“For me, the LC 500h luxury coupé is all about the emotions. It features some of the most advanced automotive technologies ever created, including Lexus Multi Stage Hybrid System and Lexus Safety System +, yet it’s not the world-firsts that thrill me. It is watching people fall in love with the LC the first time they drive it.” KOJI SATO  LC CHIEF ENGINEER     Comfort, ride and handling improvements with suspension revisions, weight-saving measures and shock absorber adjustments     Performance improved with changes to the LC 500h’s Multi Stage Hybrid System and high-voltage hybrid battery     Improved shift pattern for the LC 500’s 10-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission     Multimedia system gains smartphone integration functions with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto® The Lexus’ flagship coupe has always aimed to provide “even sharper, more refined” performance. Changes introduced for the 2021 model year (and shared with the new LC 500 Convertible) deliver greater responsiveness, handling stability and agility, strengthening the driver’s feeling of being directly connected to the car. To achieve its goals, Lexus has revised the suspension system, saving weight and improving ride and handling quality. Changes to the high-voltage hybrid battery control have produced more useful power and torque in the LC 500h, and adjustments have improved performance of the LC 500’s 10-speed automatic transmission. The steering has also been revised and the brakes tuned to communicate a better feel to the driver. DRIVING DYNAMICS Changes to the LC Coupe’s suspension system deliver greater responsiveness, handling stability and agility, strengthening the driver’s feeling of being directly connected to the car and delivering an exhilarating driving experience. A focus on weight saving has seen unsprung mass reduced by almost 10 kg. This has been accomplished principally with changes to the suspension, including the use of aluminium lower arms, lighter, hollow anti-roll bars with a revised diameter and a new high-strength material for the coil springs. Once the weight savings were secured, attention turned to updating the suspension for a smooth, softer stroke, giving the driver a stronger feel of the road. The electronic front shock absorber controls have been adjusted to give a longer stroke, and bound stopper rigidity has been optimised to help create a smoother suspension stroke overall. Rear anti-roll bar rigidity has been increased to improve front turn-in performance and provide more linear steering input, again helping make the driver feel more connected to the road. BRAKES AND STEERING Larger brake pads with a higher friction coefficient have been adopted to gain more effective performance and stability at high temperatures and speeds. The system continues to use front and rear ventilated discs with opposed six-piston aluminium monobloc callipers at the front and four-piston units at the rear. The black callipers are decorated with the Lexus logo in white. In a detailed touch, even the surface of the brake pedal has been revised to provide a larger contact area, giving a more natural feel for the driver. Adding reinforcements and bracing has increased the steering support rigidity, helping achieve better handling stability. The measures include reinforcement of the instrument panel and a higher-rigidity surface for the upper and lower steering support joints, plus changes to the bracing for the driver’s seat and cowl. Software updates for the Variable Gear Ratio Steering, Dynamic Rear Steering and the electric power steering have further sharpened responsiveness. ACTIVE CORNERING ASSIST For better vehicle control in mid to high-speed ranges, the LC’s Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) has a new Active Cornering Assist (ACA) function. This helps control cornering by providing braking to the inner wheels in line with lateral vehicle acceleration experienced when higher G forces are generated in spirited driving (further details in the Chassis Dynamics section below). POWERTRAINS     LC 500h Coupe powered by 3.5-litre V6 self-charging full hybrid powertrain     First model to benefit from Lexus’ Multi Stage Hybrid System     LC 500 Coupe and Convertible feature 5.0-litre V8 engine, matched to Direct Shift 10-speed automatic transmission LC 500h WITH MULTI STAGE HYBRID SYSTEM The LC 500h Coupe’s self-charging full hybrid powertrain features a 299 DIN hp/220 kW 3.5-litre V6 engine and Lexus’ revolutionary Multi Stage Hybrid System. Total system output is 359 DIN hp/264 kW. The Multi Stage Hybrid System, which debuted on the LC Coupe, is one of the most significant