Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Lexus LC500 – design

Distinctive, aggressive yet elegant and underpinned by spectacular proportions

Evo rating
  • Superb chassis balance; engine; interior; design
  • Transmission the weak link; iffy infotainment; hybrid nothing like as good as the V8

The LC is a car of extremes, and the design is no different. For a sub-£100k car it turns heads like few others. The shape itself is delicately honed, the bonnet low, the surfacing full, the tapering cabin accentuating the wide hips. 

Look closely and the myriad of different finishes and materials can jar, but on the road, once moving, it’s elegant and aggressive – in perfect partnership with its overall character. There are some awkward angles, and if a subtler method of travel is preferred then the LC might be a little much. But credit where credit’s due – the whole package is perfectly accentuated by its design. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

The LC is brilliant – it follows no lead, it wants for little and has such a strength of character that on looks alone it makes for a fascinating alternative to the European opposition. It looked like a concept car when it launched in 2017, and it's telling that Lexus never needed to overhaul its design until it went out of production. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Rolls-Royce Phantom review – the epitome of excess and British engineering excellence
Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II
Reviews

Rolls-Royce Phantom review – the epitome of excess and British engineering excellence

Despite its age, the eighth-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom remains in a class of its own as the most luxurious way to travel by road by a significant …
20 Jul 2026
Why car bosses are quietly scrapping their multi-billion pound EV plans
Porsche badge
Opinion

Why car bosses are quietly scrapping their multi-billion pound EV plans

Industry giants U-turning on EV plans is not entirely good news, reckons Meaden
21 Jul 2026
New Lotus Emira 420 Sport review – taking aim at the Porsche Cayman GT4
Lotus Emira 420 Sport front
Reviews

New Lotus Emira 420 Sport review – taking aim at the Porsche Cayman GT4

Lotus’s sports car gets added focus and is all the better for it. As it needs to be with such a lofty target...
22 Jul 2026