Now THIS is How the IS 500 Should Sound! (Why the LC 500 is Still My Favorite Lexus)

The LC 500 isn’t the quickest, but its racecar-esque exhaust note makes the 2UR-GSE sound better than any other modern V8 Lexus!

Last week I published our IS 500 F Sport Performance Hands-on First Look. If you read that, you’ll understand that the IS 500 looks very similar to an IS 350 F Sport with the Dynamic Handling Package. And much to my disappointment, the 5.0L V8 is so muffled, it doesn’t sound much better than the V6.

Which is why I went back to my editing to-do list and finished up a video about the LC 500. I figured, while we wait for the IS 500 driving & pricing impression embargo to lift on Sept 10, why not take a look at how the IS 500 SHOULD sound. So watch the above video for a full exterior and interior tour as well as some driving clips where I chat about the overall experience.

The LC 500 Convertible remains my favorite new Lexus for its combination of LFA-inspired elegant design, luxurious-yet-sporty interior, and, above all else, a wholly immersive driving experience. Top-down, 2UR-GSE revving to the moon, the LC 500 may be the most perfect grand tourer available today. Racecar tones and burbling exhaust with the wind swirling while wrapped in supportive heated and cold seats.

Click HERE to read more LC 500 review coverage!

It’s not the fastest Lexus available. Nor does it compete with its German and American rivals for sportiness. But the LC 500 is just wonderful all around. Check out the above video for all of that V8 glory. And let’s hope the aftermarket provides a similar experience to all of the IS 500 buyers.

What do YOU think of the LC 500 Convertible?
Click HERE to join the discussion!

Photographs by Michael S. Palmer

Michael S. Palmer

Michael S. Palmer began his career assisting and developing content for Academy Award-winning and studio-based film and television producers. He has been a professional writer since 2008, when he joined the Writers Guild of America West (WGAw). As a journalist and Content Editor/Manager, he has covered numerous emerging imaging, theatrical exhibition, home entertainment, and automotive technologies. He currently spends his days creating original content at the Internet Brands Automotive Group for some of the world's largest online automotive communities, including Ford Truck Enthusiasts, CorvetteForum, ClubLexus, AudiWorld, and LS1Tech. He still owns his first car, a 1987 Mercury Cougar; adores driving his Boss 302 Mustang; and recently teamed with Chevrolet Performance, Holley, Magnaflow, Eaton, Wilwood, Michelin, Chemical Guys, Summit Racing to build his first project car. Installing an LS3 E-ROD Connect & Cruise system into a 1992 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon made his eight-passenger wagon faster than a C5 Corvette to 60mph and 50 state emissions legal. His wife and daughter are very patient.