It’s clear that the path forward in the auto industry involves electrification. No market segment will be immune from it, though some will take longer to hop on the electrification train.

Toyota is the current king of hybrids, with its Prius and Camry models. The Japanese automaker’s luxury division, Lexus, is no stranger to hybrids as well, with hybrid variants of the popular RX crossover SUV and ES sedan.

So it was no surprise when Lexus unveiled the LC 500h hybrid at the 2016 Geneva motor show just months after the V-8 LC 500 model was shown at the 2016 Detroit auto show.

After spending a week with the 2018 Lexus LC 500h hybrid this spring, it’s clear that there are compromises in the march toward electrification, but hybridization is a perfect fit for a grand touring machine.

The LC 500h buyer suffers no visual trade-off for choosing the hybrid over the V-8 model. The wild eye-catching concept-car design remains. Lexus does include some visual cues that this is a hybrid, though. The badges get a blue hue, chrome adorns the standard wheels, and a discrete hybrid badge identifies the model on each rocker panel. Aside from that, it’s the same drool-worthy LC coupe.

Inside, the only way to distinguish the hybrid from its V-8 sibling is to examine the gauge cluster. An EV light indicates the powertrain is ready to roll. Otherwise, it’s the standard LC 500 interior, right down to the supremely comfortable road-trip-worthy seats and the terrible infotainment system with a trackpad.

Where the LC 500h hybrid differs from its V-8 sibling is what’s under the hood. It’s powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 aided by two electric motors and hooked to a 4-speed automatic transmission. A 44-kwh lithium-ion battery pack supplies power for the motors. Total system output is 354 horsepower, down 113 hp from the V-8-powered LC 500.

Despite that deficit, the LC 500h runs 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds–just 0.3 second slower than the V-8 model–and has a top speed of 155 mph versus the V-8 model’s 168 mph limit.

Off the line, the V-6 actually feels like it has more punch than the V-8 due to the instant torque of the electric motors, but that feeling fades above 30 mph where the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter builds its power with more gusto as the revs climb.

At cruising speed on the highway the hybrid powertrain isn’t as enthusiastic about throwing occupants back into their seats during aggressive passing maneuvers. The power is nowhere near as instantaneous as that of the V-8, and the transmission doesn’t feel as quick to shift as the V-8’s 10-speed automatic.

While the acceleration difference is surprisingly small, the aural excitement of the 5.0-liter V-8 simply can’t be matched by the hybrid powertrain. The V-8 has a burly exhaust note that bellows from the LC 500’s tailpipes, but the LC 500h plays a synthetic soundtrack that can be surprisingly loud, and at times, buzzy.

With an extra 155 pounds to carry over the V-8 model, the LC 500h suffers a minor handling penalty as well, but it’s not as drastic as you’d expect.

Like the V-8 model, though, the hybrid’s steering is precise, though feedback is muddy and the car doesn’t provide a crystal clear picture of what the wheels are doing.

The takeaway
Grand tourers are meant to look good while getting you where you want go rapidly and in style. The LC 500h meets these criteria as I found out on a weekend road trip to a wedding in Iowa from my home in Minnesota.

With 4.7 cubic feet of space, the trunk holds just enough for a weekend away for two. That’s 0.7 cubic feet less than the LC 500 due to the room needed for the lithium-ion battery pack. It has rear seats, but think of them as a parcel shelf for whatever luggage you can’t fit in the small trunk.

As we march into the future, the LC 500h shows that automakers can build a more efficient grand tourer without making significant compromises to design, performance, or comfort.

Of course, the biggest question is what’s under the hood. There have been countless rumors on the subject and they have included everything from a naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 to a supercharged version of the engine. Other rumors have indicated a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with 600 hp (447 kW / 608 PS) and 470 lb-ft (636 Nm) of torque. These should be taken with a grain of salt, as should rumors suggesting the car will use a hybrid powertrain.While it’s too early to know what will power the LC F, the LC 500 has a 5.0-liter V8 with 471 hp (351 kW / 477 PS) and 398 lb-ft (540 Nm) of torque. This enables the car to run from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 4.4 seconds and hit an electronically limited top speed of 168 mph (270 km/h).To appease hybrid fans, Lexus also offers an LC 500h with a 3.5-liter V6 and two electric motors. The model has a combined maximum output of 354 hp (264 kW / 359 PS) and this allows for a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of 4.7 seconds. That’s not much slower than the LC 500, but the hybrid is limited to 155 mph (250 km/h).

