The exquisite-looking Lexus LC 500 Convertible has landed in Mzansi.We put the ravishing newcomerthrough its paceson the sweeping bends around Nelspruit.

Lexus’ design team was set quite an extraordinary challenge to shape what’s arguably the most exoticmodel in the Japanese premium brand’s line-up. They had to take the distinctively sculpted – and intricately detailed – Lexus LC 500 sports coupe and turn it into one of the world’s most beautiful convertibles and, if thesephotos are anything to go by, we’d say: “Mission accomplished!”

A vehicle’s design is entirely subjective,yetin the case of the Lexus LC 500 Convertible, wecan’t help but admire it from every conceivable angle. Itlooks incredibly striking, particularly with the roof down.

Is this the most beautiful open-topped sportscar that’s ever been produced by a Japanese car company? Discuss.

Suffice to say it’s an extraordinary-looking road machine with creases and angles in the right places andsensuous proportions, not to mentionthose gorgeous 21-inch alloy wheels and bold spindle grille.

The drawback of chopping the roofoff acoupeis a loss of structural rigidityand, in the past, open-topped variants suffered from excess rattling and body flex–a phenomenon known as scuttle shake.

Lexus reckons it hasminimised the problem by redesigning 3 major panels, reinforcing existing bodywork (with additional spot welds), fitting underbody bracing, shifting the car’s weight distribution around and implementing an aluminium/magnesium structure for the fabric roof. Impressively, the Convertible’s headroom and boot space comparequite favourably with thoseof the LC 500 coupe.

Then there’s that interior!Not only does the LC 500 Convertible’s luxurious cockpitlook the part – it creates that must-have sense of occasion, but the craftsmanship and build quality areout of this world. The level of fit-and-finish is near-perfect, and other manufacturers would do well to (orleast try to) replicate the immaculate interior detailing.

There are 11 exterior colour, interior trim and roof colour combinations available.

What’s on offer?

There are no derivatives of theLC 500 Convertible, it’s a standalone variant of the coupe. The Lexus’ fabric roof can be opened in around 15 secand at speeds of up to 50 kph, which isuseful when a sudden downpour interferes with your divine drop-top experience mid-journey.

Now, you’re probably wondering what engine sitsunder the newcomer’s bonnet.While Lexus’ LS “500” first-class sedan uses a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6, the Convertible sports a refreshingly “old school” motor. Yes, this arrestingly styled roadster utilises a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, whichproduces 351 kW/540 Nmand propels the car’s rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Also, at this price point, you getall the proverbialbells and whistles. The leather seats are 10-way electrically adjustable,wonderfully supportive and heated. There’s also a steering wheel heater and neck heaters for those who prefer “driving topless” during autumn or winter, as well as a 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with a pair of USB ports as well as Apple Carplay/Android Auto compatibility.

Safety-wise, Lexus has equippedits LC 500 Convertible with features such asa pre-crash safety system, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, stability control and 6airbags.

The interior of the Lexus LC 500 Convertible is smartly finished and a tactile delight.

What’s the Lexus LC 500 Convertible like to drive?

If theLexus drop-top’s vivacious styling is all-but-guaranteed to causeonlookers to stop and stare, the 5.0-litre V8 is more than likely to make them smile when you startit up. It’s a glorious-sounding engine that should enthralmotoring enthusiasts who fondly remember the “V8’s glory years”. The start-up sound is gloriously old-school with a traditional rumble, but the downshifts, wow:theyreally stir our senses.

There’s something wonderfully magical about this free-breathing Lexus V8 engine… Not only does it deliver a sonorous soundtrack as it spinssmoothly through its rev range;it delivers its power in a linear fashion. There’s no sudden shove in your back, instead, the powerplantencourages you to “stretch its legs” all the way up to the redline.

If you have the car’s transmission in manual mode, there’s a soft rev limiter around about the 7 000 rpm mark and the digital rev counter changescolour from white,to orange, to red as the revsclimb.

Downsides of the Lexus LC 500 Convertible? You’re probably not going to get used to all the attention this vehicle attracts. There will be so few of theseon SA roads, “unicorn status” is all but assured.

Lexus’ newcomer is more of a grand tourer than a sportscar.

What’s more, if you drive the Lexusin manual mode and the car’s running in its highgears, youhave to really “work thetransmission” to summon rapid overtaking acceleration. The 8th, 9th and 10th ratios are for cruising, so there’s very little response when you lean on the accelerator. If you’re in automatic, the powertrain will immediately change down to 5th gear to rediscoverthemotor’s sweet spot.

When enthusiasts see the LC 500 Convertible’s lofty price tag (R2345 500in August 2021) they may instantly compare the Lexus with high-end sportscars,but that’s not what this car’s about.It’s a beautiful, luxurious cruiser;something that rewards a spirited driver, but iseminentlyuseable for longer trips. With this level of comfort and refinement available to occupants, you coulddrive the length of the Garden Route in the Lexus and arrive at your destination still feeling fresh. The same can’t be said of most high-performance exotica…

Our short drive gave us a good taste of whatthe 2nd most expensive model in Lexus South Africa’sline-up offers. While its straight-line efforts are brisk, its refinement and cornering capability are the real highlights. Usually, vehicles of this type are compromised by overly firm suspensions, but this is not the case with the LC.As for the scuttle shake? There was none of that, so kudos to Lexus’ engineers.

Those enchantinglooks combined with a majestic engine make the Lexus LC 500 Convertible one of the most desirable vehicles on the market.

Summary

With head-turning looks that are out of this world and an old-school (but sufficiently revvy)V8 engine under its shapely bonnet, the Lexus LC 500 Convertible is avery special vehicle. It has the performance to match its athletic image, and while its outright grunt may not be best-in-class (the comparatively-pricedBMW M850i Convertible makes390 kW), there’s more than enoughpace to entertain most drivers.

It’s hard to think that this treasure of a vehicle comes from Lexus, a brand that prides itself on its range of luxurioushybridsthat are the polar opposite of what the LC 500 and its Convertible sibling represent. Will this be the last truly exciting model to come from the Lexus stable before the motor industry shuts the door on the (non-electrically assisted) internal combustion engine? Only time will tell.

Further Reading:

Lexus IS 500 revealed with a V8

Lexus LC 500 updated for 2020