An Everyday Sports Car
Not every sports car has to chase lap times. Building sporty vehicles with the goal of ultimate performance can lead to harsh rides, restrictive seats, high-strung powertrains, and loud cabins. They can be very rewarding to drive at the limit, but they can also be exhausting as everyday drivers, so much so that you may avoid getting behind the wheel… But you’ll always want to drive the 2025 Lexus LC 500 convertible.
The LC 500 droptop gives up some of that ultimate performance potential for a smooth ride and a relaxed overall character. It also focuses on some of the best parts of the sports car experience to make it one of the most pleasant and rewarding cars to drive on a regular basis.
It’s easy to fall in love with the LC at a single glance. It sits low and wide, with broad hips fronted by large brake cooling scoops. The nose features an attractive, wide-mouth version of the Lexus spindle grille flanked by squinting LED headlights that drop down into front air intakes. It looks good top up or down, and the soft top is available in four complementary colors. The top can be operated at speeds up to 31 mph and takes 16 seconds or less to raise or lower.
My test car is especially attractive with its Iridium paint (a new color this year), blue top, and white and blue semi-aniline leather interior that imparts a decidedly nautical look. Both the interior and exterior colors are available only in the LC’s Bespoke Build Package that costs $5,500 and comes with dark smoked chrome trim and black accents, and offers the choice of red or blue soft-top colors and three wheel designs.
If the styling doesn’t get you, the V8’s purr will. I hop into the LC, buckle myself in, hit the start button, and the direct-injected 5.0-liter V8 fires to life with a low burble. When I dig into the throttle, the engine emits a note that exists somewhere between NASCAR stocker and refined luxo-cruiser. It’s one of the best-sounding engines on the market, and it’s only enhanced by the active exhaust system that opens a computer-controlled valve at higher revs, as well as the satisfying crackles that sneak out between the smooth shifts of the 10-speed automatic transmission.
The V8 is no slouch in terms of power either. It spins up 471 horsepower at 7100 rpm and 398 pound-feet of torque at 4800 rpm. Without the benefit of the low-end torque supplied by today’s turbocharged engines, the power is strong, but it builds rather than arriving with a wallop right off the line. It motivates 4,500 pounds of Japanese luxury droptop from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds, which is certainly quick but not in the ballpark of the Porsche 911 or today’s high-output electric cars. It tops out at an electronically limited 168 mph.
While the power is inviting, the LC 500’s dynamics calling card is its ride quality. It’s set on low-profile 21-inch wheels and tires, but the LC’s double-joint multilink front and multilink rear suspension, with adaptive dampers all around, soaks up bumps like a mainstream sedan. Most sports cars lean toward firm suspensions that leave me wanting to use the softest setting of their adaptive dampers. In general, I prefer the firmer damper setting in the LC 500 convertible that never skews toward overly firm.
For commuting, the base suspension tune works well, but I want the Sport setting when driving on twisty roads. The firmer damper setting helps control some of the LC’s body lean, enhancing the car’s natural athleticism. To make up for the loss of the top, Lexus adds underbody bracing, including a rear suspension tower and V-brace, all of which do a good job of limiting body quake over bumps.
After its initial lean, the Sport setting helps the LC’s poise in corners, and it rotates predicably. The 245/35R21 front and 275/30R21 rear Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 summer performance tires provide good grip, and the steering has some welcome heft and quick, controlled reactions. An available limited-slip rear differential will help it accelerate more briskly on corner exit, but my car doesn’t have it.
The brakes are pretty capable, too. They’re sizable, with 15.7-inch front rotors pinched by six-piston calipers and 14.1-inch rear rotors clamped by four-piston calipers, and will stand up to a good amount of abuse on any road. However, they can fade under the duress of track duty.
Mostly, though, the LC 500 likes to remain subdued, and the cabin helps with its relaxing nature. The top has three layers of cloth and a layer of sound deadener, and Lexus outfits the LC with standard active noise cancellation. A wind deflector also blocks noise when the top is down. That all makes conversion possible with the top down, and the cabin becomes downright quiet with the top up.
Lexus calls the LC a four-seater, but only two are realistic, and the “back seats” are barely deep enough to fit a rollaboard suitcase, let alone a person. Front riders are surrounded by standard leather and available softer semi-aniline leather upholstery, and they get eight-way power adjustments and standard heating and ventilation for the spacious and comfortable front buckets. The trunk, however, is tiny with just 3.4 cubic feet of space.
The driver interacts with one of the most attractive, watch-like analog instrument clusters left on the market, as well as a quick-acting 12.3-inch touchscreen. Also standard are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a satellite radio trial, and available connected services through a 4G network. Spending an extra $1,220 brings an excellent 915-watt Mark Levinson audio system, and a head-up display is available for $900.
The LC also comes with a good set of safety features that includes Lexus Safety System+ 2.5, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and cross-traffic mitigation, emergency steering assist, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and road sign recognition. Blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alerts, a surround-view camera system, and front and rear parking sensors are also standard.
The 2025 Lexus LC 500 convertible starts at $107,800, including a $1,350 destination fee. That’s $7,500 more than the LC 500 coupe for the joy of top-down driving. The LC 500 convertible is an old-school sports car in the mold of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class: comfortable, relaxing, and powerful. It’s not a track machine, but track machines can be taxing to drive. Instead, the LC 500 invites you to drive it every day and enjoy every minute of it.
Images: Lexus