It’s been six years since the last Lexus LFA rolled off the production line and we still can’t get enough of this magnificent creation. Perhaps this is part of the reason why Lexus gave us the LC Coupe in the first place but that’s a topic for another time.



Carwow managed to secure a very rare (and very black) example of the mighty LFA to race against a LC500. While many of you might have guessed already the winner, it’s always interesting to see how the two models compare on a straight line.

The Lexus LFA is powered by what is considered by many one of the best internal combustion engines ever created for a passenger car; a naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V10 co-developed with Yamaha with a dry sump and a redline at 9,000rpm. The output is rated at 552hp and 354lb-ft of torque but the highlights here are the jaw-dropping soundtrack and its ferocity while going through the rev band.

Lexus claimed back in the day that the engine can rev from idle to redline in just 0.6 seconds, forcing them to use a digital cluster as an analogue needle simply couldn’t keep up. The automatic transmission is a six-speed single-clutch item from Aisin while the chassis is a carbon monocoque with aluminum front and rear subframes. This is a hand-built supercar, whereas the LC500 is a series-production luxury GT.

Speaking of which, the current Lexus flagship comes with a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine with 467hp and 389lb ft of torque, paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The slightly torquier engine is offset by the car’s weight, as the LC 500 tips the scales at 1,935kg (4,266 lbs) compared to the LFA’s 1,614kg (3,558lbs).

Want to hear some angry V10 and V8 noises? Of course you do.

Not to be outdone by their cousins at Toyota, the people at Lexus have their own surprise sporty offering for the Detroit Auto Show next week: A droptop version of the fabulous Lexus LC coupe.

While Lexus is doing the whole “wink-wink nudge-nudge” thing about this just being “just a concept,” you can almost certainly expect this thing to be in production soon.

Lexus’ press release is pretending to be cagey on the matter, quoting chief designer Tadao Mori as saying: “A production version of this concept would be exhilarating in many different ways. You would see its dynamic lines as you approach, hear its engine when you started it up and feel everything around you once on the road. It would engage the senses in a way that is unique and exciting every time you got behind the wheel.”

Sounds rad! Now build it, I guess. And with this thing looking entirely production-ready down to the license plate spot, we’re betting Lexus will.

The LC Coupe was launched in 2017, finally taking the 2012 LF-LC concept into production without many changes. While it’s not the fastest car around, it’s one of your Jalopnik staff’s favorite grand tourers at the moment—comfortable, powerful and unique, it definitely commands attention wherever it goes. On top of that, it still uses a naturally aspirated V8 in our almost all-turbo world, and for that reason alone we’re big fans.

A convertible LC would be fun. Lexus has something of a checkered history with droptops, as things like the last-generation SC and second-generation IS convertible weren’t actually huge hits. The LF-C2 conceptwas better, but then we heard it got axed because the dealers were pissed they weren’t getting a three-row RX crossover.

Well, that is a thing now, so perhaps the Lexus crossover and SUV lineup is adequately huge enough to try a convertible again. Additionally, we’ve heard lately that this and a performance-oriented LC F have both been green-lit, so good on Toyota and Lexus for trying not to be boring in a car landscape increasingly dominated by giant, family-hauling lifted hatchbacks.

We’ll see more of this thing in Detroit.

Lexus All But Confirms An LC F Is Coming

11 hours ago by Jared Rosenholtz Rumor

This may be the best Lexus since the LFA.

At a driving event for the new 2020 RC F Track Edition, which was just revealed at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, we had a chance to sit down with the Lexus team at Thermal Raceway in Palm Springs California to discuss the future of the F brand moving forward.

