Bloody Good! Lexus LC 500 Review from Across the Pond
The 2018 luxury sports car is a hit in the U.S., but what about in the U.K.?
The 2018 Lexus LC 500 has performed solidly in American markets, and received rave reviews. But does the awesomeness translate to those who drive on the other side of the road? In The Daily Express, auto journalist Nat Barnes gets behind the wheel and gives it a smashing review.
Barnes does point out that the look of the LC 500 is not everyone’s cup of tea. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that but few sports cars induce more Marmite-like love-it-or-hate-it reactions than this. For what it’s worth, we love it and there’s little question that it turns heads on the road; even if it turns a few stomachs at the same time.” He remarks on how Lexus smoothly blends old-school and modern luxury together. “That engine and layout might be old school (rivals are moving towards smaller, turbocharged, units), but the rest is bang up to date with a gorgeous interior, digital dashboard and dials, wide infotainment screen and deep-set sports seats.”
But Barnes is definitely impressed by the power offered by the coupe. Who wouldn’t like the 5.0-liter V8 engine? The a 10-speed automatic produces 471 hp, going from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and reaching top speeds of 168 mph. Or, as Barnes puts it, “Those are certainly not figures to be sniffed at.” No they aren’t.
‘There’s a spine-tingling crack as the engine pauses then goes again, dragging the horizon underneath the windscreen at a furious rate…this is the stuff addictions are made of.’
It is when Barnes gets it out on the road and really feels this power at work that he’s truly blown away, “The real shock comes when the road opens up and you give all of those 471 horses their heads…Being so used to immediate power from modern turbo-charged engines, that initial surge takes time as the revs build. And then all hell brakes loose. The needle on the rev counter fires round the dial to red and the engine screams in a glorious V8 howl.”
