Lexus LC500: Performance Car of the Year 2018 9th Place

When you’ve got a 5.0-litre V8, rear-wheel drive and more attitude than Mariah Carey in an airport queue, you’d naturally equate that to something with the chutzpah to back it up, right? Well…

As far as looks go, the Lexus LC500 has got it shot to bits. People are – quite literally – falling over to get a better look at this escapee from a designer’s online fantasy league death match. But – and it’s a big but – the 500’s 351kW and 540Nm is irrevocably blunted by an almost two-tonne curb weight.

It’s an uphill battle. The Lexus is last but one to both 0-100km/h and 400m, and equal last between 80-120km/h too – not to mention its relatively tardy 1:38.6 lap time. The weird thing is that it simply doesn’t feel this slow.

The power of the atmo eight doesn’t overwhelm the chassis, though, and it steers with aplomb around little Winton, despite its girth. The digital gauge smacks its marks right in your eyeline, but the traction control light is almost as busy, despite switching into the sportiest mode.

Find the secret code to switch stability and traction control all the way off, though (hint – bring the car to a complete stop), and the LC500 comes to life, especially out on the road. This trick serves me well as I… err, meander gently back up our hill loop, with the long-throw throttle and beautifully linear power delivery playing to the strengths of the vault-stiff chassis.

Without those way-too-conservative chassis electronics getting in the way, the LC500 flows like mercury from corner to corner, the V8’s sonorous howl curling neck hairs for days.

At the end of the day, the stopwatch told most of the tale of the LC: it’s not that quick, even though it feels like it.

2018 LEXUS LC500 SPECS: Body: 2-door, 2+2-seat coupe Drive: rear-wheel Engine: 4969cc V8, DOHC, 32v Bore/Stroke: 94.0 x 89.5mm Compression ratio: 12.3:1 Power: 351kW @ 7100rpm Torque: 540Nm @ 4800rpm Power/Weight: 181kW/tonne Transmission: 10-speed automatic Kerb weight: 1935kg Suspension: struts, double-jointed multi-links, adaptive dampers (f); multi-links, coil springs, adaptive dampers anti-roll bar (r) Brakes: 338mm ventilated discs, 6-piston calipers (f); 308mm ventilated discs, 2-piston calipers (r) Wheels: 21.0 x 9.5-inch (f); 21 x 10.0-inch (r) Tyres Sizes: 245/40 RF21 (f); 275/35 RF21 (r) Tyres: Michelin Pilot Super Sport Price: $190,000

0-100km/h: 5.18sec (9th) 0-400m: 13.23sec @ 178.73km/h (9th)

Morley – 9th Let’s enjoy the LC500 for what it is, not can it for what it isn’t.

Campbell – =8th I’d drive it through tunnels and to work but would have another car to scratch the itch.

Newman – 9th Love the looks and noise, but exposed by other contenders.

Robson – 6th What an amazing design achievement. Weight hurts pace, but F will be astonishing.

Reynolds – 9th Looks spacey, engine sounds good, an older person car.

JUDGES’ SCOREBOARD