Last year, the F brand celebrated its 10th Anniversary with limited edition versions of the RC F and GS F, both of which we had a chance to drive at the event. Lexus' F brand has been an enormous success since the original IS F was launched back in 2008 and has since expanded to an entire range of F Sport models. Oddly enough, Lexus' flagship model, the LC 500, doesn't currently have an F or F Sport version - but that may change soon.

We loved the 2019 LC 500 when we reviewed it for a week but had to wonder if Lexus had any greater plans for it. Back in 2017, rumors emerged that Lexus was working on a hardcore LC F model, which would use a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing over 600 horsepower. After seeing numerous spy shots of what appeared to be an LC F prototype, it seemed like a more powerful LC was only a matter of time.

Lexus still hasn't officially announced a production LC F but it didn't exactly deny that such a car was in development when we asked about it. Moe Durand, Lexus International Strategic Communications Senior Manager told CarBuzz "something big is coming to LC this year," but declined to provide any additional information. Durand's comment could also point to a production version of the LC Convertible Concept, which debuted alongside the RC F Track Edition at Detroit. If Lexus does end up revealing a new LC variant this year, we'd guess it would show up at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

Lexus unveils the gorgeous 2021 LC 500 convertible in Los Angeles

November 19, 2019 6:00 PM PST

The current Lexus LC series of cars is kind of a mixed bag. I mean, it's beautiful -- easily the best-looking Lexus since the LFA -- but despite having a great engine, it's not a hugely thrilling driving experience thanks to its wonky transmission and abysmal infotainment system.

So, Lexus, in its wisdom, decided that the best way to improve that car wouldn't be to fix all those problems necessarily, and instead just cut the roof off -- and you know what? Staring at the 2021 Lexus LC 500 convertible in person at its Tuesday night reveal in Los Angeles, it might just have worked.

We'll explain.

See, cutting the roof off of the LC 500 means that not only do you get to hear one of the few remaining naturally aspirated V8s in the business much more clearly, but you also tend to focus more on the world around you and less on the car's flaws. Oh, and that convertible top? It's a soft top, rather than a retractable hardtop, and will do its dance from all the way up to all the way stowed in just 15 seconds.

So, apart from the roof, what else has Lexus changed in the LC 500's journey to becoming a convertible? A lot, actually. Lexus has specifically tuned the vehicle's suspension to cope with the added weight of a retractable roof and has engineered in extra chassis stiffness that should -- if you believe Lexus -- mean that the LC 500 'vert should handle just like its coupe cousin.

The LC 500's drivetrain carries over unaltered, so you still have to live with the 10-speed DirectShift automatic, which, while quick to shift, isn't the last word in refinement. The 5.0-liter 32-valve naturally-aspirated V8 carries over too, as does its ability to switch between the conventional Otto combustion cycle and the more efficiency-minded Atkinson cycle. It still makes a not-class-leading-but-still-adequate 471 horsepower at 7,100 rpm and 398 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm.

Other exciting convertible-specific features include a modified version of Lexus' Climate Concierge that will work to maintain a specific temperature even with the top down. It does this with something that Lexus calls "Upper Body Heating" that controls the seat heaters, air conditioning, neck warmers and steering wheel heater.

Lexus has also given a lot of thought as to how the cabin deals with wind noise when the top is down. It uses some old tricks like polycarbonate deflectors and some new tricks, like a unique body belt line shape to help curb buffeting and wind roar. It also uses active noise cancellation to suppress unwanted sounds.

The Lexus Enform infotainment system with its 10.3-inch screen carries over from the coupe. Still, thankfully it's got Alexa, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, so you can mostly ignore the sub-par factory stuff just rely on voice commands for your preferred digital assistant get things done.

The LC 500 convertible also comes with lots of standard safety tech in the form of Lexus Safety System+, which includes a precollision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with active lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and automatic high beams. It also has blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

Lexus plans to start selling the LC 500 convertible in the summer of 2020 as a 2021 model year vehicle, but if you can't wait that long and you have some extra holiday bonus cash burning hole in your pocket, you can bid on a special LC 500 convertible at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in January with all proceeds set to be donated to an as-yet-unnamed charity.