This is a very special car that may fly under the radar if you’re a bit of a badge snob.
The Lexus LC has been the brand’s flagship sports car and grand tourer for a number of years now. It was first revealed in 2016, and launched in Australia initially in coupe form in 2017.
The flagship convertible on test here was revealed in 2019 and launched locally in 2020. This particular variant has only been offered in Australia with the roaring 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 co-developed with Yamaha.
Like the LS flagship limousine the LC is a special order car in Australia, meaning you can’t buy one willy nilly. You need to discuss the buying process with your dealer instead, and wait a touch longer for it to arrive.
For 2024 Lexus has treated the LC to a minor update bringing a number of new features, as well as a price rise to match.
Headlining the update is Lexus’ latest 12.3-inch infotainment system which adds support for wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. Other tweaks include the introduction of connected services, more safety equipment, and a revised exterior paint colour palette.
This type of car doesn’t make logical sense to buy, but it’s one of the most affordable grand tourers to still offer a naturally aspirated V8 engine. How does it fare in 2024? Read along to find out.
How much does the Lexus LC cost?
The Lexus LC range recently received an update that brought with it a price rise.
On test here is the flagship LC 500 Convertible that’s currently the third most-expensive Lexus offered in Australia behind the LM 500h Ultra Luxury ($220,888 before on-roads) and LX 600 Ultra Luxury ($219,061 before on-roads).
2024 Lexus LC pricing
- 2024 Lexus LC 500 Coupe: $204,635 (+$4704)
- 2024 Lexus LC 500h Coupe: $212,727 (+$19,704)
- 2024 Lexus LC 500 Convertible: $218,242 (+$4704)
Prices are before on-road costs
To see how the LC compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool.
What is the Lexus LC like on the inside?
Walking up to the Lexus LC 500 Convertible you’re aware you’ve got the keys to something very special. The car looks utterly beautiful inside and out – there’s no denying that.
The hidden door handles may initially confuse your passengers. They pop out when you first unlock the car but after a while they close shut again. You need to either push the handle out or click the unlock button to get them to appear again.
As this car is a grand tourer (GT), it’s inherently low-slung which means you need to step down a fair way when hopping in. The floor sill is also quite high which makes climbing out a bit of a task. Those with limited mobility should really test out if you can get in and out of this car.
This is the kind of car you buy to make an appearance and occasionally straining yourself during ingress and egress ruins that fantasy entirely.
Something else you need to account for when hopping in and out is how large the doors are. Throughout my week-long loan I had to hold my hand against the door many times to ensure it didn’t hit the car parked next to me because it wouldn’t open far enough to lock into its first position.
Once you’re in you’re hit in the face with a pleasant leather smell. There is leather everywhere in the cabin, including the door cards, and seemingly everything that isn’t leather is high-quality metal or plastic instead. No corners have been cut in this car.
As standard there are beautiful-looking semi-aniline leather-accented seats that have an inoffensive stitched design. Our tester was finished in black which is the most mainstream and arguably the most boring, especially when there are ochre and white-and-blue two-tone options on offer.
The front seats are super squishy and comfortable with plenty of side bolstering securing you in. It’s worth calling out my lower back did initially get sore after driving to and from the office, but after fiddling with the lumbar support I managed to find a comfortable spot.
Visibility from the driver’s seat can be a little restricted when it’s set low and the convertible roof is up. Thankfully you can negate this problem by opening the convertible roof, which I did most of the time we had the LC – why not?
As expected the front seats are both heated and ventilated. The former is critical when you’re driving with the convertible soft top folded down in cooler weather.
There’s also a neck heater as standard which does like the name suggests and keeps your neck warm in cooler weather. This is one of my favourite features in the LC 500 Convertible if you overlook the V8 engine.
One minor gripe I have about this car are the seat heating/ventilation, steering wheel heating, and neck heater functions are controlled through the infotainment system. Sure there’s a shortcut button on the centre tunnel, but you need to prod on the touchscreen to change the settings.
I’d much prefer physical buttons for these features given there are buttons for plenty of other functions in the car.
Ahead of the driver is a steering wheel that looks very familiar if you’ve driven any recent Lexus car. It’s wrapped in smooth and soft leather, as to be expected, and offers heating.
All the buttons on the steering wheel are physical ones that have a satisfying click and are logically placed. There’s no learning curve here.
