Fast Facts:
- New flagship 2+2 coupe
- LC 500 has 5.0-liter V-8 engine from RC F Coupe
- LC 500h has new multi-stage hybrid system drivetrain
- New 10-speed automatic transmission for LC 500
- New continuously variable transmission for LC 500h
- Next-generation Lexus Multimedia infotainment system
- Sets the stage for the evolution of the Lexus brand
- On sale in the spring of 2017
Introduction
While it won’t become ubiquitous on American roads like the ES sedan and the RX crossover, the 2018 Lexus LC is critically important to Toyota’s luxury division.
When the new Lexus LC was introduced at the 2016 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Akio Toyoda, chief branding officer for Lexus, said: “This flagship luxury coupe’s proportions, design, and performance make a strong statement about our brand’s emotional direction.”
Previewed by the 2012 Lexus LF-LC Concept, the new LC is built on a new premium, rear-wheel-drive architecture that the company will use for future front-engine/rear-drive vehicles. Lexus says this component set is engineered for dynamic performance, and that the LC reflects a newfound level of collaboration between designers and engineers during the vehicle development process.