Remember the stunning LC Convertible concept unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show? Well, Lexus teased the production version at last week Goodwood Festival of Speed by rolling out a camouflaged prototype.
Motor1 spoke with LC chief engineer Koji Sato at the Goodwood debut about the car's prospects. He said he expects the LC Convertible to account for half of all LC sales in the United States. He also said he hopes the drop-top's arrival will help boost the LC's presence.
Lexus sold 1,979 LC coupes in the U.S. in 2018, though things have slowed down in 2019 as sales have only reached 668 units for the first six months of the year.
Lexus LC Convertible concept
Lexus hasn't offered a convertible since the IS C, which ended production in 2015, and the SC before it that ended its run in 2010. Lexus originally engineered the RC as a convertible, but canned the drop-top in 2014 to focus on more popular vehicle segments. Thanks, crossovers.
Lexus hasn't said when we'll see the new LC Convertible in showrooms but an arrival around the end of the year is expected. The LC coupe starts at $93,325, and the convertible version should run even higher. Potential rivals include Mercedes-Benz's S-Class Cabriolet and SL-Class, the Maserati GranTurismo Convertible, and the Porsche 911 Cabriolet.
Note, for buyers seeking more performance than the 354-horsepower LC 500h or 471-hp LC 500 grades currently offer, Lexus is working on a more hardcore option likely to be badged an LC F. This model is expected to make its arrival next year.
