When Lexus revealed the LC Concept, they promised the production version would pretty much go unchanged. And they delivered.
It's still a relatively rare sight, because it doesn't sell very well in the Netherlands. But we didn't expect it to, so yeah.
Anyway, it's still a fantastic car to look at. However, we didn't really understand in what class we should put it in. Lexus themselves said...
it was kind of like the 911, but they didn't want to claim it was faster on a track. They found it hard to choose between sports car and GT,
so they got inbetween. Like the BMW M6 maybe, however there's a very big power gap.
Maybe it could compete with the base-911, the Carrera. And there's a new one of those, producing 385 horsepower.
It was introduced after the S, so it doesn't differ all too much with the hybrid Lexus LC500h, which has 360 horsepower.
Time for a comparison.
This was a remarkable project from the start, this LC. It used the LFA as a springboard and it was used to 'cool up' Lexus' image.
And it worked. A true headturner. People always like it and ask about it. They're really surprised when you tell them it's a Lexus.
Also, because you don't see it a lot, it won't get recognized very easily.
When it was first released, it was available with two drivetrains. One with a V8, which we also know from the GS F. It's an old-fashioned, tough V8...
which fit really well in this car. Sure, it couldn't compete with the 550 or 600 horsepower-engines from BMW,
but it was fast and it had a very nice 10-speed gearbox. It all fitted perfectly, it had a good chassis and good steering. Perfect ingredients for a sports coupe.
This car however, is a hybrid. And that saves you quite a chunk of money, especially in the Netherlands. We're talking about €50.000 in additional taxes,
and Lexus has used every trick from the book they've been using for the RX and other hybrids. It has a V6-combustion engine in the front,
but it's not a high-revving one. It's one which runs according to the Atkinson-principle. Quite lazy really, but it has two electric motors connected...
which together push the power to 360 horsepower. That's less than the V8, but it's still a lot of power.
When it comes to the 0-100 km/h, the times are pretty much the same. However, there's more. For a car which has sporty ambitions,
because this is more than a GT. It wants to be a sporty car as well. And the drivetrain isn't good enough.
It's not about the amount of power, but the way it's delivered to you. If you put your foot down, there's a kickdown and the engine starts making noise.
And it's more noise than you'd expect, and it sounds kind of sad. If you rev higher, you'll get more power, but there's never a direct connection...
between the accelerator pedal and the acceleration itself. That's because the electric motors and the CVT-automatic gearbox.
It takes out all of the directness. Sure, it has fake gears and they have a system which kind of turns the 4-speed automatic gearbox into a...
10-speed. On paper, it all sounds good and it works fine if you drive calmly. But, because it's a sports car, you want the directness.
It feels kind of slow sometimes. One time, it adds revs and then it lets go again, whilst you're thinking you're accelerating.
And that's annoying because you miss the direct throttle response which you need in a sports car. It doesn't matter if you're driving...
petrol, hybrid or fully electric cars, you need that throttle response.
And that's actually the only downside to this Lexus. It's kind of heavy, 1.900 kg. But that's not a bad thing, because it has some GT-qualities.
It could be a Maserati GranTurismo, which wasn't a lightweight car either. Interior looks great, the seating position is perfect. Porsche-like low,
very good considering the steering wheel. The handling is very good, with a very low centre of gravity. Because of four-wheel steering,
understeer is cancelled. So you can tick all of those boxes for having an ideal sports car. And then there's the beautiful design.
But this drivetrain kills so much vibe... I'd say if you want an LC in the Netherlands, get the V8. It might be €50.000 more, but it's the better car.
But when you get into the 911 after the LC, a lot of things stand out. The LC is more comfortable and quieter. It has a much nicer interior...
as well. The 911 has a very modern but clean interior, whilst the LC has a very royal interior. Lots of reasons to choose the Lexus...
over the Porsche if you use it for long distances. This is the base-Carrera I'm driving, about which my colleague Marco said it's not a bad choice...
compared with the Carrera S. It has 385 horsepower coming from the same turbocharged straight-six, albeit with smaller turbo's.
Also, there are less possibilities for your chassis if you look at active roll-bars. You do get active dampers, which is very nice if you're in Normal...
or Sport-mode. So, what remains in this 911? It's a great drivetrain despite the turbocharged engine. Very nice sound, even in the higher revs.
The throttle response is very good as well. If you're driving at 2.000 RPM and you put your foot down, the turbo's have to spool up,
but there's barely any lag in the higher revs. The 8-speed PDK is tight as a drum and reacts perfectly well. The exact control over...
the drivetrain you're missing in the Lexus, is available in here.
Also, if you talk about positioning and steering the car... This car might be lighter, but the communication to the steering wheel is best as can be.
When we're talking about power steering that is. Porsche has done that very well. So when the roads start becoming twisty,
putting this in Sport-mode will offer you such an engaging drive. Even better, if the Lexus wouldn't involve you as much, it'd be better.
It makes mistakes, and the drivetrain will really annoy you. It'll annoy you because you won't have the fun you're supposed to have in such a car.
You'll have that fun in a Mazda MX-5, or a BMW 330i, despite the fact it's not as sporty or as tight. But in this Porsche, the perfectness it has,
it's felt in the base-911. So when it comes to the truly sporty experience, the Lexus isn't even close this Porsche 911.
However, is the LC500h an alternative to the 911 correct? I say yes. It offers so much more quietness and luxury,
whilst combining the dynamics and a great look. I mean, there are lots of people who don't use their Porsche for trackdays.
Just use it for groceries or visiting friends, or even go to a restaurant. Sometimes putting your foot down, you can do that easily in the LC.
If you want a true sports car, just go for the 911.