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2022 Lexus LC 500 - Carbon Carrot Top Re- Driven Review

2022 Lexus LC 500 - Carbon Carrot Top Re- Driven Review
2022 Lexus LC 500: persistence in Relentless pursuit of perfecting flagship luxury performance coupe pays off.

RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF LUXURY PERFORMANCE COUPE :  Prestige automotive brands chase volume at the affordable end of the market as a gateway drug aspiring to heritage flagships.    Catering to Upwardly Mobile Professional desires and surviving Urban Active Lifestyle is the prestige compact touring sedan. For their sake the Lexus IS series exists, fitted with four powerplants, ranging from four to eight pistoned and with available all-wheel drive. Having slipped into a shimmering re-wrapped IS 350 AWD F-Sport a year ago, Roadblazing.com editors have now rowed a Re-Drive on the placid blue waters of a 2022 Lexus LC 500 performance sport coupe.

2022 Lexus LC 500  Driving Hits: (vs. previously reviewed 2021 Lexus LC 500 Covertible in parenthesis)

  • 471 horsepower 2UR-GSE 32V twin-ohc 5.0L gas V-8 = (-51 hp ≈-16%); 398 pound-feet torque = (-64 lb-ft ≈ -23%)
  • 10-speed automatic torque converter planetary transmission AGA0E
    • steering wheel dorsal magnesium shift paddles
  • Torsen® limited slip rear axle differential + Yamaha lateral chassis damper (Sport and Dynamic Performance Pkgs.)
  • Active sport exhaust enhances already glorious sound of atmospheric V-8
2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible: Once the secondary butterfly valves open look out road.
2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible: Once the secondary butterfly valves open look out road.
  • -190 pounds curb weight (vs. LC 500 Convertible)
  • 20 combined miles per gallon, 555 miles highway range, on 91 octane AKI unleaded fuel
  • Drive modes x 5 = Eco to Sport Plus + custom mode
  • Front + rear double wishbone independent suspensions
  • Active rear wheel steering + Variable ratio steering (Dynamic Performance Pkg.)
  • Bridgestone Potenza S001 L performance tires on 20" to 21" [forged available] alloy wheels
  • Nearly 16" front, 14" rear vented disc brake rotors w/ multi-piston fixed calipers exhibits deliver consistent hard bite
  • No cowl shudder (vs. LC 500 Convertible)

2022 Lexus LC 500 Driving Misses:

  • No all-wheel drive sets of traction control
  • Hesitant transmission kick down
  • Touchy brake pedal

What the 2022 Lexus LC 500 Has Got:

