Lexus today revealed the production version of its LC 500 convertible as the second member of its upscale grand touring model line.
The LC 500 droptop made its debut at the Los Angeles auto show after a January 2019 preview as a true-to-life concept in Detroit.
Like the LC 500 coupe, the convertible is motivated by a 5.0L V8 whose 471 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque goes through a 10-speed transmission to the rear wheels. Unlike the coupe version, there will be no hybrid model.
The promise of quick on-road performance is backed up by a soft roof Lexus says opens and closes in 15 and 16 seconds, respectively. Lexus further talks up a roof folding mechanism that tucks it away under a tonneau cover, creates no "significant intrusions" on the cabin or trunk when stowed, and can be operated at speeds up 50 km/h.
With the roof in place, the LC 500 convertible's roofline echoes that of the coupe, and is made up of four layers designed to resist wrinkling and provide good sound insulation. Lexus offers the LC 500 convertible with black and beige top options, and a cabin done in black or toasted caramel, depending on paint colour. The blue-on-white car pictured here is the limited edition Inspiration Series configuration, of which just 10 will be imported to Canada.
Lexus says it conceived the LC convertible as an all-season car, with a climate control system designed to regulate cabin temperature even the with the top stowed. Neck warmers help keep occupants' upper bodies warm, and a climate concierge function manages those, along with seat and steering wheel warmers and air conditioning, to maintain a comfortable cabin temperature.
While the car was designed to cut top-down wind noise, the engine's intake soundtrack is mechanically ported into the cabin to enhance the driving experience.
The LC 500 convertible's cabin comes fitted with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. There's also the Lexus Enform remote services suite, which allows an owner to operate door locks and the start the engine via smartphone or Alexa devices.
Standard safety kit includes collision/pedestrian detection with automatic braking, lane departure alert with lane keep assist, radar cruise control, automatic high beams, and blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert.
Lexus has not announced pricing for the LC 500 convertible, but count on it being a notable uptick from the LC coupe's $103,500 tag. The convertible is set to arrive in Canada in summer 2020.
You may also like
