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Lexus LC Black Label Body Kit from Artisan Spirits

The Artisan Spirits Black Label body kit for the Lexus LC 500 is now available for sale in Japan — just look at this thing:

The price ranges depending on the parts and materials selected, but a full kit in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) retails for ¥1,400,000 ($12,500 USD) plus the installation cost. It’s not cheap to look this good.
https://lexusenthusiast.com/2017/12/04/lexus-lc-black-label-body-kit-from-artisan-spirits/








 
Updated: New Rumors on the Lexus LC F Coupe

Japanese magazine Holiday Auto is running an interview with a purported Lexus insider, who has much to say about the much–rumored LC F high-performance coupe.

(Please keep in mind this information comes through Google Translate, which can be problematic.)

First off, the insider claims the LC F will be powered by a twin-turbo 4.0L V8 engine with 630ps, which converts to 621 horsepower. This is in line with a earlier report from Best Car, and could be a repackaged rumor.

However, the insider doesn’t stop there — they also claim that Lexus will reduce the weight of the LC F by 7% through the additional use of CFRP, and that the Japanese price will be over 20 million yen, or $176,000 USD. As a comparison, the LC 500 costs 13 million yen ($115,000 USD) in Japan.

The insider goes even further with talk of manufacturing, claiming the LC F will be alongside the standard LC and will not require its own dedicated line. On the topic of a release date, the insider says that final testing will start in Fall 2018, with the LC F reaching dealerships some time in 2019.

Who can say if this all true? Adding specifics like weight reduction and probable pricing brings some credibility, but it’s also easy enough to falsify. What’s your read on this story?
https://lexusenthusiast.com/2017/12/11/updated-new-rumors-on-the-lexus-lc-f-coupe/



 
I dislike Lexus. I hate Lexus styling. Not too fond of any Toyota these days.

And then this shows up. Holy chit. A stunner in and out. And it still has all those horrible Lexus styling cues, and yet it just flat out works on this car.





Saw one in person the other day and loved everything about it. Very nearly my favorite modern car out there.
 
I'm in love with this thing. Stunning to look at, inside and out. Great soundtrack. And apparently a great drive. :heart::biggrinsanta:
 
Saw this guy at the mall the other day. I am not a fan of Ruby red paint, gold wheels, or Lexuses but good damn this thing is so sweet in person.

It genuinely looks like a concept car.


Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
We rented a Suburban last summer for a family road trip and I was excited to try out the Apple Car Play. Pfffff... I wasn't terribly impressed. The interface is limited and kind of wonky when trying to switch between stuff on the library and streaming. Maybe with some more time and practice it would get easier.

But the latest update to Uconnect interfaces directly with Siri. Now I just hit the talk button on my wheel and tell it who to text, etc and what I want to say. I give it's accuracy three nines.

I still prefer it to Car Play. At least until it gets hacked again and someone remotely drives my car off of a cliff. :D
So Carplay sucks because you weren't using Siri voice commands but uConnect is great because you used Siri voice commands? :confused:
 
2018 Lexus LC 500 or LC 500h Hybrid: Which Luxury Grand Tourer is Better?



Two paths diverged in a Lexus dealership, and if you’re sorry that you cannot travel both, that means it’s decision time: do you want to drive home in the stunningly styled Lexus LC 500 coupe or its equally eye-catching LC 500h hybrid sibling?

It’s not the easiest question to answer, but after having spent time behind the wheel of each model I’ve managed to come to a better understanding of who each of these similar-but-different luxury rides is aimed at.

Which Lexus LC model might be the best fit for you?



Style Clinic

It’s hard to find fault with the bodywork wrapped around either version of the Lexus LC, which comes across as a stunning testament to the bravery of the brand’s designers. A car this extroverted is going to have a somewhat polarizing effect on potential customers, especially at the top end of the premium coupe market, but that’s not to say that the vehicle’s graceful lines court controversy on purpose. It’s more a question of a car that refuses to blend in with the Germans who have largely taken over the two-door grand touring segment with safer styling that takes fewer visual risks.



You will be noticed regardless of which version of the LC you choose to drive, so once you’re comfortable with that, it’s largely a question of details. You’d be hard-pressed to tell the two cars apart until you got close enough to read the Hybrid badge on the rear quarter panel of the battery-assisted model (you could easily remove it), which means that there’s little reason to make this choice based on looks alone. Inside the cars, it’s a similar story until you sit in the rear seat, where the hybrid loses a half-inch of leg room (and a half cubic foot of trunk space) due to its battery placement.

