Luxury Review: 2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible

First, an admission: I had completely forgotten that the Lexus LC 500 exists.

I was always vaguely aware of it, but never as anything more than one of the countless alphanumerics cluttering my workday mind. And excepting a minutes-long blip of immersion as I read one of our Brendan McAleer’s stories on AutoTrader last year, I hadn’t given it another moment’s thought until recently.

But then, rolling down the 401 collector in whichever car I had the other week, a striking red convertible drew my attention from across the median. I followed it beyond my intended exit, taking in the shape before eventually returning to reality and circling back.

There are reasons for this, of course. Lexus isn’t exactly front-of-mind as an enthusiast brand, and it certainly hasn’t put a significant push on marketing the LC as a halo car. Likewise, the LC is sold in such low volumes that you don’t really see them outside of dealer windows. There simply wasn’t ever enough presence to make it stick.

That’s a mighty shame, because it deserves a lot more attention than it gets. In a sentence, the Lexus LC 500 is arguably a better Jaguar than even Jaguar builds.

android, luxury review: 2022 lexus lc 500 convertible

2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Photo by Elle Alder

2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible neck vent Photo by Elle Alder

2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Photo by Elle Alder

Standard-sized carry-on bag in the boot of the 2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Photo by Elle Alder

2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Photo by Elle Alder

From the outset, grand touring V8s are a niche class. These aren’t vehicles bought as sensible value propositions, but for the untapped power they offer, and for the elegance and prestige that they project. The LC Convertible is no different, compromising utility and fiscal responsibility in the interest of sophistication and grace. It’s not a car that anyone sees often, so when they do, they take notice.

Introduced a few years back as the LC 500 Coupe, the LC Convertible is Lexus’ touring flagship. Powered by a glorious naturally aspirated 5.0L V8, the LC turns its rear wheels with 471 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. Coupe buyers also have the option of a V6 hybrid powertrain, but such a path would squander this opportunity to play with a fading NA behemoth.

Redlining past 7,000 rpm, the trusty UR-series engine and twin exhausts belt a ferocious soundtrack, yet with a rare maturity and restraint for the segment. You can still coax the occasional pop from those tailpipes on overruns, but the LC’s acoustic demeanour leans more toward naturally aspirated authenticity. Open it up in Sport+ mode, and the steady roar builds enthusiastically without ever feeling more of bark than bite. And though its 4.6-second acceleration passes in a hurry, the 10-speed automatic’s short early ratios reward those heavy runs with a few shifts’ worth of sound.

For all its expressed enthusiasm, delivering all that power can still be tricky. On anything other than optimal surface conditions, a flat foot returns consistent flickers of the traction control light. Fortunately the LC keeps this moderating sensation unintrusive, subtly alerting drivers without holding them back like Jaguar’s primitive throttle-cut ‘timeout’ response to wheel slip. Handling is firm on my tester’s impressive 21-inch aluminum wheels, while chassis dynamics feel appropriate to a 2,040-kilogram tourer. This isn’t a car for the autocross course, but it feels as it should around highway ramps.

To focus exclusively on the LC’s power, however, would be a disservice. Driving it the week after a Jaguar F-Type R, what stands out is this Lexus’ genuine merit as an elegantly appointed grand tourer. Powerful, stylish, comfortable, the only presumption that the LC 500 seems to miss is the statistical unreliability of its Jaguar and other class counterparts. And even with the cargo limitations of a folding soft top, this is a car that will comfortably fit two passengers and their luggage for long-distance touring and open-top relaxation.

Tightly assembled with strong emphases on construction and design, the LC 500 strikes from the moment the door is opened. Quality materials, thoughtful detailing, and firm switchgear impress straight away. Fire it up on a hot day, and the LC delivers the best top-down climate control I’ve experienced in a convertible. Neck-level headrest vents can deliver shirt-rippling volumes of air, keeping me comfortable on the Gardiner even in 34-degree direct afternoon sun. And come your destination, twisting interior door handles are themselves works of sculpture.

Also impressive is the LC 500 Convertible’s stereo experience. This tourer’s 13-speaker system renders smoother highs than even the Maybach I tested, with engine noise cancellation and equalizer presets that flip to suit roof-up and -down acoustics. So taken was I with this setup that I parked in the middle of the night and listened on accessory mode for several hours before returning the car. It’s that good.

2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Photo by Elle Alder

In fairness, it ought to be. Stickering at over $126,000 after freight and PDI, the LC Coupe and Convertible carry the brand into serious luxury GT territory. This is high-spec Jag F-Type R money, or a Porsche 911 Cab. Other, less imaginative alternatives include the BMW 8-series Cab or Mercedes-AMG E-Class.

Compare the specs of five luxury convertibles

In brief, the LC is an all-around better car than the F-Type, a significantly more unique alternative to the Porsche, slower but more interesting than the BMW, and arguably classier than the strip-club-moodlit Merc. Atop all of this, Lexus continues to lead J.D. and similar reliability ratings, making the LC a highly attractive long-term ownership proposition.

Of course, Achilles is nothing without those heels, and the LC’s manifests in its fuel economy and infotainment experience. That thirsty V8 is rated at a steep 16 L/100 km city and 9.5 highway, for an average of 13 L/100 km (16 beneath my enthusiastic foot). Less manageably, the LC employs Lexus’ last-gen touchpad-driven interface. The UX is frustrating at best, and not even CarPlay or Android Auto soften the pain. Speaking to a middle-aged neighbour who bought his daily-driven LC in 2020, it isn’t even a system that an average driver may acclimate to with years of use. It feels eight years older than it is, and that’s a shame in what’s otherwise such an outstanding vehicle.

2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Photo by Elle Alder

Infotainment notwithstanding, this better Jag seems so mightily attractive that it really is a shame for Lexus to have taken so little effort to market the model. Capitalization on the LC’s uniqueness could confer glamour and excitement that could otherwise help to shift the brand’s decidedly geriatric reputation, its rarity further selling a muscular exclusivity that Lexus’ F sub-brand has sought to convey for so long. For marketing teams to have glossed over the halo-car potential of this model seems a disservice to the elegant work that’s gone into it, and a squandered opportunity to stir the emotions of mainline conquest customers.

The LC 500 shows that Lexus can do plenty more than just play dressed-up Toyota+. Few are going to spend $126k on such a thirsty and impractical extravagance, but greater awareness of the LC seems the sort of marketing move that could stretch Lexus’ brand appeal down a generation. Those who know what this car is think it’s the bees knees — Lexus just needs to grow that following.

Toyota’s is seldom a family that I associate with soulful driving, but in the LC 500 Convertible, Lexus has built something special. It was an easy car to miss, but not one that I shall soon forget.

I’m glad I took notice.

Keyword: Luxury Review: 2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible

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