Evidently the 1990s are back. The Acura NSX is back, the Toyota Supra is going to be a thing again, the Mazda RX-7 is about to make a comeback (LOL just kidding that will never happen) and when Lexus wants to make a big dramatic statement, it unleashes a huge luxury coupe with a naturally aspirated V8 engine. Such is the 2018 Lexus LC 500, and I’m digging it.
Of all the new cars I’m excited about in 2017, this is at the top of the list. I’m a huge fan of the concept car looks, the high-revving 470 horsepower V8 and the fact that Lexus bothered to make a big hulking luxury two door—one of the deader segments around these days. I’m even more jazzed about it after watching this One Take review from our friend Matt Farah at The Smoking Tire.
Matt’s down with it too, and he’s not just some joker off the street with no sense of taste. What does he say about it? While the legendary Lexus LFA was like a Japanese Ferrari 599, this is like a Japanese Aston Martin. It’s got dramatic styling, an interior worthy of a $100,000+ luxury car, a fantastic soundtrack from the V8, and some impressive tech to aid the driving experience, and surprisingly decent handling despite its two-ton weight, and an exclusivity that separates it from what Mercedes and BMW are slinging.
Do I wish it had a manual? Yes, but that’s true of every car that doesn’t. This thing is pretty, it’s unique, and as Matt says, it comes with a lot for its price tag. It’s a Japanese Aston Martin, a worthy successor to the Lexus SC400 of the 1990s.
Tell Farah’s dad to buy one, and tell Lexus to loan me one.