V8 Rumble

Of course, the similarities between the Lexus LC 500 and LC 500h evaporate into a whirlwind of sonic fury as soon as you hit the push-button start to fire up the former’s 5.0-liter V8. It’s an engine that will be familiar to anyone who has sampled Lexus’ high-performance F lineup, but it has never sounded better than it does in the LC 500, where it sings 471 horsepower at 7,100 rpm out of its twin tailpipes. Also featuring 398 lb-ft of torque, it scoots the coupe’s 4,370 lbs to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds and makes use of an unusual 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s a raucous experience attenuated only by the well-tuned chassis of the LC 500, which can be ordered with a limited-slip rear differential, a more aggressive steering gear, and an active rear steering system.



It might surprise you to learn that much of that optional go-fast gear can also be added to the LC 500h. This is because the hybrid car is no slouch itself: its 3.5-liter V6 combines with a pair of electric motors to produce a total of 354 horsepower, and off the line, the car is only barely slower than the V8 in a straight shoot to 60 mph. The driving experience that the 500h has to offer, however, is dramatically different. While the car’s exhaust system has been tuned to deliver a louder-than-expected testament of how hard the six-cylinder is working, the unusual gearbox setup — a traditional four-speed autobox mated to a continuously variable unit— can peg the revs at a drone during longer periods of acceleration.

If you’re a fan of undisputed attitude, then the LC 500’s eight-cylinder symphony clearly tips the cards. Although the LC 500h is capable of near-silent operation in EV mode (claiming an 87-mph max speed) thanks to its lithium-ion batteries, when driven aggressively, the carefully orchestrated tonal shifts of its V6 might put off those expecting a more muted Lexus experience.

Personality Goes a Long Way

Neither the Lexus LC 500 nor the LC 500h can be considered a true sports car, with their heft and performance figures leaning more towards the grand touring side of the spectrum (as was intended by Lexus). Despite each vehicle’s tendency towards a smooth ride under normal driving conditions, a chasm begins to open between the two when you start to seek out a few thrills from the driver’s seat.



With its drive mode set to Sport+, the LC 500 executes loud, throttle-blipping downshifts with a pull of its steering wheel-mounted paddle, while stiffening the suspension system to keep the car more composed through the corners. It’s a fun car to drive, with tail-sliding antics available should you desire, and the engine feels like a willing co-conspirator when you drop the hammer on a less-than-straight road.



The LC 500h, on the other hand, might be right there in the numbers game when it comes to handling and overall performance, but it comes across as less engaging with your right foot on the go-pedal. There’s also more than a tinge of the artificial from the V6 when driven in Sport+, and the car seems distinctly more comfortable eating highway miles than it does getting frisky on a two-lane stretch of tarmac.

Both coupes are comfortable tourers, but only the 500’s V8 manages to transcend the overall competence of the LC platform and make the car feel like something truly special when you roll up to the valet station. As good as the 500h is, its character can’t match the attitude thrown down by its arresting exterior, which makes you feel like somewhat of a fraud in traffic. It’s a lower-key way to experience a high-key design, and while that may appeal to some drivers it’s likely to be a tinier number of overall LC buyers.



Bargain Priced Power

You’ll be pleased to know that the most powerful of the two cars also happens to be the least expensive: you’ll pay $92,000 in the U.S. ($101,600 in Canada) for the Lexus LC 500 versus $96,510 ($118,100 in Canada) for the Lexus LC 500h. There’s a significant fuel efficiency difference between the two, of course, with the hybrid offering 30 mpg (8.0 L/100 km in combined driving versus the less-stellar 19 mpg (12.2 L/100 km) of the eight-cylinder, but when shopping at this price point, efficiency rarely plays a significant role in the buying process — and it’s unlikely that those who choose the 500h for its green cred are concerned about making up the sticker shock at the pump. Aside from appealing to the ecologically curious, this model largely exists to satisfy that contingent of brand-faithful owners who already have a hybrid or two in the driveway at home, and who want to continue that streak with this most prestigious of battery-assisted, Lexus-branded trophies.

