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2021 Lexus LC Finally Gets Convertible Option, Inspiration Series Also Announced

Have a wild guess which is the first model year of the LC. The luxury coupe from Lexus rolled out for 2018, and a convertible was expected to launch from the get-go. In their infinite wisdom, the planners wait out until the 2021 model year to come out with the LC Convertible without even considering how the competition will evolve by then.
2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series 17 photos
Photo: Lexus
2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series
Only the LC 500 will be available at first, and just like the fixed-head coupe, the soft-top body style makes do with 471 horsepower and 398 pound-feet (540 Nm) of torque. Looking at the likes of the BMW M8 Competiton M xDrive and Mercedes-AMG S 63 4Matic+ Coupe, there’s no denying that Lexus is on the back foot by a considerable margin.

To be revealed in the flesh at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show later this month, the series-production LC 500 Convertible doesn’t look all that different from the concept presented earlier this year. The automaker claims that the “engineers aimed to retain similar handling dynamics to the coupe” yet that’s hardly possible given the relocation of many structural braces and the subsequent weight gain. Removing the top off a cardboard box makes it that little bit flimsier, and pretty much the same thing applies to the automotive realm.

Something that looks really neat in the convertible’s case is the kicked-up design of the rear end, complemented by the trunk lid-integrated center brake light. The soft top is a four-layer affair that promises minimal wrinkling and adequate sound insulation. It takes approximately 15 seconds to lower the top and 16 seconds to retract it, and drivers can do both at speeds of up to 31 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour for European models).

Two colors can be had for the top, and one of them is beige. Really? Like really? Regardless of the paintwork color, the LC 500 Convertible is better suited to black for the canvas roof. The cabin can be had in black, Circuit Red, or Toasted Caramel. Lexus has also made a case for the LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series, limited to 100 units. These babies are finished in Structural Blue with a blue top over white leather upholstery.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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