The sun’s finally shining, summer’s here and what better time to indulge in a car hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful drop tops – the Lexus LC 500 Convertible.
Still busy notching up awards since its launch, this most elegant and desirable model has recently won the title of ‘Best Luxury Car of 2021’ in the Women’s World Car of the Year Awards and also ‘Best Open Top’ in the UK Car of the Year Awards 2021.
Among the judges, Matt Robinson commented: “The feel-good factor of driving a car which looks astounding, sounds terrific and should be as reliable as a Swiss watch, cannot be underestimated.” Fellow leading motor journalist Tom Ford declared it to be “one of the best-looking convertibles – ever” and Alisdair Suttie added his high opinion of the design, stating: “You only need to look at the LC to know it’s ‘job done’ – it’s stunning.”
A hit with the ladies too, WWCOTY executive president Marta Garcia said: “The Lexus LC 500 Convertible is a delightful madness to dream about, a car to add to the bucket list. It retains all the passion of classic sports cars, the ones that didn’t need tricks or turbos to make you fall in love.” Judge Anat Daniel commented on how the mixture of luxury with “Japanese sportiness” and a “magnificent” engine helps make this a “unique and unforgettable car”, while South Africa’s Charleen Clarke declared it “brilliant to drive”.
Thoroughly enjoying the car on test, we couldn’t agree more.
The LC Convertible – following the example set by its sister Coupe model reviewed last year, perfectly captures the spirit of Lexus’s evolution as a luxury lifestyle brand, providing discerning customers with driving pleasure, unique design and superb craftsmanship quality.
Its story started when a concept version was revealed at the Detroit motor show back in 2019, revealing how chief designer Tadao Mori and his team had succeeded in translating the award-winning design of the Coupe into an equally stylish and desirable soft-top, following the principle of ‘ultimate beauty’. Refreshingly, only minimal changes were made for the production version, which was launched in world markets last year and took its place as an aspirational, halo model for the entire Lexus line-up.
Unlike many convertibles, it’s evident to see the designers really focused on making a car that looks equally beautiful with the roof up or down, applying Lexus’s famous attention to detail in areas such as the folding top mechanism to achieve the ideal lines without compromising cabin comfort or load space.
The LC 500 convertible’s credentials certainly don’t stop at its impressive visual appeal. It’s a thrilling and engaging drive thanks to its 5.0-litre V8 engine and 10-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission, matching the Coupe with a 155mph electronically limited top speed. The 0-60 sprint takes just five seconds, while precise aerodynamic styling prevents any uncomfortable wind buffeting when travelling at speed. The cabin is beautifully appointed, finished in high-quality materials throughout and reflecting Lexus’s human-centred philosophy in its design, comfort and multi-sensory appeal.
It’s the perfect car for exploring the countryside and heading out to the coast. Driving top down enjoying fresh sea air is wonderful and with its dynamic handling, each mile is a pleasure to travel. The engine sounds rich and throaty too – unique to a naturally aspirated V8.
The LC 500 Convertible at circa £93k is practical as well as pretty, the boot is actually more spacious than you might think from its streamlined stunning lines, the roof can be raised and lowered in just a few seconds at the touch of a button, and thanks to minimal buffeting from wind, you can arrive at your destination looking as immaculate as when you left. This really is a most beautiful, luxurious and desirable car.
For more information visit, lexus.co.uk.
The post Test drive: LLM motoring editor Lisa Curtiss reviews the Lexus LC Convertible first appeared on Luxury Lifestyle Magazine.