2024 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Review

Lexus called our bluff with the 2024 Lexus LC 500 Convertible.

You see, we’ve loved the big Lexus two-door since it debuted. It’s pretty, impeccably built, satisfying to drive and, with the V8 underhood, one of the very best-sounding modern cars you can buy.

But the infotainment sucked. It sucked so much, that we considered it the only blemish on the record of an otherwise perfect car. So Lexus dropped in its new multimedia system for 2024. Thus, the perfect car, right?

Pretty much. While it won’t lug your whole family around in business-class comfort nor tow a boat up a hill, the LC so thoroughly delivers on its mission that it is one of the very best new cars on sale right now—especially in convertible form.

We kind of took care of that in the lede, right?

The Lexus Interface is the headline news, coming in on a 12.3-inch central touchscreen. If there’s a drawback to ditching the loathed touchpad setup, it’s the removal of the classy glass panel that stretched across the dashboard. The architecture remains the same, so there is some blank space in front of the passenger. This particular tester comes with a gorgeous blue-and-white cabin however, so your plus-one can enjoy that, with contrasting stitching for both colors. Yes.

As has been the case since launch, the LC is offered with either a 5.0-liter V8 or a hybridized 3.5-liter V6 with a pair of electric motors. The latter is a unique selling point in the world of luxury two-doors. Yet it’s telling that Lexus keeps the LC Convertible as a V8-only affair. Who’s dropping six figures on a luxury plaything to worry about gas?

Lexus engineers tweaked the big coupe’s suspension settings last year, which in the brand’s own words were “optimized to enhance ground contact feel, linear steering response, and steering effectiveness in the high cornering G range.” An available sport package adds a Torsen rear limited slip differential, a rear performance damper from Yamaha, and various Alcantara bits throughout the interior. The convertible skips the latter, but keeps the rest.

Forget any notions of structural purity or lap time advantages: the convertible is the way to go. Not only is the LC Convertible better-looking than the coupe, but the ability to listen to that V8 soundtrack unimpeded is worth the price of admission alone. Rich in tone and capable of serious volume—but not too much—it’s the sort of beauty you want to rev out just for the sake of it. The shift paddles allow for this too, with quick responses as the 10-speed kicks down. Left to its own devices, this is also one of the smoothest double-digit shifters in the business, with minimal cog-hunting.

Lexus has struck a great balance between engaging handling and comfortable, long-distance capability. This is a big car, with a curb weight over 4,500 pounds (2,041 kilograms), but the weight is low and the balance nearly 50:50, so the LC remains composed. The steering has a smooth, linear feel: quick enough to feel agile, but not darty. Twist the drive mode selector mounted on the cowl and there’s a more distinct character change than I remember from the last ’22 I drove. Sport+ tightens up the responses and holds gears for longer, but stops shy of becoming brittle on public roads (like an SL).

As strong as the LC’s powertrain is, the cabin might just outshine it. Might. This tester’s gorgeous two-tone cabin looks ready for Miami or the south of France, and the matching blue roof is the chef’s kiss. That lid is a four-layer affair, so noise insulation is supreme. It’s even quiet as it does its business, at speeds up to 30 mph (50 km/h). With plenty of adjustment range and a supportive design, the front seats feel capable of keeping me comfy for a whole day of driving. The rear seats continue to be tiny and only really suitable for kids, mind you.

It’s the quality of every single interior piece that fascinates. Lexus’ Takumi craftsmen hand-stitch the upholstery. Buttery smooth semi-aniline leather is just about everywhere. Yet it’s the details that set the LC apart: the asymmetrical door panel designs for example, or the embossed headrests (with built-in heating). The little flip-up cover for the convertible controls is a bit of theater I still smile at, too. When you aren’t into that eight-cylinder concerto, the 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system will play your faves with clarity.

That infotainment upgrade is very welcome. The touchscreen setup is super-simple, and wireless phone pairing is a cinch. There are a few niggles to the menu design, and we’re still wary of Lexus’ reliance on subscriptions. Overall, however, the Lexus Interface blends in, which isn’t something we could say about the old trackpad setup.

The LC comes with a well-rounded suite of driver assists, all bundled under the Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 banner. New this year is a standard panoramic view monitor, which makes it nearly impossible to curb those pretty 21-inch forged alloys.

Nobody is buying a six-figure car based on rational thought. This is an emotional decision, pure and simple.

But the LC is kind of a deal, at least in the context of luxury droptops. It starts at $106,800 ($128,105 CAD), with few options to swell that bottom line. Lexus now offers the Bespoke Build option as well, which allows buyers to further customize their LC to their tastes for a little extra coin. That’s the only way to get this color combo south of the border; yet the stunning blue on blue-and-white is a standard option in Canada. Score one for the Great White North!

The 2024 Lexus LC Convertible is one of those rare cars that comes along only a few times a generation, a total flex from its maker. The LC feels special every single time you’re in it, from the sumptuous cabin to the cultured cry of its nat-asp V8. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is a future classic.

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