Michael SatterfieldIn an era where hybrid badges and turbochargers dominate dealer lots, there’s something downright rebellious about a naturally aspirated V8. And not just any V8. The 2025 Lexus LC 500 Convertible’s 5.0-liter powerplant doesn’t whisper refinement—it sings in a voice that’s pure, unapologetic rock and roll. And when wrapped in a body sculpted like a concept car and painted in retina-searing Flare Yellow, it becomes something more: a rolling declaration that luxury can still have a pulse.
We spent a week with a fully-optioned 2025 LC 500 Convertible, soaking up spring sunshine, cruising to Round Top for the antique show, and trying not to get too emotionally attached. Spoiler: we failed.
First Impressions: Bold Moves Only
Finished in Lexus’s premium Flare Yellow paint—an eye-searing hue that toes the line between outrageous and exquisite—our test car was impossible to ignore. Park it anywhere, and people stop. Kids point. Strangers ask to take photos. It’s the kind of color that says “I don’t care what the neighbors think,” which feels right for a car like this.
The Bespoke Build Package gave us a chance to admire Lexus’s meticulous craftsmanship up close. Open the long, sculpted door, and you’re greeted by a cabin that feels less like a car interior and more like a bespoke yacht. The optional White and Blue Leather Interior is both daring and decadent—pearl-white seats with deep navy blue accents, contrasted by satin metallic trim and a sweeping dash that looks like it was shaped by a master tailor rather than a CAD machine.
Then there’s the Carbon Fiber Door Scuff Plates, a small detail, sure, but a subtle nod to the LC’s performance pedigree. With the top down and the evening sun bouncing off those 21-inch forged five-spoke wheels, the Lexus LC 500 Convertible might be the most beautiful car Lexus—or anyone—makes today.
Behind the Wheel of the Lexus LC 500: Analog Soul, Modern Muscle
Push the engine start button, and the Lexus LC 500 V8 fires to life with a raspy bark that catches you off guard, in the best possible way. It’s not synthesized or piped in through speakers—just pure, unfiltered combustion. The naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 produces 471 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, sent to the rear wheels through a slick-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission.
What’s remarkable isn’t just the speed (0-60 in about 4.6 seconds), but the drama. This is a car that makes every on-ramp feel like a red carpet event. Mat the throttle and it rewards you with a rising crescendo that builds toward a spine-tingling 7,100 rpm redline. It’s not the fastest convertible in its price bracket, but it might be the most emotionally satisfying to drive.
The steering is perfectly weighted—light enough for casual boulevard cruising, yet tight and communicative when the road starts to curve. The LC 500’s chassis, built around Lexus’s ultra-rigid GA-L platform, feels carved from granite. Despite its near two-ton curb weight, the LC is surprisingly nimble and composed, aided by a well-tuned suspension that strikes an ideal balance between grand tourer plushness and genuine athleticism.
Our test car came equipped with the All-Weather Package and Upper Body Heating, including neck-level heaters and a heated steering wheel—perfect for top-down drives on brisk mornings. Combined with the multi-layer soft top, which raises and lowers in a quick 15 seconds, the Lexus LC 500 Convertible is a four-season grand tourer, even if it’s always best experienced under blue skies.
Interior: Craftsmanship Elevated
Step inside and you’re immersed in a sensory experience. The textures, colors, and shapes all flow together with the kind of grace rarely seen outside of haute couture. The hand-stitched leather feels rich and supple, and every touch point—from the shift knob to the climate control toggles—feels thoughtfully considered.
The heads-up display and digital instrument cluster are clean and easy to read, providing essential data without distraction. Lexus has clearly prioritized comfort and design over gimmicks, and it works—for the most part.
The white and navy blue color combination is a bold choice, but in person, it’s absolutely stunning. It gives the cabin a bespoke, maritime feel that fits the LC’s top-down cruising personality perfectly. If you told me this was a special edition for the brand Nautica, I would believe you. it should have a Navy Blue top to match, though. You don’t sit in the LC 500—you’re enveloped by it.
The Downside: Infotainment From Another Era
But all this romance and craftsmanship has a foil—and its name is the Lexus infotainment system.
Let’s be blunt: the Lexus LC 500’s infotainment interface is one of the worst in any modern luxury car. It’s clunky, distracting, and painfully out of sync with the rest of the car’s polished execution. While Lexus has made strides in its newer models with voice-controlled touchscreen systems and improved UI design, the LC remains stuck in a previous generation.
Yes, there’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but navigating to them can feel like threading a needle with oven mitts. It’s frustrating, and in a car that costs north of $120,000, you expect better. Much better.
Thankfully, once you’re set up, you can largely forget the screen and enjoy the symphony coming from the quad exhaust pipes—and in this car, that’s easy to do.
Price and Perspective
Our test car rang the bell at $120,245, including a $1,350 destination fee. That puts it in rarefied air—where Porsche 911 Cabriolets, Jaguar F-Type R Convertibles, and even AMG GT Roadsters roam. It also opens up the opportunity to go really exotic with a pre-owned Aston Martin or Ferrari California.
But here’s the thing: none of those cars feel quite like the LC 500. The Lexus is more grand tourer than sports car, yes, but it also offers something they don’t—a kind of cinematic drama that’s hard to define, but easy to feel. You buy an LC because it moves you, not just because it moves quickly.
Lexus LC 500: Should You Buy One?
The 2025 Lexus LC 500 Convertible is a car of contradictions. It’s a Japanese take on European grand touring tradition. It’s a modern luxury flagship powered by an old-school V8. It’s technologically frustrating yet emotionally thrilling. But above all, it’s a reminder that driving can still be an art form.
In a world increasingly dominated by muted turbochargers, hybrid crossovers, and silent EVs, the Lexus LC 500 stands defiantly as a rolling sculpture with a beating heart. Yes, the infotainment system is dated, and yes, the price is steep—but for those who value beauty, sound, and soul over specs and screens, this car delivers in spades.
If you’re shopping for an open-top GT and want something that turns heads, stirs souls, and doesn’t blend in with the valet line, the Lexus LC 500 Convertible is one of the last of its kind—and maybe the best.
