Break the Mould

Lexus Is Known For Ultra-refined Luxury Cars, But Their Latest Flagship – The Lc, Or ‘Luxury Coupé’ – Aims To Give The Brand A Sharper Edge. Watch Out For Its Entry Into The Indian Market In Early 2020.

- Dhruv Behl

In 1989, Toyota launched the Lexus brand in the US to take on the might of the German luxury brands. The LS, over the years, redefined levels of refinement, comfort and reliability in the luxury car world. On top of which, Lexus rewrote the rules when it came to the customer experience – both in the showroom, as well as in after-sales and service. The end result was that the Lexus brand went on to dethrone the Germans and become the number one luxury car brand in the US market.

But it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the brand’s image was conservative, staid even. So, in 2010, Lexus broke the mould (again) by introducing one of the most unique and exciting supercars of all time – the LFA. The V10 in the LFA was so free-revving and maniacal that a traditional analogue rev counter simply couldn’t keep up with its ferocity and the pace with which it revved. So, they put in a digital tachometer instead.

Well, the LFA was a limited edition one-off. But the LC isn’t. While the LS goes toe-to-toe with the S-Class, the LC has the S-Coupé in its crosshairs. This svelte coupé is tasked with injecting a dose of sportiness into the Lexus range. It’s clearly inspired by the LFA – visually anyway. In fact, with that massive spindle grille in front, it looks even more aggressive than the LFA. But it also looks quite elegant at the same time.