Behind the steering wheel is a digital instrument cluster that’s starting to look a touch dated among its high-tech rivals, but still has cool animations when you turn on the car and change drive modes. These keep it looking somewhat fresh, and the motorised digital rev counter is a neat nod to the legendary LFA supercar.
On top of the dashboard is head-up display that’s so bright enough it can be seen even with polarised sunglasses on. It importantly displays your current speed in digital form, but also a digital rev gauge.
Moving across the LC finally receives a touchscreen infotainment system. This new 12.3-inch unit replaces the old 10.3-inch display that didn’t support touch functionality.
The new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system should look familiar if you’ve driven a recent Lexus or Toyota model. It’s bright and appears to be high-resolution, plus its user interface is really easy to navigate.
The trackpad, whether you loved it or hated it, is now gone with this update. In its place is a large round volume dial, as well as switches for the track and volume. The analogue clock on the dashboard also got the chop with this update.
As standard the LC now receives wireless Apple CarPlay, though it still only has wired Android Auto. With my iPhone 15 Pro Max connected wirelessly I had only one or two dropouts during my week-long loan, which isn’t great but not unexpected.
One catch is there’s no wireless charger in the LC which means your phone battery will quickly drain if you’re going on longer road trips (which you will definitely want to do in this car). To negate this you’ll need to plug your phone into a USB port in the small centre cubby box to keep its battery topped up.
Satellite navigation comes as standard, which is great for when your phone runs out of service and you still need to find your way home. It’s also now connected to the internet, which means you get live traffic too.
As I noted above, the LC’s interior is top-notch with no cheap-feeling plastic or glossy piano black finishes in sight. Every button is damped, including the climate control ones that have a satisfying click noise when pressed.
There are covers for everything, including the cupholders, which have a soft-close function that feels premium. My favourite lid is the one for the convertible controls which operates a bit like a missile strike flap.
Storage is at a premium in the LC even before you look at the second row. There are only two cupholders – one is in front of the gear selector and another typically hidden by the sliding centre cubby lid – plus the door bins are tiny.
There are technically two rear seats in the LC but they feel more like a formality and somewhere you would throw extra stuff that doesn’t fit in the boot. I say this because with the driver’s seat set to my desired position it butted up against the rear seat.
For the sake of it I tried to get into the second row and struggled big time. The seat itself is rock solid and very upright, plus there’s no legroom, and with the convertible roof up headroom is very restricted.
Thankfully you can alleviate this last point by retracting the convertible roof.
Around the back, the LC 500 Convertible’s boot is laughably small. Lexus quotes an official boot capacity figure of 149 litres.
If you want to carry a set of golf clubs, they’ll have to go on the rear seats – even my compact work backpack needed to be laid flat to fit.
What’s under the bonnet?
The Lexus LC 500 continues to be powered a 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 petrol engine co-developed with Yamaha. A V6 hybrid option is also still available, though it’s only offered in the coupe body style.
| Model | Lexus LC 500 Convertible |
|---|---|
| Engine | 5.0L naturally aspirated V8 petrol |
| Power | 351kW (7100rpm) |
| Engine torque | 540Nm (4800rpm) |
| Transmission | 10-speed auto |
| Driven wheels | Rear-wheel drive |
| Weight | 2055kg (kerb) |
| Fuel economy (claim) | 12.7L/100km |
| Fuel economy (observed) | 13.8L/100km (750km mixed driving) |
| Fuel tank size | 82 litres |
| Fuel requirement | 98 RON |
To see how the LC compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool.
How does the Lexus LC drive?
Starting up the Lexus LC 500 Convertible the 5.0-litre V8 engine roars to life with a 2000rpm flare that’s very addictive. It’s loud enough that your neighbours will be aware of your presence, but not too loud that they’ll hate you.
MY21 LC 500 Convertible shown
After warming up a tad the V8 engine does idle down and produces a beautiful understated sound. It sounds like a really refined beast just waiting to be let off the leash.
If you start driving while the engine is still warming up to operating temperature the revs are limited so you don’t do any damage. Thankfully this doesn’t present any issues in everyday driving.
Once you eventually let this beast of its chain the V8 makes a soaring noise that rips all the way to redline. Revving from about 4500-5000rpm and beyond sounds like an orchestra of trumpets reaching a crescendo.
The inherent naturally aspirated induction noise on full throttle is also intoxicating and makes you want to bury the throttle every time you turn out of a corner. This Darth Vader-like noise is becoming rarer in the age of small displacement turbo and hybridised powertrains.