The Verdict: 2018 Lexus LC 500 or LC 500h Hybrid?

It’s clear that the LC 500’s V8 heartbeat makes the best match for the coupe’s otherworldly design and provocative personality. You wouldn’t carry a sword if you didn’t know how to parry-parry-thrust, and for most people, when piloting a conversation-starter like the Lexus LC it’s far better to lead with an eight-cylinder rumble than meekly float away from the stoplight surrounded by a cloud of green vibes.



There will no doubt be a small contingent of the Lexus hybrid faithful willing to pay more for a less visceral experience, but the percentage seems likely to remain a sales footnote. The LC 500h is an excellent car that’s destined to play Salieri to the 500’s motor-revving Mozart for the duration of its existence, and much like that particular musical pairing, we can definitely tell you which one will still be remembered a few hundred years into the future.
http://www.autoguide.com/manufactur...id-which-luxury-grand-tourer-is-right-for-you
 
This is a 100k car with literally a worse infotainment system than a 15k Kia.

Honestly, I'd rather have Cadillac CUE than this ****.

It was mediocre in 2015 with my Lexus RC. The fact that they continue to shovel out this **** in 2017/2018 is stunning.
 
This is a 100k car with literally a worse infotainment system than a 15k Kia.

Honestly, I'd rather have Cadillac CUE than this ****.

It was mediocre in 2015 with my Lexus RC. The fact that they continue to shovel out this **** in 2017/2018 is stunning.
This. I wish my dad had even gotten a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid instead of an ES300h this past summer. While it isn't bad to drive, it is a luxo Camry, and I'm even disappointed with the interior space. Yeah the Hyundai doesn't have the name like Lexus, but its infotainment (ACP/AA w/Nav) is better than anything found in a Toyota product right now.
 
.... but they get to own the dash!

honestly, lexus/toyota are f'n tonedeaf to what consumers want.
Because there's more than enough Toyota owners that don't care. I think that probably goes for most brands, but having owned plenty of them in the family, my next car won't likely be another one. IMO, there's too many folks that are stuck on the brand, especially where I live (Looks at the San Gabriel Valley)...
 
2018 Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs. 2018 Lexus LC 500 - Head 2 Head Ep. 96

On this episode of Head 2 Head presented by Tire Rack (http://www.tirerack.com), Jethro Bovingdon and Jonny Lieberman head to Spain to sample two of the finest grand touring cars in existence, the new Aston DB11 and the big LC from Lexus. Back during 2017’s Best Driver’s Car competition, the Lexus shocked the MOTOR TREND staff as a credible driver’s car. The Aston? Not so much, with the V12-powered DB11 garnering a last-place vote. However, this time out, the DB11 is packing an AMG-built twin-turbo V8, 253 fewer pounds, and a reworked suspension. Will the sharp-looking Japanese luxury cruiser deliver more GT thrills than the handsome Brit at half the price? Watch and find out!
 
Does The Liberty Walk Treatment Work On The Lexus LC 500?

Everyone was astounded when Lexus revealed the production version of its LC coupe, as it was almost identical to the impressive LF-LC concept that was on display at the 2012 NAIAS .

Now, messing around with such a design is quite tricky, but Liberty Walk gave it a shot anyway. Available for both the LC 500 and LC 500h, the flashy body kit is made from either FRP or CFRP and costs between $13,380 and $19,440 outside Japan.

So what does this get you? Well, for starters, those massive bolt-on fenders that have become the tuner's signature, alongside a front lip, side skirt add-ons, aggressively styled rear diffuser and a boot lid-mounted wing.

The special exterior graphics, together with the new tailpipes, contribute to the car's updated stance. Moreover, Liberty Walk can also fit your Lexus LC 500/LC 500h with various aftermarket rims, including the ones seen here, and an air suspension that adds $7,900 to the overall cost.

There's no doubt that these updates have definitely transformed the way the LC looks, but is it for the better or worse? Let us know what you think in the comments section.

 
Review | 2018 Lexus LC500 | Finally Something Original

We celebrate 100k subscribers by reviewing the $100,000 Lexus LC 500. Drivers and shoppers are flooded with hundreds of options to rob them of their money. Premium buyers constantly talk about BMW, Audi and Mercedes when discussing luxury, this should change that. Lexus hopes to break that mold by creating a new generation car, the question is does it work?
 
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