technical advances yet developed by Lexus. It overturns the traditional “eco” perception of hybrid powertrains to deliver authentic high performance, unlike anything seen before. In essence, the system uses a multi stage shift device to amplify engine and electric motor output in four stages, making use of the full range of engine speeds. This gives more direct response to driver inputs and a higher level of dynamic performance and driving pleasure. Lexus has increased maximum engine speed from 6,000 to 6,500 rpm, while the nought to 100 km/h acceleration time remains at 5.0 seconds. Changes to the Multi Stage Hybrid System’s shift logic have produced smoother and more linear response, and also sharpened performance through bends with an automatic downshift to second gear when accelerating out of a turn. PERFORMANCE BENEFITS FROM HYBRID BATTERY CONTROL The LC 500h Coupe benefits from a new control programme in its high-voltage lithium-ion hybrid battery that increases its operating range and the degree of assistance provided to the electric motor. This helps provide more powerful acceleration, both when negotiating urban streets, or driving on winding roads. For example, extra power and torque are delivered sooner as the vehicle accelerates from 50 to 80 km/h, even with moderate, 30% pressure on the accelerator pedal. LC 500 WITH 5.0-LITRE V8 ENGINE (ALSO FEATURED IN LC 500 CONVERTIBLE) The performance heart of the LC 500 Coupe and Convertible is Lexus’ high-revving (maximum 7,300 rpm), naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine. This Atkinson cycle unit is supported by advanced D-4S fuel injection technology and its power is delivered to the rear wheels via a 10-speed close-ratio automatic transmission. The V8 provides smooth, linear acceleration and generates a stirring engine note. Maximum power of 464 DIN hp/341 kW is delivered at 7,100 rpm, with maximum torque of 530 Nm available at 4,800 rpm. Acceleration from rest to 100 km/h can be accomplished in 4.7 seconds in the Coupe. The engine is designed for durability and has a lightweight construction, with high-strength, forged connecting rods and titanium valves that allow it to flourish at high revs. A dual intake inlet enables efficient breathing and contributes to the engine’s distinctive sound. Noise and vibration have been reduced by the fitting a double torsional damper on the crank pulley, while fuel efficiency is supported by the use of D-4S direct fuel injection, Atkinson cycle operation, optimised VVT-i intelligent valve timing and a high (12.3:1) compression ratio. Extensive measures have also been taken to reduce friction and pumping losses. V8 SOUND QUALITY The sound generated by the LC 500’s V8 powertrain is all part of the quality of the driving experience. Lexus has changed the location of the valve that determines the route of the exhaust gases in the main silencer to achieve the ideal note. This makes its presence felt at start-up and at high engine revs (from around 4,000 rpm), while performance is quiet when cruising. TRANSMISSION Lexus has used big data to improve the drive force characteristics of the LC 500’s (Coupe and Convertible) 10-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission, to achieve even more faithful responses to the driver’s intentions. With more drive force generated as engine speed increases, the driver feels a real sense of powerful torque and continuous acceleration. The focus was the “active zone” – the 50 to 70% throttle range that accounts for most driving – with the transmission allowing revs to rise higher before shifting into the next gear. The effect is enhanced by the rising note of the V8 engine.  In the LC 500h the Multi Stage Hybrid System’s shift logic has been adjusted to provide even smoother and more linear response. The changes improve performance when accelerating out of a bend, with an automatic downshift to second gear instead of third. MULTIMEDIA For the 2021 model year, all LC models are equipped as standard with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto®, allowing for easy, wireless smartphone integration and access to popular apps for navigation, entertainment and messaging. With Android Auto, the Google Assistant can be used and tailored information can be sourced based on the user’s calendar, previous activity and established preferences. Apple CarPlay allows users to access the familiar interface from their iPhone® through the vehicle’s multimedia display. An iPhone can be connected to obtain journey directions, make calls, send and receive message via Siri®, and gain access to apps such as Spotify, Audible and Apple podcasts. - Stephan Lesuisse, photos Lexus