2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible

The Lexus in its convertible form takes on the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Cabriolet and Jaguar F Type R convertible. The LC 500 puts out 478 hp and 398 pound-feet of torque which is enough for your cross country overtakes and the occasional highway commutes. Here’s our review of the 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible. 

Being a high performance sports car, the traditional ways of choosing from a list of trims are not the standards. At this price point you get to choose and customize everything from the exterior paints to the leather inside, to your liking. 

Trim	LC 500 Convertible	LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series
MSRP (RWD)	$101,000	$120,825
Key Features	20-inch wheels	Includes LC 500 Convertible features, and adds or replaces: Structural Blue exterior paint
	Adjustable suspension	Mark Levinson 13-speaker, 915-watt Reference Surround Sound Audio System
	LED exterior lights	Climate Concierge with Upper Body Heating
	12-speaker audio system with satellite radio	Bespoke Amalfi White semi-aniline leather–trimmed front seats with embossed headrests
	Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa	NuLuxe headliner
	Heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats	Carbon fiber scuff plate with Inspiration Series inscription
	Power-adjustable tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
	Adaptive cruise control
	Automatic high-beam control
	Heated and auto-dimming mirrors
	Driver-seat memory settings
	10.3-inch central display

Being a Luxury Gran-tourer, the LC 500 offers immense comfort with a lot of standard features. You get all that you expect from a $100,000 sports GT. Everything from sports seats to dynamic chassis geometry is available in the LC 500. As are many of the cars in this price bracket a lot of the options are paid though with most of them being Carbon-fiber inserts across the car.

Lexus’ are considered to be robust vehicles that tend to break down less often. Being the luxury division of Toyota, its reliability record seems to be pretty obvious. Regarding reliability of the LC 500, things are bleak. For starters, the LC 500 has not been rated by J.D Power, but we reckon it would fare incredibly well given that its part of a reassuring brand that has an amazing track record for building reliable vehicles. As per the NHTSA, so far, there have been no recalls issued for the 2020 Lexus LC 500. However, the 2019 Lexus LC had a couple of recalls regarding the fuel system and the stability control. Immediately after resorting to the faults, the 2020 LC 500 got released and stood out to be flawless. The same can be said for the 2021 Lexus LC 500 as well.

In terms of ownership costs we don’t have much to relate to the LC 500 since it is a fairly new car. However, the LC Coupe has an annual service cost of around $800. Expect the convertible to have a maintenance cost of the same, give or take. Costs relating to taxes, financing, fuel costs are unavailable and we’ll be updating them as soon as we get the required data.

Type of Expense	Amount
Yearly Service	$781
Tire change	$1160
Insurance	$2448

All cars are priced differently in the different states of the United States. These are influenced largely due to the state tax, dealer discounts, and destination charge depending on the car model you buy. For the LC 500 however, the prices would remain relatively similar since this sports GT is an import rather than being assembled locally. 

Warranty

In the event of something unfortunate or on a day when your luck decides to run out, before you start cursing your luck, bear in mind that Lexus has you covered with a host of warranty schemes:

Criteria	Period
Limited warranty	4 years/ 50,000 miles; whichever is earlier
Powertrain warranty	6 years/ 70,000 miles; whichever is earlier
24-hour roadside assistance	4 years/ unlimited miles;

Under the standard warranty, the owners of the vehicle are covered for any kind of malfunction which may occur in the vehicle. Lexus offers one of the best warranty coverage periods in the entire industry which is very difficult for its competitors to compete against.

Miles per dollar

Since we do not have a complete idea of what the entire cost of ownership would be, we are unable to calculate the MPD ratio. The said ratio is achieved by factoring the average number of miles driven in a year to ownership costs like financing, insurance, fuel costs and service/ maintenance costs.

The LC 500 is only offered in a single trim level but we would definitely suggest you tick a few optional extras such as the optional 21-inch wheels and the carbon fiber roof to take the looks of the LC up a level. Not that it needs it but nonetheless, if you can then why not?

How about a used Lexus LC 500 Convertible?

Part of the reason for owning a used sports car is because they depreciate heavily. Unless they are limited in numbers, they lose a ton of money each year. Of course if you are the sort of person who can afford such a fall then you wouldn’t be looking for a used sports car and rather be buying a new one. The LC 500 is no exception to this notion, it depreciates heavily as well.

To put that into perspective, our inventory of used Lexus LC 500 shows us a 2018 model advertised for around $62,000 which is in fact a bargain given that these cars are built with intent and wouldn’t breakdown as mundane cars would.

The LC 500 uses a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 belting out 478 hp and 398 pound-feet of torque. The unit is mated to a 10-speed transmission which delivers seamless shifts and helps in unleashing the full potential of this V8 powertrain.

With the Convertible you get to listen to the beautiful engine note and enjoy the ride with the wind in your hair.

Models	Lexus LC 500 Convertible	Mercedes Benz AMG E 53 Cabriolet	Jaguar F Type R Dynamic
MSRP	$92,950	$73,700	$84,345
Engine	5.0L Premium Unleaded V8	3.0L Inline-6	3.0L Intercooled Supercharger Premium Unleaded V6
Drivetrain	RWD	AWD	RWD
Transmission	10-Speed Automatic	9-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic
Power	471hp@7,100rpm	429hp@6,100rpm	380hp@6,500rpm
Torque	398lb-ft@4,800rpm	384lb-ft@4,700rpm	339lb-ft@3,500rpm

The European entries have it a bit low in terms of the power put up but, both the Merc and the Jaguar come very close in terms of the grunt on offer. Employing forced induction, both the F-Type and the E53 have better low end torque. The Lexus on the other hand is dead at the bottom and comes to life in the mid-end.