One of the defining factors about this particular car is its soft-top convertible roof. It’s able to open and close hydraulically at speeds up to 50km/h which is very handy if you meet a patch of rain on the move.
Opening the convertible roof also allows you to hear the LC 500’s clean, precise V8 grumble more clearly. I tried to do this as often as possible when driving during my week-long loan despite the weather being cooler. This is when all the heaters were put to use.
Thanks to the LC 500’s active exhaust, you’re able to dial up the amount of noise you hear depending on your throttle input. Just beware though because if you’re not careful the rear tyres will spin if you’re greedy with the accelerator at low speeds – thankfully the traction control will keep you in check.
There are also plenty of drive modes to choose from – Normal, Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport S, and Individual – which adjust the calibration of the engine, transmission and suspension, among other functions.
With 351kW and 540Nm you definitely won’t be struggling for power or torque. You’ll easily be pulling ahead of almost any car at the traffic lights, though that’s not the intention of this car. It’s more of a smooth and effortless cruiser. This is representative of how the 10-speed automatic transmission operates.
There are plenty of gear ratios for the transmission to choose from meaning the revs can be left just above idle and it can still accelerate at a decent pace without dropping down a gear.
I did experience some clunky moments when taking off in the LC 500 and also when going back to first gear. I’m uncertain if these are just a quirks of the torquey and robust engine and transmission combination.
When cruising around town the way the transmission initially holds its gear for engine braking, before cutting in the torque converter to roll to a stop, would sometimes create a jerking action. It’s not world-ending but is noticeable from the driver’s seat.
At low speeds the LC 500’s steering is light and direct, making it fun to chuck around. Surprisingly the ride is also very compliant despite its 21-inch forged alloy wheels with very low-profile tyres. It can be firm over harsh bumps but floats over the majority.
You can use the drive modes to dial up how the suspension reacts to bumps. Comfort glides over almost every single bump effortlessly and makes you feel like you’re on a cloud, whereas Sport stiffens things up – but not too much.
As standard there are front and rear parking sensors, as well as a surround-view camera. The latter is a new feature that was introduced with the latest update.
The LC 500 Convertible is a big car to park, there’s no way around it. Thankfully the surround-view camera and parking sensors do make this easier. It’s also nice the side mirrors dip when you select reverse so you don’t kerb a wheel accidentally.
Rear visibility with the convertible roof up is a little limited which makes checking your blind spots a tad difficult. Thankfully folding down allows for limitless rearward visibility.
Building up the pace in this grand tourer is very easy to do. You do need to pay attention to the speedometer because the sign-posted speed limit will creep up on you very quickly.
At higher speeds on winding roads is where the LC 500 Convertible comes into its element. It’s even better when you’ve got the roof folded down because you get the air flow. Thankfully it’s not too windy inside the cabin as there’s a wind deflector.
The LC 500 Convertible can be very dynamic if driven with intent. The car feels rock solid in the twisties and has enough grip to be properly quick.
It’s best in these dynamic driving moments to activate the manual transmission mode and take control yourself. The car makes one of the best noises I’ve ever heard close to redline. It’s almost like a drug because you keep wanting to hear it.
If you’ve got a passenger onboard however they mightn’t enjoy how unsettling the dynamic driving can be. Thankfully you can select the Comfort driving mode and things settle down very quickly.
On the safety front the LC 500 Convertible’s adaptive cruise control isn’t the brightest. Lexus claims it has been made more capable with the inclusion of speed sign assist which allows for easy switching between set speeds using the steering wheel buttons.
This is helpful but the adaptive cruise control system still won’t brake when you’re going downhill. It’ll just bing and bong incessantly until you slow down naturally or by pressing the brake pedal. Many systems can do this now, or can drop a gear and utilise engine braking more efficiently.
The adaptive cruise control also brakes heavily when a car merges in ahead of you. This creates a jarring feeling behind the wheel which makes you not want to use the cruise control unless you’re on an open road without any cars.
The car’s lane-keep assist function is also firm with how it jerks at the steering wheel. It also gets a little confused on winding roads which makes me prefer to not use it. I much rather take control and properly drive such a beautiful car.
Lastly, the LC 500 Convertible has some really bright LED headlights. These are really handy if you’re driving in rural and regional areas at nighttime and are on the look out for animals on the side of the road.
