MOTORS REVIEW: Lexus LC500

IN the iconic 1985 Steven Spielberg film Back to the Future Old Man Peabody glanced nervously at the spaceship on the cover of his son’s sci-fi comic book upon first sight of Doc Brown’s De- Lorean-based time machine.

When the otherworldy, gullwing-doored vehicle careered into his barn following Marty McFly’s plutonium-propelled 88mph trip back to 1955 the bearded farmer could not believe his eyes.

It was one of the scenes that earned the futuristic (if flawed) coupe a place in the hearts of sci-fi fans and petrolheads alike.

No car could illicit the same response at the slack-jawed Peabody in its own time.

But outside the realms of the bona-fide supercar manufacturers such as McLaren, Pagani and Koeniggseg, the Lexus LC500 stands out as something that breaks the design mould like no other.

Without gullwing doors or a man stepping from the cockpit in a radiation suit, the LC500’s broad stance, muscular curved panels and artistically angular panel joints make it a sight to behold.

Just 60mm narrower than a Range Rover, the LC 500 looks like it has just stepped out of the gym, muscles rippling.

Neat design features abound upon closer inspection.

The exposed weave of a carbonfibre roof is flanked by two fang-like slivers of metal which end in a point before black A-pillars deliver the impression of an entirely glass cabin section.

The low bonnet’s rise is mirrored by that of the side skirts which seem to gain height to a point at the rear of the doors, where vents which aid aerodynamics and brake cooling mark the point where the bulging rear quarters begin to dominate.

At the rear, slender light clusters which extend along the side and back of the car are defined by a central mirror which reflects the LEDs to give the impression of an endless tunnel of light within the car.

This is a car that abounds with design detail. Many of the styling cues come from the Lexus LFA supercar of 2012.

That car commanded an eye-watering price tag of almost £400,000.

By comparison, the £88,565 of the LC500 Sport+ tested here seems like something of a bargain.

Under the metal the LC goes without the LFA’s 4.7-litre V10, of course. But open the carbonfibre door, step over more exposed carbonfire, drop into the confines of the futuristic cabin and that doesn’t seem to matter.

A prod of index finger on starter button elicits a barrage of explosive rumblings from the twin exhausts as Lexus’s 471bhp, five-litre normally-aspirated V8 engine announces its intent.

Few car manufacturers have kept turbocharging at bay this long and the purity of the LC500’s roar is delightfully at odds with its otherwise futuristic appearance.

Fuel consumption of 24.4mpg and 267g/km CO2 emissions are the trade-off.

The LC is very much a GT car first and a supercar second, though, and while 4.4-second acceleration to 62mph and 168mph top speed is up there with a Porsche 911, comfort abounds.

A riot of shapes and a two-tier dashboard angles all the key controls towards the driver.

The passenger is left with little more than a grab handle at each side of the footwell.

Lexus’s leather-trimmed seats offer excellent support and comfort and a hugely impressive climate control system automatically attunes the functions of the heated/cooled seats, steering wheel and air conditioning to maintain your comfort.

Sleek brushed aluminium door handles being one particular highlight that has to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Only rear seat passengers miss out.

They will be too concerned about the loss of sensation in their crushed legs or cricked neck to admire such detail.

The only let-down is an infotainment system, commanded by an over-sensitive touchpad on the centre console, which is the most awkward I’ve ever encountered. Its various menus, lack of short-cut buttons and complex navigation prove awkward to operate.

The major surprise about driving the LC is that it is not as intimidating as that soundtrack, or its scale, might suggest.

A limited-slip differential will meter torque to the driven rear wheels to manage oversteer and Lexus’s innovative rear-wheelsteering system also contributes to an overriding sense of agility.

The big, wide LC500 is a car that feels at its best at speed on a broad open road, but it impresses with loyal, accurate responses and a rear-wheel-drive chassis which is not wayward or unruly.

Despite being a 2+2, the driver’s hips are positioned very rearwards, at the car’s pivotpoint in a corner, and this central positioning is also part of the key to the LC500’s confidence- inspiring dynamics.

There are Eco, Normal, Sport and Sport+ settings which hone the dynamics and the responses of an impressive ten-speed automatic gearbox.

But with so many gears and that huge engine on tap, the Lexus never seems short of urge, regardless of the settings or the gear.

Wring out the revs beyond 5,000rpm and the sound is other-world — just like that De- Lorean in Back to the Future.

If it’s not already apparent, I was fairly mesmerised by the LC 500.

There are faster, more focused cars out there.

There are more luxurious cars out there.

But few blend both those two traits quite so well.

To wrap that formula in a body that looks like something from a sci-fi comic just makes it all the more impressive.

First pubslished October 12 2018