The 2024 Lexus LC 500 is hands down the most beautiful sports coupe on the planet. With its chiseled front end, sweeping lines and flared rear fenders, it looks like a four-wheel rocket ship. The swoopy styling continues inside, where the driver and front seat passenger are wrapped in a luxury cockpit with practically all available advanced automotive technologies.
The LC 500 is also one of the few sports coupes available as a convertible, and it looks smashing with the top down.
But more important, Lexus backs up the looks with the choice of two impressive engines. The base LC 500 engine is a 5.0-liter V8 that pumps out an awesome 471 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. It is mated to a quick-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission and features selectable drive modes that range from Eco to Comfort to Sport to Sport+. The Active Sport Exhaust sounds great in every setting, leaving no doubt it is a genuine sport coupe.
For those who want better mileage, a hybrid engine that combines a 3.5-liter V6 with two electric motors the LC 500h that produces 354 horsepower. It is mated to continuously variable transmission and nearly doubles the EPA estimated miles to 34 miles per gallon.
Both versions ride on an adaptive variable suspension that glides over road imperfections. That is a welcome change from some sport coupes that are so stiff that day-to-day can be compromised. Although that may make the LC 500 and 500h more like a Grand Touring vehicle than a sports car, that should broaden its appeal.
The base LC 500 starts at $99,800, which is less than equivalent European competitors. My tester was priced at $107,105 because it included a few upgrades, including a Dynamic Handling Package with Active Rear Steering, making it ride and handle even better. The V8 barked to life even in the Comfort setting, immediately reinforcing its sport sedan credibility. The shifter was a traditional upright stick, which is more appropriate for a performance-oriented vehicle than a touch-button or dial.
The front cockpit was incredibly roomy, with the controls oriented toward the driver. Unlike many other luxury cars these days, the LC 500 does not have a single supersized display. Instead, it has a conventional gauge pod directly on front of the driver, with a separate 12.3-inch touchscreen extending to the right, which is new this year. A twist knob for selecting the drive modes extends from the pod cowl above that, an unconventional design that is nevertheless easy to use.
The LC 500 was a stunning Copper color that accented its lines, especially the flow from the large trademark spindle grill to the wide rear fenders. It turned heads everywhere I went, attracting the most attention this side of the cute-as-a-bug 2024 Fiat 500e. A nice older couple in a Toyota Solara asked if I’d trade cars when I pulled in next to them at the bank. Although theirs was in very good condition, for an older upscale Camry, I politely declined.
The LC 500 always felt elegant pulling away from a stop, just like a genuine luxury should. But when floored, the V8 made me feel like I had been shot out of a cannon, with the exhaust quickly reaching a fevered pitch. Especially in the Sport+ mode, it felt even faster than the smaller and lighter V8-equipped Ford Mustang GT that I recently tested, which will soon be the last surviving Pony Car.
No car is perfect, of course, and the LC 500 has a few shortcomings. They include a shallow truck and very hard to reach back seats. For those who like the styling but need four doors, Lexus also sells the LS 500 that comes standard with a slightly less powerful but still impressive twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 that produces 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. The same hybrid engine is also available in the LS 500h.
But for those who don’t want to compromise, the 2024 LC 500 combines striking looks with awesome power in a two-door package that meets all luxury standards.
2024 Lexus LC 500
Base price: $99,800
Price as tested: $107,105 (Coupe)
Type: Midsize sports coupe
Engine: 5.0-liter V8 (471 hp, 398 lbs-ft)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Drive modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+
EPA estimated mileage: 16/24
Overall length: 187.4 inches
Curb weight: 4476 pounds
Final assembly: Aichi, Japan
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