The Lexus LC 500 Convertible: A Review
The Lexus LC 500 Convertible is a car that rides on an aging platform, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it to drive it. Despite the much-maligned older version of the Lexus/Toyota infotainment system, the LC 500 Convertible feels as fresh as ever. Dropping the top of this Lexus doesn’t result in a lot of compromises, unlike other convertible versions of sports coupes that suffer from chassis flex and wind/road noise. This car doesn’t, at least for the most part – you might get some chassis flex when hitting a severe enough bump, but it’s rare. Even the change to a soft top doesn’t hurt the car’s swoopy styling too much.
The best part about the LC 500 Convertible, however, is how the 5.0-liter V8 sounds with the top down. It’s an old-school throaty rumble song that we will hear less and less of as EVs become a larger part of the market. That same V8 makes the LC 500 feel quite quick in a straight line and should tire of its vocalizations, you can raise the top, which brings the well-known Lexus silence to the interior. That same top seemed to also keep water out when I had the car washed at the local hand-wash joint, but I wasn’t risking damage to see how it would handle my local machine brush and rinse.
Despite being low to the ground, the LC rides pretty smoothly, as befits a grand tourer. It also handles like a grand tourer – well enough to be fun, not quite sharp enough to really satisfy your inner weekend warrior. The car might be a tourer most of the time, but you can summon the car’s darker side by engaging Sport S and Sport S+ driving modes, and while the car’s handling still says “grand tourer” it does tighten up, though the coupe is still a better companion when the road gets curvy. The best part about activating the sport modes is the kick-your-butt sharp shifts of the transmission and the accompanying soundtrack – the active exhaust note fires off a satisfying thwack when the gears switch.
Inside, the biggest flaw is the aging infotainment system and Lexus accursed mousepad interface – the one that annoys even as it gets easier to use with time. The rear seat is unsurprisingly useless – but that’s a tradeoff I suspect most buyers willingly make.
For $101K, you get 20-inch wheels, an adaptive suspension, active sport exhaust, paddle shifters, a power soft top, heated and cooled front seats, dual-zone climate control, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, LED headlamps, lane-keep assist with steering assist, smart cruise control, pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, satellite radio, USB ports, and Bluetooth.
Among the 10 grand in options were a head-up display, Torsen limited-slip differential, Yamaha rear differential and rear damper, carbon-fiber scuff plates, and a Touring Package that added 21-inch wheels, leather-trimmed seats, upper body heating, heated steering wheel, and Mark Levinson audio.
The Lexus LC 500 Convertible is aimed at a select audience – the well-heeled cruiser who wants to be seen and enjoy al fresco motoring. Those serious about attacking a track will go for the coupe, which is also a bit more stylish since the soft top doesn’t break up the lines. That said, those who buy this car to show off in the valet line at the newest, hottest beachfront dinner spot better at least blip the throttle a few times while cruising the boulevard. Otherwise, it’s a missed opportunity to experience this car’s best feature.
That sound never gets old, even if the platform does. At least this Lexus is aging gracefully.
What’s New for 2022
Lexus claims that the handling received minor enhancements for 2022. That’s about it.
Who Should Buy It
Those who like to get attention when cruising some sun-splashed piece of pavement on the way to a five-star dinner – and those who like to hear the old-fashioned song of the V8 engine.
