- I love cars.
(dramatic music)
The communication between myself
and car is always very natural.
Be in a car gives me energy.
Good afternoon and thank you for joining us.
The car I'm about to show you
is the result of the combined passion
of our engineers and designers.
Ladies and gentlemen,
introducing the all new Lexus LC 500.
(dramatic music)
(audience applauds)
Ladies and gentlemen,
this LC 500 is what the more emotional Lexus
looks like to me.
They will arrive in showrooms next year.
Having driven this car many times
during prototype testing,
I can personally assure you it is very sugoi.
Or as you say, here in the States, awesome.
Once again, thank you for your time and your input
and for helping us make the Lexus brand,
that I personally love so much.
- [Voiceover] At the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Toyota president and CEO, Akio Toyoda, noticed something.
Not a single Lexus among the array
of exotic European and American classics.
For his premium brand to become an elite luxury marquee,
to someday have cars gracing the greens at Pebble,
Toyoda-san knew Lexus needed a revolution.
The man to lead that revolution?
Koji Sato, chief engineer of the Lexus GS.
- Toyoda-san thinks that we need some project
to make it a reality for the Lexus,
really need a revolution.
Then he meet the LF-LC concept model at Detroit.
Then he decided we should make it real.
- [Voiceover] The revolution began
at the 2012 Detroit auto show
when Lexus debuted the LF-LC concept car.
A low slung GT that had the style and emotion
Toyoda-san could one day envision at Pebble Beach.
The decision was made to build it.
But the production car would need the substance
to match the style.
On August 29, 2015, Lexus invited Motor Trend's
Randy Pobst to the famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
to test a stage three LC prototype.
No longer hiding under chopped LS bodywork
the proto wore near-production sheet metal,
though the black and white camouflage wrap
made it hard to see the curvaceous body.
But Pobst got a good sense for the LC's dynamic chassis.
Five liter V8 and all-new 10-speed automatic.
- The engine's the RC F V8.
We know with all high revving, smooth, powerful V8.
Great edge and shift into 6800 RPM.
Close-ratio gears.
Transmission's much better at full throttle
than it is at parked throttle.
Smooth quick shifts,
close ratios,
well matched to the engine's power current.
In the middle of the corner
it's got a good balance,
very stable, just a wee bit of understeer,
which is just the way I like it.
I like the braking feel a lot.
It's a good front pedal, lots of bite.
As you might expect from a Lexus
it does soak up the curves quite nicely.
Boy, there's a great experience.
Driving a prototype years before it's coming on the market.
Sato-san, thank you very much for the opportunity
to drive your prototype.
It was clear that handling is pretty well sorted.
Transmission, I can tell,
still needs a lot of development.
The engine is super.
That's a success.
- Yeah, thank you.
- Thank you.
- [Voiceover] Before the LC 500's reveal at Detroit
Pobst got one final go.
This time with a stage four prototype
at the Streets of Willow Springs Raceway.
With another level of suspension tuning
and transmission calibration,
the LC impressed with its balance and grip.
What Pobst recommended to Sato-san,
that they further develop the damping.
- My biggest challenge is to get the Lexus
on test driving field.
We want to create our own position.
We are not following any other models.
If you think about a market,
the BMW 6 Series is dominant.
We are benchmarking the BMW 6 Series, of course.
Also, we are benchmarking the Maserati GT.
That engine sound is incredible good.
The Supra gives me a very natural feel.
When you turn the steering the vehicle movement
is very linear.
The response, very precise and stable.
That kind of taste is fundamental the property
of the corporate Toyota.
It's really exciting.
- [Voiceover] While the LF-LC concept
was penned at Toyota's Calty design center
in Newport Beach, California,
The LC production car was assigned
to Japan-based chief designer Tadao Mori
who had worked previously on Avalon, Camry, and Tundra.
Unlike Lexus projects of the past,
in which design and engineering worked mostly independently,
for the LC, Mori-san and Sato-san collaborated closely
from the start.
- Firstly, we set up the key word, seduction and technology.
Those two key words are totally opposite words.
Seduction's nice and elegant looking.
Technology's, kind of, cold.
So those different two key words
we kind of put together to make new one thing.
We have adapt those organic style into the car.
For example, the interior.
Even using multi materials,
which is cotton fibers and steels.
You can see all the cars wrapped by materials, leathers.
You didn't find any plastics.
Also exterior, even the grills, headlamps.
We get very nice precise details.
Also, headlights, we have brand new technology
which is a three LED, super small, units.
That is also not a challenge.
- [Voiceover] The LC 500 represents
a new era for Lexus.
One that combines high style
and high performance,
power and precision,
speed and seduction.
Near the end of 2016, we'll get to drive the real deal.
And in 2017, we'll compare it against
the world's best performance machines
at our annual Best Driver's Car competition.
We can't wait.
(easygoing music)