Glamourous, striking and positively exhilarating, the 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible lives up to the hype and is ready to deliver a brilliant experience.
Bearing the hallmarks of the streamlined muscular design that Lexus is currently known for, the LC500 is the first ever LC convertible lives up to the motto #ExperienceAmazing. I saw it first in person at the Texas Auto RoundUp at Texas Motor Speedway and couldn’t take my eyes off of it. The sunlight caught it on the track, and it was beautiful.
INSIDE THE LC500
I knew I wanted more time with it. I wanted to put it to the life and time-in-Dallas test. Here’s what I learned.
Look for glorious, pebbled red leather, body-cradling seats that call to mind track days and the beauty of the open road and an engine that purrs like a happy kitty. Look at the functional buttons and a trackpad for accessing the systems and tech that flow through out days. Touch the speed paddles for when you need to go a little faster or slow it down and access a petite trunk with the touch of a button to hold the goodies that you need to come with you.
Make no mistake, this is a striking vehicle. It’s fun. No really. In 2021, I fully appreciate the value of fun, pleasure and power. This vehicle will deliver all three… with ease. It’ll gather appreciative nods, happy smiles and is one of those vehicles that when you see it out of the kitchen window will make you smile too.
Roll the soft top convertible top back, with the flip of a cover and the touch of button and like the Transforming legends of my youth, it’s exhilarating. The wind is whipping through your hair and you cannot help, but to smile and let the laughter bubble out. While it is a four seater, it is designed comfortably for two. Think me time rather than we time — or me plus 1. Grab your essentials and go.
SPEC WISE
This vehicle can hold it’s own with any on the track or the autocross. No problem. Straight from the factory. No mods needed. Forged alloy wheels catch the light. The tires grip the road appropriately, and the sport tuning is on point, but you don’t need all that for everyday. Comfort and Eco mode feel nice. The engine purrs a touch quieter. It’s a little smoother and feels like you are a touch raised up, but then you get out, lock the doors and leave smiling. It’s good drive and reminds you why convertibles and sport vehicles are the third top selling vehicles in America. We are craving more fun… Lexus is here to deliver it.
Let’s Drive
The front seats are glorious. I don’t say it lightly. They cradle your body in bespoke leather, have temperature control, adjustable lumbar support and touch-button adjustability allow you to put the seat right where you need it to touch the pedals and connect with the road in a positively brilliant way that you can feel and hear… depending on the mode that vehicle is in.
Built with 5.0L V8 gas engine, the LC500 Convertible delivers a 471HP that rumbles, growls and pulses through the vehicle and reminds you of the pleasure and gift of being able to drive. Turn it on. The grumble, growl of the car awakening is where it’s at. Heads up display, and Lexus badging ask where you want to go. Settle in, the climate control system adapts to the temperature of your temperature and the air in the driver cockpit. The seats have memory to adjust to your body and prepare for your experience. Turn on the Mark Levinson sound system, and it adds a new element to the experience, surrounding you in waves of music or in my case, lets your audiobook, connected through the Alexa integration, play crisp and clear like the author is sitting in the seat beside you. It’s an unapologetically driver-centric vehicle, that makes you just want to drive and revel in the experience….
A Whole Package
Whether you are dropping one of your kids off at school or taking advantage of a gorgeous night, it’s a magnificent vehicle. Dressed in carbon and slung low to the ground, the 2021 LC 500 Convertible is equipped with the world-class Lexus Safety System. It’s one of the best on the planet. {if you’ve been following along our reviews, I’ve mentioned it before.} Quite literally, it’s no fun to go fast, if you can’t stop when you want to.
This system comes standard with power assisted disk brakes so you can stop when you need to, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection to alert you to the people that randomly appear, lane-keeping assist to keep you where you think you are, light-sensing auto high beams to illuminate the road and radar-controlled cruise control.
It connects to AppleCarPlay in seconds and is navigable by the track pad or the buttons on the steering wheel. It’s all about elevating the experience — and Lexus does an amazing job.
All combined, it’s a brilliantly tactile, thrilling, sporty driver experience that I found myself looking forward to… repeatedly.
Down to Brass Tacks
While not designed for families per se, there are 4 seats. And yes, they are equipped with LATCH anchors and functional seat belts, but I would only use them occasionally for those moments when needed. Most features are accessible via the steering wheel or the trackpad. The 12” navigation dash is not touchscreen so it remains fingerprint-free, unless you are like me and forget. As you would expect, it requires premium fuel and being a sports car from the Toyota/Lexus family, it manages it well.
Priced as seen just over $101,000, outfitted with the factory All-Weather and Touring Packages. To schedule, your test drive, visit here. To get a referral to great Lexus dealer wherever you are, visit here. To see more of our experience, visit here.
