Lexus LC500 delivers look and performance

Toyota brings less conservative touch to this luxury vehicle.
The 2023 Lexus LC500 is one of the best-looking Lexus vehicles on the road. JIMMY DINSMORE/CONTRIBUTOR

The 2023 Lexus LC500 is one of the best-looking Lexus vehicles on the road. JIMMY DINSMORE/CONTRIBUTOR

When you’re competing against the likes of the Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type, you know a car has to be special. My tester this week can toe to toe with almost any sports car on the road both in aesthetics and performance. The 2023 Lexus LC500 is one of the best-looking Lexus vehicles on the road.

For any Lexus critics that say Toyota’s luxury brand is too conservative they haven’t looked at the LC500 then because here is a coupe that is a work of art and has a V8 engine under the hood to match those stunning looks.

Most noticeable immediately is the big, bold grille. It dominates the front end, but has a modern, artsy look to it. It’s this bold, attractive grille that helps shake off the stodgy persona that is unfairly given to the Lexus brand. This is young, hip and aggressive. From the front to the back, the LC500 looks like a sports car.

With dual tip exhausts and a small spoiler in the back it completes the looks. The coupe styling also hits home for the LC500. The low-slung profile shows that it will grip the road and become one with the road.

And it certainly does that with a 5.0-liter V8 engine that cranks out 471 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. It is rear-wheel drive (RWD) as a car like this should be. The 10-speed transmission is outstanding. There’s an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT) with this car and I was relieved that my tester had the 10-speed.

The naturally-aspirated V8 is tuned well and sounds more aggressive than it is. My girlfriend and I took the LC500 on a long drive through the Indiana countryside on a gorgeous late summer day. The thrill of driving came alive with every twist and turn. The lower profile grips the road yet it remains well-mannered. If you’re looking for sheer power, there are other competitors that will do that.

The LC500′s sweet spot is on its overall performance blending (enough) power and (enough) luxury. It is that perfect blend of these two things that makes the LC500 absolutely memorable.

Inside, the LC500 earns its luxury badging with rich materials throughout. My tester had eye-catching red leather seats with partial suede on them. The headliner was also suede. The four-passenger car had a backseat that seemed cramped when it came to legroom. You don’t buy a sports car for the ample room.

Case in point, the trunk only has 5.4 cubic feet of space. You can fit some groceries or maybe a set of golf clubs in there.

The technology in the LC500 was adequate. Lexus continues to use the touchpad as a means to navigate the infotainment system. Once you adjust to this, you can accept if for some of the flaws it has but all in all it has all the technology and smartphone integration you could want. Plus there’s an outstanding 12-speaker sound system.

Getting in and out of the LC500 was challenging for someone in my age bracket. Being so low to the ground it requires a lot of genuflecting of achy knees. But it’s still totally worth it!

All of this comes with a big price tag as my tester had a base price of $93,450. With add-ons and features the final price tag of my tester was $107,170.

The V8-powered LC500 has an EPA rating of 16 mpg/city and 25 mpg/highway. As heavy-footed as I drove, I didn’t find it to be a guzzler.

Of all the vehicles I’ve driven this year (and there are a lot), I will remember my time in the Lexus LC500. The drive through the country was enjoyable and reminded me that driving shouldn’t just be utilitarian but should also be enjoyable. And with the LC500 it is oh-so-fun!

Jimmy Dinsmore is a freelance automotive journalist. Email him at jimmydinsmore73@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @driversside

2023 Lexus LC500

Price/As tested price................................................ $93,450/$107,170

Mileage.......................................... 16 mpg/city; 25 mpg/hwy

Engine............................................. 5.0-liter V8

Horsepower................................. 471 hp/398 lbs./ft.

Transmission................................. 10-speed automatic

Drive Wheels................ Rear-wheel drive

Final Assembly Point................ Aichi, Japan

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