The only catch is the LED headlights don’t have a matrix or adaptive high-beam function. There is auto high-beam but it only turns the entire light either on or off.
What do you get?
The 2024 Lexus LC 500 Convertible is available in a single fully-loaded variant.
Lexus LC 500 Convertible highlights:
- 21-inch forged alloy wheels
- Hydraulic soft-top roof
- Wind deflector
- Bi-LED headlights
- Automatic high-beam
- Flush door handles
- Active exhaust
- Adaptive variable suspension
- Front performance dampers
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wired, wireless Apple CarPlay
- Wired Android Auto
- Colour head-up display
- 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system
- Smart key card
- Active Noise Control
- Dual-zone climate control
- Neck heater
- Heated leather-accented steering wheel
- Leather-accented gear selector
- Paddle shifters
- Sports pedals
- Stainless steel scuff plates
- Semi-aniline leather-accented upholstery
- 10-way power front seats
- Driver seat position memory
- Heated and ventilated front seats
The following exterior paint colours are available as no-cost options:
- White Nova
- Sonic Iridium
- Graphite Black
- Sonic Chrome
- Sonic Titanium
- Infrared
- Sonic Copper
- Cobalt Mica
- Zinnia Yellow
- Khaki Metal
There are four different Semi-aniline leather-accented interior trim finishes including Black, Dark Rose, Ochre and White/Blue. A black soft top is standard though you can opt for a beige soft top if you get the Ochre interior, or a blue soft top if you get the White/Blue interior.
To see how the LC compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool.
Is the Lexus LC safe?
The Lexus LC has never been crash tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP and hence is unrated.
The following safety equipment is standard across the range:
- 6 airbags
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian detection
- Cyclist detection (daytime)
- Junction assist
- Pop-up bonnet
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane Trace Assist (lane keep assist, lane centring)
- Emergency steering assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Speed sign recognition
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Surround-view camera
The 2024 Lexus LC range now also includes a complimentary three-year subscription to Lexus Connected Services.
With the help of an in-built data communication module (DCM) and the Lexus Connected smartphone app, owners can view the odometer reading, fuel level, distance to empty, recent trip information, and the vehicle’s last known location.
Owners can also remotely check the open/close status of the doors, windows, bonnet and boot. The app can also push a notification if any of these are left open or the hazard lights are left on. Other connected service features include remotely starting the engine, as well as locking and unlocking the doors and boot.
How much does the Lexus LC cost to run?
The Lexus LC range is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. The first five services are capped at $695 each. All Lexus LC buyers also receive a three-year complimentary subscription to Encore Platinum.
Lexus Encore Platinum highlights:
- Lexus on Demand (up to 6 days, for 4 times)
- Valet parking (eight times)
- Airport lounge access (4 passes)
- Roadside assistance
- Service loan car
- Ampol fuel discounts
- Exclusive event invitations
- Exclusive offers
CarExpert’s Take on the Lexus LC
There’s no getting around it; the Lexus LC 500 Convertible is an incredibly special car that brought such a big smile to my face every time the V8 engine started, or when the revs flared on a downshift.
It has people in other cars and pedestrians snapping their necks to take a look at this beauty. I know styling is subjective but for a car that was first revealed in 2016 to still look this good eight years later is a testament to Lexus’ design team.
This is the type of car that makes you feel special every time you press the start button. I know the age of brand-new naturally aspirated V8 sports cars and grand tourers won’t be around for much longer and I’m glad I was able to soak up this moment while it lasted.
There are certain catches that come with owning a car like this. First is the asking price, which recently went up, and the fact it’s a special-order car means you’ll be waiting a while for it to arrive.
Space is also at a premium despite the car’s hulking proportions. Second-row space is virtually nonexistent and the boot doesn’t accomodate more than a soft overnight bag.
While we’re being boring and practical, the LC 500 bring other benefits beyond its musical V8. Lexus’ Encore Platinum subscription for example makes you feel like you get a proper VIP experience befitting a flagship luxury car, and the updated infotainment with connected services is a welcome (but overdue) inclusion.
Regardless of all of this however the Lexus LC 500 Convertible isn’t the type of car you buy with your head, but rather your heart.
Sure I felt like the ultimate retiree from behind the wheel, and the V8’s thirst for premium petrol hurt my pocket, but every time I buried the throttle I was reminded just how much I loved this iconic car.
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