  • Pricing: from $95,200 (incl. destination) for a 10-speed automatic, rear drive 2022 Lexus LC 500 coupe.
    • As tested w/ Sport + Premium pkgs., in Cadmium Orange finish, at $106,410. (New Bespoke trims with unique exterior and cabin color treatments and a fixed rear deck wing became available for MY 2022.)
2022 Lexus LC 500: this flagship high performance 2+2 coupe has earned the right to boast with the imposing Lexus Spindle grille
2022 Lexus LC 500: this flagship high performance 2+2 coupe has earned the right to boast with the imposing Lexus Spindle grille
  • Launched in 2019, this third Lexus 2+2 coupe, series URZ100, is the high performance grand tourer which looks the exotic car. Its ultra low profile features a long sloping hood, flared nose, a cinched convex fuselage rising radically to a super wide flared rear hip, corner folds, exaggerated front and rear boomerang lighting, topped by a floating "C" pillar roof and making about the best presentation of the full length extruded, curved Lexus spindle grille in the family.
2022 Lexus LC 500: Beauty now available w/ center of gravity reducing woven carbon fiber "floating" roof.
2022 Lexus LC 500: Beauty now available w/ center of gravity reducing woven carbon fiber "floating" roof.
  • Accommodates 2 grownups & 2 well small boutique canines because no kid who has outgrown a child safety seat will chance the rear seat.  cubic feet of belongings in the trunk, expanded by √ 60/40% split folding 2nd Row seatbacks
  • Precision shape and movement Lexus controls with nary any cribbed from Toyota
  • Comprehensive standard feature set
    • √ Remote keyless proximity access, push button ignition; √ Power windows, full variable speed express x 4
    • √ Glass roof w/ sunshade
    • √ Leather seating, heated & cooled front seats, 10-way driver, 8-way passenger, power adjust
    • √ 2-zone automatic, soft touch adjust climate control
    • √ LED steering adaptive headlights, √ Rain sensing windshield wipers
    • √ Auto dimming rear view mirror, √ Reverse power tilting side mirrors, √ Power trunk release
    • √ F-Sport electromechanical sliding TFT, drive mode varying, single dial gauge cluster w/ MFD display
2022 Lexus LC 500: available variable ratio steering ups spirited engagement
2022 Lexus LC 500: available variable ratio steering ups spirited engagement
    • √ 10.3" embedded Display Audio pod style landscape upper center dash infotainment display w/ remote Command touch pad + screen touch control; Voice commands; HDD GPS cloud navigation w/ voice guidance
    • 12 speaker, 550W CD & streaming audio, USB-C x 2, 12V x 1
    • Bluetooth hands-free communication & SMS voice to text messaging
    • wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay phone projection
    • Cupholders x 4, Bottle holders x 4
  • BY SUBSCRIPTION: (w/ complimentary trials)
    • √ Wi-Fi x 4G, √ Lexus Enform Safety & Service Connect, Remote, √ Dynamic Assist Navigation & Destinations
  • Excellent safety features & ratings
    • IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus +
    • 8 SRS airbags; Rear camera, Triple beam active LED headlamps, white boomerang DRLs, LED taillamps
  • Driver assist tech (standard - Lexus Safety System+ 2.5)
    •  √ Pedestrian and daylight bicycle detection braking; √ Forward collision avoidance braking; √ Blind spot warning; √ Front & Rear cross traffic detection; √ Lane Departure Warning w/ steering trace assist; √ Full adaptive cruise control w/ variable curve approach speed; √ Auto hold electronic parking brake; √ Automatic high beam headlamps; √ Enform Safety & Service Connect
    • ADVANCED SAFETY PKG (included on test vehicle): √ Intuitive front & rear park assist w/ auto braking; √ 360° Bird's Eye camera view; √ Rear cross traffic braking
  • WARRANTIES: 4 year / 50,000 miles bumper to bumper, 6 year / 70,000 miles powertrain, 2 year / 25,000 miles maintenance warranties

What the 2022 Lexus LC 500 Has Not (or Not Preferred):

  • Narrow front seats
  • Very low seating position, wide door threshold challenges to occupant insertion / extraction
  • Beautiful to admire, yet mockingly puny two position rear seating
  • Front center armrest distant from console shift lever
  • Frustration of toggle shifter comes to boil at conveyor car wash when attempting to engage neutral
  • Sharp raked front air dam Advanced Driver Assistance sensors collect winter driving snow and ice, blocking effectiveness

Standout Feature(s) on 2022 LEXUS LC 500  w/ Premium, Navigation & Panoramic pkgs.:

  • 13 speaker, 950 W, 10-channel, 7.1 DTS Mark Levinson audiophile system w/ CD player
  • Heads Up Display
  • Dynamic Handling Package includes (in addition to mechanical components)
    • Carbon Fiber roof, door scuff plate
    • Speed deployed rear deck wing
    • Alcantara + leather seating and cabin panels, Alcantara cabin pillars + headliner
    • ♦ 21" polished forged alloy wheels, ♦ Performance brake pads
2022 Lexus LC 500: Cadmium Orange flagship coupe at night
2022 Lexus LC 500: Cadmium Orange flagship coupe at night

Roadblazing.com Says: Lexus' symphonic eight piston Pursuit in Perfection of flagship luxury performance coupe.

Contributing Editor: G. Straton

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible - Bottom Line Review
SUPER LOOKS BEATS SUPER CAR: In 2018 when the Lexus LC 500 2+2 sports coupe was unveiled it turned heads like anything out of Modena or Sant’ Agata di Bologna. Yet for 70% less cost it looked more exotic than the LFA super car flop that preceded it. The
RoadBlazingGeorge Straton

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