Lexus LC 500 vs Toyota Supra in a Three-Run Drag Race

By Christian Moe - October 12, 2020

Lexus LC 500 vs Toyota Supra. Toyota’s two sportiest cars are very different, but also very fast.

The Lexus LC 500, with a big V8 tucked under its long hood, is Japan’s latest take on the grand touring coupe philosophy. Fast, comfortable, and gorgeous; it is the total package. On the other side of the company garage sits the new Toyota Supra. Compact, lightweight, and turbocharged, the Supra focuses more on fun and handling than pure speed. They are both two-door, RWD sports cars built by the same company, but they accomplish their mission in very different ways.

So what would happen if you lined them up next to each other for a drag race? Lexus LC 500 vs Toyota Supra… for science. The boys at Throttle House decided it would be fun to find out, and we are glad they did.

It is one of the oldest arguments in the performance enthusiast space after all. Which is more important, power or weight? The LC 500’s V8 howls with the fury of 471 naturally aspirated horsepower, but all that leather and luxury means it weighs more than 4,300 pounds. The Supra on the other hand comes in at a svelte 3400 pounds, but the turbocharged six-cylinder under the hood only produces 382 horsepower. On the displacement front it’s 5.0L vs 3.0L. Torque is more evenly matched with the Lexus turning out 398 lb-ft while the Supra makes 368 lb-ft of twist.

To try and make the race as interesting as possible, the boys ran the cars three different times. The first run was a standing start, but the Supra was able to make use of its launch control, something LC doesn’t have. For race two, it was another standing start, but no launch control allowed. For the third and final race of the video we have a rolling start. No, we aren’t going to tell you the results of the three races. Where is the fun in that? Hit play and see what happens for yourself.

The two cars are built for very different purposes and very different customers, but it is fun to line them up next to each other and see what happens.