The new Lexus LC is to make its UK debut on display and in action at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
A V8-powered LC 500 will be appearing in the “First Glance” category on the hill climb, reserved for new models ahead of their market launch. Driving duties will be shared by Mike Conway, scheduled to be at Goodwood fresh from competing with the Toyota Gazoo Racing team at the Le Mans 24 Hours; Scott Pruett, a multiple Grand Am champion with Lexus in North America who is currently racing an RC F in IMSA GT3 sportscar competition; and former Formula 1 and Toyota Gazoo Racing pilot Alex Wurz.
Festival-goers will be able to take a close-up look at the LC on the Lexus stand, where it will take pride of place alongside the LFA supercar, RC F, and GS F, together with F Sport versions of Lexus’s latest hybrid models – the RC 300h coupe, NX 300h crossover and RX 450h luxury SUV.
The LC, Lexus’s flagship coupe, will be launched in spring 2017 with two powertrain options. The full hybrid LC 500h will feature a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine and Lexus’s all-new Multi Stage Hybrid System, engineered to deliver more direct response. The LC 500 will be equipped with a 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine coupled to a new 10-speed automatic transmission – a world first for a luxury vehicle. The LC is the first model to be built on Lexus’s all-new GA-L platform, designed to deliver a much sharper and more refined driving experience.
Lexus will also be taking part in the Moving Motor Show, the curtain-raiser to the festival on 23 June. Members of the public will be able to take test drives of the high performance Lexus RC F and GS F coupes within the Goodwood estate.