Lexus Envisions The LC500 To Be A Menance To The Porsche 911

The new Lexus LC500 feels so familiar that it is a little strange to consider that the production car only made its dynamic public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed back in July.

In other ways it is not surprising, for the origins of the Japanese brand’s new flagship stretch back to the 2012 Detroit motor show, when the bold Lexus LF-LC concept was revealed.

The show car wasn’t originally supposed to signpost a future production model, but Toyota and Lexus president Akio Toyoda was so encouraged by the response to the LF-LC that he tasked the company with closely translating it into a road car that could potentially bother the Porsche 911 Turbo.
 

TheSteve - 10/7/2016 7:03:53 PM

0 Boost

Lexus might "envision" it, but I don't see it happening. I just can't picture a serious Porsche prospect, a genuinely qualified potential Porsche customer, thinking to themselves, "Now lemme see... Porsche 911 or Lexus LC500? Porsche or Lexus? It's so close, I just can't decide."

Riiiiiiiiight! (in my best Dr. Evil voice)

Dexter1 - 10/7/2016 11:43:40 PM

+1 Boost

Agreed—not even in the same league. I think it's good to have lofty aspirations. However, the only thing this Lexus wannabe is a menace to is my eyeballs.

TomM - 10/7/2016 7:21:38 PM

+2 Boost

Just as in Luxury Sedans - there is a Hierarchy in Sports cars too. And Lexus does not even place in the top 10 for that. I think what the word "envisions" refers too is a wet dream. After all - GM could consider the Cascada as a menace to the 911 (It might even outsell the 911) - but that does not mean it is true in any way.

MDarringer - 10/7/2016 7:44:05 PM

-2 Boost

The LC/911 comparison is ridiculous. On 911 terms (pure sport) this doesn't measure up. On LC terms (GT), Porsche has nothing like this.

I'd rather have the LC because it is far more captivating to look at than the 911 and I suspect way easier to live with.

carloslassiter - 10/7/2016 8:12:12 PM

+2 Boost

No one in real life is ever going to choose this over a 911 under any circumstances, ever.

MDarringer - 10/7/2016 9:59:17 PM

-1 Boost

Yes, you idiot they will. There is tremendous interest in the LC.

Dexter1 - 10/7/2016 11:46:28 PM

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No—they won't. It's a poseur Lexus, remember?

MDarringer - 10/8/2016 12:02:26 PM

+3 Boost

@Dexter1 and obviously, you're a Eurobigot. In MANY circles Lexus is spoken in the same breath as the Nazibarges.

TheSteve - 10/8/2016 2:59:32 PM

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I think Lexus fans will choose this over a 911. Porsche fans won't.

The two sectors are not interchangeable, or even competing against each other. They're different markets, with very different buyers, although Lex would like to believe otherwise.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 10/7/2016 8:35:25 PM

+2 Boost

They should have kept making and refining the LFA. This is not a pretty car. It will do low numbers like other Lexus coupes of recent days. Moving on...

qwertyfla - 10/7/2016 9:22:41 PM

+1 Boost

Stuttgart called and they have officially "Scheiße dort Hosen". Lexus wins. Sad news to break to all the Octoberfestonians. Too bad they will all be too shitfaced to remember or care.

carloslassiter - 10/7/2016 11:10:29 PM

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I feel vindicated to see that M.Darringer has called me an "idiot", since he has been utterly wrong about every other comment and prediction he's made on this site.

His latest comment: "There is tremendous interest in the LC."

Really? How many will they sell? C'mon - just give us a rough estimate so we can see what "tremendous" interest equates to.

MDarringer - 10/8/2016 6:40:06 PM

+1 Boost

When Mercedes and BMW owners inquire about it and open their checkbooks to do deposits, you have tremendous interest.

Like the Continental, the LC is generating foot traffic at the dealer level (before it's truly available) and online, both cars have elicited traffic to the respective websites.

Both cars are scheduled for local-level unveilings to host the people who have expressed interest.

That does not happen routinely.

david999 - 10/8/2016 12:53:54 PM

+3 Boost

This new Lexus LC is amazing looking.Whether it can outperform a 911 Turbo is definitely questionable. However I have no doubt that this will sell extremely well just based on Lexus quality and growing reputation in European circles.

carloslassiter - 10/8/2016 7:19:05 PM

+2 Boost

"When Mercedes and BMW owners inquire about it and open their checkbooks to do deposits, you have tremendous interest."

Really? Because when Tesla got hundreds of thousands of deposits on the new Model 3 you were singing a different tune. Just a coincidence, I guess.

PUGPROUD - 10/9/2016 6:12:07 AM

+2 Boost

Lexus owners will buy plus those who are tired of staid designs and dare to be different. Will not beat 911's on dynamics but will generate its own strong following. Let's wait and revisit this in a year after introduction.

MDarringer - 10/9/2016 4:27:53 PM

+2 Boost

I think this is Lexus' "E Type" breakthrough.

carsnyc - 10/9/2016 7:08:33 PM

+2 Boost

I'm a Mercedes fan but I love that Lexys is there. BMW needs to go back to its own roots.