FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS, A SEXY NEW CONVERTIBLE JOINS THE LEXUS LINEUP, THIS TIME BASED ON THE BRAND’S FLAGSHIP COUPE

BY EVAN MONROE

In January 2016, four years after the wildly futuristic LF LC Concept made global waves at NAIAS in Detroit, the Lexus LC 500 exploded into the luxury coupe market with chiseled curves and a refined, sophisticated cabin. Nearly four years later, the Japanese automaker announced some big news for its flagship coupe the nameplate would be expanding in 2021 to include a sleek soft top (available this summer). This is the first time Lexus has manufactured a convertible since the IS 350C was discontinued in 2015, and it was well worth the wait.

The front engine, rear wheel drive LC 500 Convertible uses the same naturally aspirated, direct injection 5.0 liter V8 engine as its coupe counterpart, outputting 471 horsepower and 398 lb ft of torque. Its 0 60 time is an estimated 4.7 seconds (tested by Motor Trend). Though official pricing for the convertible had not yet been released at time of print, the 2021 LC 500 Coupe starts at $92,950.

Maintaining similar driving qualities as the grand touring coupe was paramount, so in order to effectively slice off the top, engineers leaned on computer aided engineering (CAE) analysis and real world driving evaluation. Structural braces were added and relocated to improve chassis rigidity, and the suspension was specifically tuned to complement the weight differences (the ragtop is 157 pounds heavier than the 2021 coupe).

Drivers can reach full top down mode in only a handful of seconds. At speeds up to 31 miles per hour, the four layer soft top roof opens in approximately 15 seconds and closes in approximately 16. And while the summer months might provide optimal wind in your hair weather, the engineers made sure motorists can still enjoy the open air during the year’s chillier seasons. The HVAC system was designed to adjust the temperature automatically, regardless if the top is open or closed, and neck heaters are on deck to keep the upper body warm.

And as far as that mean, throaty engine sound the raffish LC nameplate is famed for, don’t expect to lose it in the wind. To ensure the engine’s powerful roar can be heard even with the top down, the engine’s intake pulses are carried through a diaphragm into a sound pipe and then into the cabin. There’s no artificial sound generation, only the rumble of the thundering V8.

Lexus of Edison
711 US 1, Edison / 848.359.8600 / lexusofedison.com