Lexus LC 500h Is Ready for Its Close-Up

By adpock - March 2, 2016

LEXUS LC 500h

The 2018 Lexus LC 500h may still be a long way off, but the Lexus marketing campaign is already in full gear.

Remember when that blue LC 500 was spied filming a commercial in Spain last month? Well, it looks like that was actually the LC 500h, as shown in the gorgeous introduction video below.

The video accompanies the LC 500h’s big debut at the Geneva Motor Show this week. As you can see, not one word is spoken, as the beauty of the car and the setting (and perhaps the couple driving it) do most of the talking. The only words we get are in the form of text at the end, which reads: “The new Lexus LC 500h with Multistage Hybrid.”

Obviously, the fact that Lexus specifically mentions the multistage hybrid, and nothing else, is significant. Indeed, after the design, it’s the second bullet-point on the debut press release.

According to the release:

“The new Multi Stage Hybrid System marries the elements of a traditional full hybrid powertrain -including a 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine, a powerful electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack- to a 4-speed automatic gearbox mounted at the rear of the hybrid transmission.

The electric motor generates better acceleration feel than a conventional engine, and adding physical gears more closely aligns engine rpm with the driver’s inputs. The result is a much more direct connection between the accelerator pedal and vehicle acceleration, and 0-100 km/h times well into the sub-5 second range.”

In “M-Mode,” you can even initiate gear shifts, the first time that feature’s been offered for a full-hybrid Lexus.

There’s lot’s more to learn about the exciting new model, so check out the release, then let us know if you’re leaning more towards the LC 500 or the LC 500h.