The first time I drove the Lexus LC500 was a bit of a revelation. I had known for years that Lexus created some of the best built cars in the world but, up to this point (and with the exception of the LFA), they just lacked that little extra something that made them special.
Then I was given a LC500 to drive from Connecticut to West Virginia to attend the Greenbrier Concours. From the first time I saw the car, I thought that it was something different from Lexus and, after getting into the car, I was certain it was. All Lexus cars have always been nice cars, but the LC500 was something quite a bit more. The car felt a bit more Aston than BMW, and everything about the LC500 impressed me. This car was a world-class GT with a quality about it that surpassed every other car in the segment. It was also a lot of fun to drive and, whenever I stopped for fuel on that trip the car was a magnet for people (especially young folks) to come over and take a closer look at the LC500.
Even years after its introduction, the LC500 still looks as fresh and new as it did when it was launched, completely embracing the large grille and angles of Lexus’ design language that make the LC500 perhaps the best-looking Lexus production car ever built.
The seating position was excellent, the performance very strong, and the build quality was better than any other Lexus I had ever driven. My idea of Lexus as a company that built amazingly well-made but pretty staid cars was forever gone. The LC500 was a world-class GT from a source I never considered in the conversation about these types of cars. Not only was it a great GT, but it was also one of the best of the modern era and not derivative of any other car (with the possibly exception of the great LFA).
The Pick of the Day is one of these cars, a 2018 Lexus LC500 located at a dealer in Dallas.
The dealer describes this LC500 as being painted in Ultra White with a Cashmere leather and Alcantara interior. It is equipped with the optional $5,960 Performance Package, which includes a carbon fiber roof, Active Rear + Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS), active rear spoiler, and carbon fiber door sills. Other options include the Convenience Package (which adds Intuitive Park Assist, Blind Spot Monitor, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert), and the All-Weather Package (with Heated Steering Wheel, Windshield De-Icer and PTC Heater). Finally, this LC500 also includes the audiophile-quality Mark Levinson audio system, which is one of the best factory car stereos in the world.
The dealer adds that the LC500 is unmatched in both design and performance, calling this vehicle a flagship luxury coupe that delivers world-class craftsmanship and exhilarating power. This is not just marketing talk either. When the LC500 was put head to head against the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, it rated higher in every single category including performance. These cars are really that good, yet somehow often overlooked.
What is also interesting is that these cars still represent a serious bargain whether new or used. This 2018 LC500 had an MSRP $92,000 which, when you consider the quality and segment in which the LC500 resides, makes it look like a bargain. When you notice that Lexus incorporated a lot of LFA styling elements into a mainstream production car, with some of the finest build quality in the world and the best reliability record in the entire GT car segment, there is a lot to like with this LC500. When you consider that the asking price for this 44,000-mile example is $64,995, that looks like the best value of any used GT.
