Had a really good week last week with the experience of driving the first Lexus LC Convertible, which is now is now available in South Africa. It’s one of the flagship models of the luxury lifestyle brand. I love a good convertible, and this one is sublime. We flew to Nelspruit, and then checked out the LC 500 Convertible, before driving to the Kruger Park. There was some LS 500 models as well, which has had a minor change as well.
The Lexus brand make cars that are built with a premium feel in mind. In a way, old school, with none of the gimmicky stuff from some German brands. Being a convertible, the retractible roof is an important cog in the proverbial wheel, and the designers have nailed it, by making the LC 500 stylish, with top down or up. Importantly, it opens and closes seamlessly, and my driving partner and I stopped outside a small kuka shop, and caused ululations, when we did just that.
MODEL GRADE
Only one model grade is available and it’s priced at R2 345 500. The LC 500 Convertible delivers an exciting drive as well, with it’s 5.0L V8 engine, growling down the game paths of Kruger Park. Listed below a few changes made.
• A redesign of only three major panels (forward pillar, rear guards and boot lid) to ensure the artful silhouette of the LC Coupe is retained.
• Compact and lightweight aluminium and magnesium roof structure that ensures front and rear headroom stays within 11mm and 4mm of the LC Coupe, and boot space is within 48 litres.
• Luxurious, wrinkle-free cloth for the four-layer roof design, supported by sound-absorbing material for the ultimate in design, refinement and security.
• Serrated-finish roof mechanism switch to deliver impressive tactility as the roof is being lowered (in 15 seconds at up to 50km/h).
• Deep-hung upholstery, expanded seat heating range, user-variable neck heaters and quilted semi-aniline leather trim for the updated front seats.
• Additional under-body bracing and shear panel to support the same driving qualities as the dynamic rear-wheel drive LC Coupe, with more rear-biased weight distribution and lower centre of gravity for the LC Convertible.
Engine.
The LC 500 Convertible combines highly rigid yet lightweight front, centre and rear bracing supports, a rear suspension tower brace and shear panel to ensure tight handling.
We loved the 5.0-litre normally aspirated V8 petrol engine with direct injection which sees duty in both variants, makes 351kW of power at 7100rpm and 540Nm of torque at 4800rpm. This seemed very powerful, but not overly loud, and we enjoyed the drive on road and in the Park. The 10-speed auto gearbox was a joy.
The LC 500 Convertible can accelerate from 0-100 in just 4.7 seconds, so this baby can hit it’s straps, if you put the hammer down. Other specifications include a combined fuel consumption of 12.7 L/100km and a C02 emissions figure of 290g/km.
LUXURY SPEC.
As I mentioned earlier, the level of craftsmanship is unmatched, by the dedicated Tokumi artisans. We were belting out tunes, on the Mark Levinson 13-speaker audio system, on our trip from Nelspruit to our ultra luxury hotel, the Chalatel train at Skukuza. That was another masterpiece by the Lexus team, to match this launch with that level of accommodation. Priceless!!
Further reflecting this renowned Lexus philosophy, there are no options for the LC 500 Convertible. Full specification includes:
• 21-inch forged-alloy two-tone wheels
• Pre-crash safety system (PCS) and brake synchronised
• Lane keep assist (LKA) with steering assist – standard Lane Departure Alert, Steering Control
• Blind spot monitor (BSM) with rear cross traffic alert (RCTA)
• Cruise Control – Standard-Adaptive High Speed
• Six SRS airbags (Side, Knee, Driver and Passenger)
• Vehicle stability control (VSC)
• LED headlights with cornering lights and washers and automatic high-beam (AHB)
• Keyless smart entry
• Retractable door handles
• LFA-style 8.0-inch digital instrumentation with slide-out meter ring
• 10.3-inch multimedia screen with Lexus Remote Touch-pad (LRT) controller
• Reversing camera
• Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility
• 2x standard USB and 1x AUX inputs
• Standard EMV Navigation with speed limit display
• Advanced multimedia voice control
• 13-speaker, 918-watt Mark Levinson Sound System
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Dual-zone climate control air conditioning with Lexus Climate Concierge
• Semi-aniline leather-accented seats
• 10-way power-operated front seats with driver memory settings
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Front seat neck heaters
• Power steering column adjust
• Steering wheel heater
• Touch-sensitive interior lights
• Sports pedals
• Stainless-steel scuff plates
• Mechanical limited-slip differential
• Drive Mode Select – ECO, COMFORT, NORMAL, CUSTOMISE, SPORT S & SPORT S+
Luxury customers will be able to tailor their vehicle to match their personal taste thanks to 11 available exterior colour, interior trim and roof colour combinations. Loved the Heating & Ventilation air conditioning unit, that adjusts the temperature whether the top is raised or lowered. This is thanks to the Lexus Climate Concierge with Upper Body Heating which automatically manages the air conditioner, seat heaters, neck heaters and steering-wheel heater to ensure the cabin is comfortable. Lexus Climate Concierge automatically switches on the air-conditioning control, depending on the opening status of the roof.
The air-conditioning cooling and heating are automatically adjusted depending on the exterior sunlight volumes, temperature and vehicle speed to maintain user-defined environment conditions. The HVAC system is even optimised to send warm or cold air to the back of the driver’s hands when gripping the steering wheel.
Noise is kept to a minimum by extra measures taken to keep this in control.
LEXUS PRICES AND SERVICE INFORMATION
The 2021 LC Convertible comes standard with a best-in-class 7-year/105 000km Warranty and Full Maintenance Plan. This approach illustrates the belief Lexus has in its vehicles’ master craftsmanship and outstanding build quality. Vehicle service intervals are pegged at every 15 000km, alternatively once a year. To recap the LC 500 Convertible is available in one model grade at R2 345 500. The coupe sells for R 2 158 200.