Executing dichotomy

Text and photos by Kap Maceda Aguila

LEXUS is known for high technology, luxurious execution and premium accoutrements. And, like parent company Toyota, it earns high marks and praise in pioneering and purveying alternative (read: more eco-friendly) engines.

But every so often, the Nagoya-based car maker likes to throw a curve ball.

The LC 500, launched recently at the Lexis Manila showroom in Bonifacio Global City, is a perfect example. “Many were uncertain if a concept vehicle as arresting and dynamic as the LF-LC [previewed in September last year] could be transformed into a production vehicle… [Here] before you today is the incarnation of Lexus’s commitment to brave design and imaginative technology — the all-new LC 500,” declared Toyota Motor Philippines president Satoru Suzuki, in a speech.

A grand tourer that surely takes inspiration from the LFA supercar and bestows it with a practicality for the daily drive — while making the price a relatively more affordable P8.888 million — the LC 500 is certainly conceived and built as an attention grabber.

Concurred Lexus Manila president Raymond T. Rodriguez in an exclusive interview, “I would describe it in one word, ‘amazing.’ You could see the big change from our previous models to this one. This is much more aggressive; a high-performance coupe. And it has a new platform; it’s completely made from scratch.” Even materials chosen for the LC 500 are impressive. Doors are made of aluminum, and reinforced by carbon fiber. “The body is stiffer than even the LFA’s, but the car is definitely more comfortable, and easier to drive.”

The spindle grille, a Lexus innovation that was derived from the LFA, finds full expression with a new 3-D mesh design in the LC 500. Framing it are aggressive-looking triple-LED head lamp units that feature “one of the industry’s thinnest projectors.” L-shaped daytime running lamps are located below them. Lexus makes mention of the LC 500’s “fast, sloped roofline, its wind-cutting silhouette, and its long 2,870-millimeter wheelbase.”

The curve ball to this beautiful vehicle comes as an old-school-paradigm, high-revving, naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine. According to Lexus, the power plant “was selected for its smooth, linear throttle response and emotional engine sound.” The 32-valve V8 blurts out 477hp and 527Nm, enabled by a dual intake inlet that helps improve breathing while allowing a healthy roar. Promised Mr. Rodriguez, “The sound is just so amazing. You really can’t get that from turbocharged engines. Lexus tuned the exhaust system, and you can really hear the growl of the engine.”

A first-in-class 10-speed automatic transmission features heat-treated, lightweight aluminum gears, and boasts “the most compact torque converter ever used on a Lexus model in an effort to help improve transmission efficiency.” The system allows drivers to harness the V8’s performance.

Inside, the LC 500 boasts a 10.3-inch display bundled with its Lexus Multimedia package, and a 174-millimeter by 48-millimeter, full-color TFT backlit heads-up display easily visible even during the day. An incredible complement of 13 audio speakers gives expression to a high-end, Mark Levinson system “capable of producing rich, lower octaves and higher frequencies.”

Averred TMP SVP Jose Ariel T. Arias in his presentation, “Lexus is the epitome of humble excellence… But what does it mean to be luxurious today? The world we live in is characterized by constant change and elevated expectations. Hence, luxury as we’ve known it is different from luxury as it is now. Because of this, Lexus has redefined luxury. We realized that apart from great products, what makes a brand great is the experience it delivers.”

Indeed, the LC 500, with its full complement of luxury features and what promises to be a brutal engine, is just begging to be experienced by those who can cough up the dough. The vehicle takes its place as the new “halo model” of Lexus that communicates “brave design, takumi [artisan] craftsmanship, imaginative technology, and exhilarating performance.”

Invited Mr. Rodriguez, “We’re looking for customers who want to be different. This is the first time we’ve designed such an amazing product. If you want to be different or unique from the rest, then this is the right car to get.”