We’re all in awe of a Porsche 911 GT3 RS or a Ferrari Roma, but if we’re honest, most of us can’t exploit the track-day abilities of the former, and we wouldn’t want to daily the latter, because who in their right mind dailies a quarter of a million dollar sports car without batting an eyelid? What we want is a hero for the normal guy or girl – a drop-dead gorgeous piece of automotive rolling art built from a solid piece of granite and as reliable as the sun. It must be comfortable and have all the creature comforts, and soothe us on our daily commute.
Lexus
Founded in 1989, Lexus is a premium automaker created by Toyota as a rival to Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Its first model, the Lexus LS, became renowned as a true S-Class rival at a fraction of the cost and is known as one of the most reliable cars in the world. Subsequent models from the brand have achieved equal fame, including the IS, RX, and LX. With global sales of 824,258 cars in 2023, Lexus has become a prime example of how a start-up can enter the premium space and succeed, something few rivals have managed since.
Enter the Lexus LC, a thing so drop-dead beautiful that it came second on our list of the best-looking modern cars. Forget about badges and price tags and just look at it. It’s theater on wheels, right up there with a Miura or an E-Type. But you can get one for $100k, it comes with Lexus dependability baked in, and you can have a gloriously melodious naturally aspirated V8 to listen to. Yet it glides down the road with the grace and poise of a sporty Rolls-Royce. This must be the most underrated $100k car sold in America, period.
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Curves In Places Other Cars Don’t Have Places
Just look at it. No wonder it’s on the second podium step of our list of best-looking contemporary cars. The LC looks right from all angles, with the Lexus spindle grille perfectly integrated into the front visage with its boomerang DRLs and LED headlights housings that seamlessly flow into the lower bumper.
The big grille adds just the right amount of aggression to an extremely curvaceous shape, with the pronounced side sills, rising-wedge sideline, and broad haunches with fat rubber hinting at the V8 power rippling under the skin. In profile, the long hood is classically coupe. It’s the most beautiful modern car on sale today.
Interior & Comfort
Premium Quality, Understated Style, 2+2 Practicality
The cabin is a masterclass in elegance and quality. The deeply padded materials are of the highest quality, the leathers feel rich, and the color schemes add some excitement with their two-tone finishes, such as black/Circuit Red and black/Toasted Caramel. The passenger’s console-mounted grab handle is artfully integrated, sweeping into the dashboard and echoing the one on the door.
There are actual dials and buttons to use, and the infotainment screen is bigger this year, and it is a touchscreen at last – a major improvement on last year’s system that could only be controlled via a console-mounted touchpad. The seats are extremely comfortable, and there is plenty of space up front. The second row is small, but it’s fine for small children, so the LC is also a practical car with 2+2 seating. The ride is perfectly judged – responsive and flat enough in corners, but absorbent enough on bad surfaces, making this a genuinely usable GT.
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Features
Everything But The Kitchen Sink
The LC is equipped to a high level and trimmed in luxury materials. Many of the features that you pay extra for on more expensive rivals are standard here.
Standard features include:
- Leather upholstery
- Heated and ventilated eight-way power front seats
- Dual-zone climate control
- 12-speaker audio system
- 12.3-inch touchscreen w/ wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
- Surround-view camera
- Adaptive cruise control with lane tracing
- Lane-departure alert w/ steering assist
Available options:
- Heated steering wheel
- Semi-aniline leather upholstery
- Head-up display
- 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system
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Powertrains
From Exciting To Sensible
Fast facts:
|
Model |
Hybrid (Coupe Only) |
Gas |
|---|---|---|
|
Engine |
3.5L NA GR V6 |
5.0L NA UR V8 |
|
Drivetrain |
eCVT w/ 4-speed auto, RWD |
10-speed automatic |
|
Horsepower |
354 hp |
471 hp |
|
Torque |
TBC |
398 lb-ft |
|
0-60 mph |
4.7 seconds |
4.4 seconds (coupe) 4.6 seconds (convertible) |
|
Top Speed |
155 mph |
168 mph |
Yes, you can have your LC with a thrifty V6 hybrid powertrain that saves fuel, but we wouldn’t even dream about it. The naturally aspirated 5.0L V8 is simply such a charismatic powerplant that we can’t see the LC with anything else than this under the hood. With 471 hp on tap and a ten-speed automatic, performance is swift, but there isn’t so much power that it overwhelms the chassis or spoils the balance. It’s just pleasingly rapid and operatic in its delivery.
Just listen to it:
Reliability
It’s A Lexus
JD Power hasn’t rated the LC, since there are too few of them on the roads, but Lexus has a reputation for being one of the most reliable automotive brands in the world, which is certainly not something you can say of some sports cars out there. You can get into your LC and put hundreds of thousands of miles on it, so it’s likely to go the distance as long as you maintain it according to the manufacturer’s requirements.
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Get One, Now
Time Is Running Out
The Lexus LC combines seemingly irreconcilable values in a single package for lovers of traditional sports cars. It is arguably the prettiest of the lot, and it offers a long list of standard features and high-grade luxury finishes in a beautifully crafted interior. On the road, it delivers the best of both worlds, with agile handling for a big GT and an excellent ride that would do a sedan proud. Yet, it delivers sound effects your uncle’s Camry doesn’t, with that naturally aspirated V8 soaring to 7,000 rpm time and time again. All of this in a package as reliable as your average Toyota, and at a starting price of $100k? You bet. But the LC won’t be long for this world. Lexus has announced a 2025 model, but we don’t know if the big two-door will survive after that. Get one while you can.