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Acceleration And Braking Performance

Acceleration figures are impressive for a 4300 pound vehicle. The LC 500 manages a quick sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, which is not very fast but could bring a smile to your face. The Lexus manages a 14 second dash to the quarter-mile.

Models	Lexus LC 500 Convertible	Mercedes Benz AMG E 53 Cabriolet	Jaguar F Type R Dynamic
0-60 MPH	4.6 sec	4.3 sec	4.8 sec
Quarter Mile	14 sec	13.4 sec	13.4 sec
Top Speed	168 MPH	158 MPH	171 MPH
Curb Weight	4280 lbs	4200 lbs	3514 lbs
60-0 MPH	105 ft	115 ft	112 ft

The revised gear ratios do help it shift better and a tad bit faster than before. The LC is best enjoyed with the top down and cruising down a winding stretch of tarmac while soaking in the scenery along with that glorious V8 rumble.

The 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible manages to return a combined 19 mpg and offers a range well over 350 miles thanks to its 21.7 gallon tank. In this day and age of turbocharging and downsizing for emissions and efficiency, Lexus has to be credited for still offering the LC 500 with a screaming V8 that bellows with a loud and bassy rumble.

Models	Lexus LC 500 Convertible	Mercedes Benz AMG E 53 Cabriolet	Jaguar F Type R Dynamic
MPG (City)	16	21	18
MPG (Highway)	25	28	26
MPG (Combined)	19	23	21
Fuel Capacity	21.7 gallons	17.4 gallons	18.5 gallons
Range (City/Hwy/Combined)	347/543/412 miles	365/487/400 miles	333/481/388 miles

As you can see the Lexus is not the most frugal when it comes to managing fuel. That said, at this price point and with the whole drama on offer we really don’t care. In fact it has better range than the less powerful Jaguar F-Type.

The LC 500’s interiors can be best described as one that resonates finely-crafted origami. Each panel looks meticulously put together and makes it stand out from other Lexus products.

Everything from the door handle to the layered panel on the door cards looks like the work of a master craftsman. The dated controller in the middle is a glaring anomaly in this day and age.

Models	Lexus LC 500 Convertible	Mercedes Benz AMG E 53 Cabriolet	Jaguar F Type R Dynamic
Seating Capacity	4	4	2
Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	37.2/56.5/42.0	40.9/56.1/41.8	37.0/56.5/43.0
Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	32.2/49.0/32.5	36.4/50.3/34.1	N/A
Cargo Capacity	5.4 cu.ft.	10.0 cu.ft.	7.0 cu.ft.

The front seats are quite comfortable and feature seat heating and ventilation apart from the standard electronic adjustment. Seats at the back are pretty small even for kids. So it's best left for leisurely shopping trips and groceries.

How’s the 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible’s infotainment system?

Right off the bat, the infotainment unit is quite an old hag in this era of MBUX and BMW’s iDrive. The system feels a bit finicky though. Sunlight legibility is great with good contrast but the trackpad is a bit dated for 2021 standards. Right off the bat, the infotainment is not the most intuitive out there. New for 2021 is the addition of Android Auto support which let’s be honest is not something groundbreaking.

On the plus side, In proper grand touring fashion, the hi-fi on offer is fabulous and is much better than the ones offered in the rivals except for the Burmester system inside the Merc.

A very handsome car to look at. Lexus has the most visually imposing design of any automobile out there. The LC 500 is sculpted all round, with muscular rear haunches and wide wheel arches the car definitely stands out.

The Spindle grille and the triple LED headlights dominate the front. The car is proportioned beautifully with all the creases and lines blending perfectly with the sheet metal of the body.

Models	Lexus LC 500 Convertible	Mercedes Benz AMG E 53 Cabriolet	Jaguar F Type R Dynamic
Curb Weight	4280 lbs	4200 lbs	3514 lbs
Length	187.4"	190.6"	176.0"
Width	75.6"	80.9"	74.2"
Height	53.0"	56.3"	51.6"
Ground Clearance	5.2"	4.7"	4.1"
Wheelbase	113.0"	113.1"	103.2"

The LC 500 is one of those rarities of the auto industry that managed to get from concept to production stage without sacrificing any of its radical design elements. The rear profile of the LC is futuristic which is largely due to the use of the 3D hologram style tail lamps which is not something we have seen in the automotive industry.

The Lexus LC 500 is a safe place to be in when the inevitable occurs. With dedicated crumple zones built into the chassis of the car it offers reassurance to all of its occupants. Lexus is known for their robust build quality and reliability. The RC is no exception, offering 8 airbags and all the jazz you’d expect from a $100,000 luxury GT. Some of the notable safety features offered in the Lexus LC 500 are:

• Blind Spot And Lane Departure Warnings Accident Avoidance System
• Tire Pressure Monitoring
• Traction Control
• Pre-Collision Safety System
• Engine Immobilizer
• Post-Collision Safety System

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Vs Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 Convertible

The Merc E53 fares well with the Lexus but the blunt design is less invoking unlike the LC 500’s sumptuous exteriors. But the interior of the Merc is leaps and bounds ahead of the Lexus in terms of the technology offered.

The MBUX is hands down the best infotainment unit on the market. .

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Vs Jaguar F-Type Convertible

The Jaguar F-Type is underpowered when compared with the Lexus, the interior of the LC feels much more premium.

In fact the only thing going for the Jaguar would be fuel economy and trunk space which are least considered in such cars.

The Lexus LC 500 convertible sets the standard for luxury at a new high. By far, it is the most comfortable and luxurious in this comparison. Price is a bit steep for a Lexus but it offers insane value for the money and the best part is its naturally-aspirated V8 engine which deserves a lot of attention. With the Convertible now you can enjoy the wind on your hair whilst you listen to the orgasmic rumble of that V8.