercar - the much-maligned SC 430 - which had a hard-top arrangement.
The concept will make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show on 14 January, along with another certain product from Toyota which is threatening to hog the limelight…
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
This thing makes 470bhp na??
470hp from 5 litres is not that difficult to achieve. The Mustang GT has similar numbers.
TT RS makes 400 from a 2.5 Liter 5 Cyl
This is a luxury tuned Engine.
Wait for the LC F for more horses.
It’s competitors have less.
And American car always have more horses than they can make use of.
Lol, the GT350 Shelby has a 5.2l engine and makes 526hp and the Mustang GT 2018 has around 460hp and has a 5.0l engine. It’s not hard to make 470hp NA stock from a 5.0l engine.
Is it just me,or does it look sexier?
The drop top makes the Lexus V8 even more sexy
“Another toyota which threatens to hog the spotlight” yea for people who lack class, and eyeballs. This thing is magnificent.
Agreed. However, I don’t really like the front grille/bumper in this thing.
It just looks somewhat boring, The front would look a lot better with LFA lookalike front bumper, grille and vents. Just my opinion tho.
I love it more than the coupe
Imangine someone would have told a magazine like autocar that lexus will be a last bastion of high revving, na V8 power 20 years ago 😂
I wouldn’t believed it even like 5-10 years ago
I can see doug tryna get into the back seats already
I can never understand why even bother making rear seats…
may as well put some boxes back there for useful cargo space.
Just in case
Small children? I once saw three kids and (presumably) their dad in a 911.
Some of us have small girlfriends
I Think its more of a Tax reason than actual use.
so that the car doesnt get taxed as a sports car
goes into every tunnel possible
So is my truck it ain’t f*cking special