Analyzing the Lexus LC

"IanZ - limited-slip indifferential" (ianz-limited)
12/06/2016 at 15:25 • Filed to: Analysis

The Preliminaries

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. “He’s already posted two articles about this car! Both of them said different things! When will he make up his mind and leave us alone?” Well, never. And you’ll just have to deal with it. Or not read. Or hire a contract killer. All equally valid and reasonable options.

So my opinion’s changed again. The best description of the LC I can come up with is wasted potential. By all accounts it has a great engine and will be great to drove and oh my God that interior, but the body lets it down completely.

And most frustrating of all, it’s extremely difficult for me to pinpoint exactly what’s wrong with it. So I’m going to compare. This will be a journey for both of us.

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This is the Lexus LC. It’s a 2+2 grand tourer with a big V8 and lots of leather inside, and somehow, it looks wrong .

This is the Aston Martin DB11. It’s a 2+2 grand tourer with a big V12 and lots of leather inside, and it is utterly beautiful. Despite what !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! says.

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The LC is fat. I know it’s a heavy car, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about a fatness of character. *confused face* The Aston is no featherweight, but the styling, and more importantly the shape, is purposeful and athletic. The Aston has poise. It’s got a stance like a big cat about to pounce.

I know the LC has big wheels and angry squinty headlights and a grille like a cable-knit sweater but all that’s for nought if it has no poise. And it doesn’t. The Aston looks like it’s in motion even while sitting still; the LC looks comfy where it is, thanks.

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Thank you for asking. By far the biggest problem with the LC is . . . everything in front of the door mirrors. And it’s all caused by the angle of the hood and the slope of the fascia. This is something Lexus does on most of their sedans and it’s confusing because it looks terrible.

The hood is angled down from the a-pillars, and then slopes dramatically towards and into the fascia. If you look below at the DB11 profile, the hood meets the grille and then the fascia slopes inwards. The LC’s just curves out aimlessly.

Also - and this was a genuine revelation for me, as I was writing this - there is no delineation between the pillars, hood, & beltline. Now, I know this sounds like it contradicts what I said before, but bear with me. This came to me while I was reading Jalopnik’s review of the Jag XE, looking for the quote from Ian Callum about vertical fascias. (It wasn’t there but it was worth reading for the revelation)

So let’s look at the Cadillac ATS for a while!

The beltline and hood are clearly at different levels, but they are also clearly seperate. The A-pillars flow into the hood, and the beltline travels along the fenders into the headlights. Lexus does this as well, but instead of transitioning at the base of the pillars, they decided to do it over the wheel arches, which looks messy and wrong.

Now, lets look at how the DB11 does it.

Not only are the hood and beltline at the exact same level, the hood is flat until it meets the front wheels, when it gently slopes to meet the fascia, which is angled inwards.

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Why all the scalloping along the bottom of the fascia? Why do the A-pillars curve outwards and why doesn’t the glass do the same? WHY ARE THE WHEELS SO HELLA UGLY?

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I think the rear is almost perfect. I hate the black bumper insert and those hideous fake exhaust tips (I don’t care if you fake it, just put some effort in. At least attach the fake tips to the actual pipes.) and the whole affair looks awkward from the side. But the hall-of-mirrors taillights are awesome, and on the whole it’s an elegant package. This is the best angle to view the LC because you don’t have to look at the front.

But the front end? Whoo . . . The grille is too tall and narrow, the chrome strip should completely encompass the mesh, and the little slit above it - like the one on the LFA - needs to go. And they need to choose a new mesh, preferably something bolder.

The headlights are insanely tiny and angled wrong; they should come forward and become more vertical. Look at the far corner. What is that?

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Wow, surprisingly rude. I like some things about the LC. It has some beautiful hips, and one of the best interiors ever.

They made blue leather classy. That is an achievement.

DISCUSSION (12)

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
12/06/2016 at 15:34

Counterpoint: you’re almost completely wrong and it is stupidly amazing from every angle.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
12/06/2016 at 15:35

I’ll hold off LightningZone at the door while you get away. Y’know, since he will be coming by to murder you for calling it ugly and all.

Also, it is henceforth and forevermore Miss Elsie Lexus, debutante. Or perhaps the Lexus LCindor.

misfitmascots > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
12/06/2016 at 15:37

The DB11 looks terrible from the side

IanZ - limited-slip indifferential > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
12/06/2016 at 15:44

Counter-counterpoint: You are wrong, and from angles it’s amazingly stupid.

I CAN DO THIS ALL DAAAAAYYYY!!!!

404 - User No Longer Available > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
12/06/2016 at 15:45

It’s that grille I tell ya.

But overall it still looks like something Rockstar would come up with.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > 404 - User No Longer Available
12/06/2016 at 15:49

Something of the “blob generated from splined surfaces from a point cloud” quality. I don’t personally think it looks *bad*, just “off”.

Textured Soy Protein > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
12/06/2016 at 15:57

I prefer the styling of the LC over the Aston.

Textured Soy Protein > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
12/06/2016 at 15:58

Lew Alcindor?

Kinja'd!!!

CaptDale - is secretly British > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
12/06/2016 at 15:58

I would drive it if I was given one, or they were like $20 max. It is an interesting car even if an ugly duckling.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
12/06/2016 at 15:59

Counterpoint: the vent on the DB11 is stupid.

Counterpoint: would not say no to the Db11 either

IanZ - limited-slip indifferential > 404 - User No Longer Available
12/06/2016 at 16:13

It’s a difficult shape to design around. It doesn’t scale well.

JR1 > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
12/06/2016 at 18:44

I’m with you from some angles it is perfect others not so much. Although I will say this car is the kind of car you need to see in person to appreciate.

The placement or the mirrors is a tad off I think