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The Lexus grand touring coupe is a capable and stylish Japanese sports car that excels in most areas to make it a special vehicle.

Lexus’ LC coupe is a revolution for the Japanese luxury automaker, while staying true to the fundamental qualities we associate with the brand.

The previous SC coupe got a major redesign around 2018 in the form of the fresh new LC model, becoming more grown-up, aggressive-looking and purposeful in the process.

Now in 2023, the Lexus LC 500/500h is a great buy, with much going for it despite stiff competition from brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Aside from improving on its predecessor in many ways, the Lexus LC brings with it some specific features that put it at the forefront of design and performance, while proving itself to be a worthy competitor to other great premium coupes on the market.

One of the first things you notice about this luxury grand tourer is its sleek design: it speaks volumes for the intentions of the brand but also how far they have come since the humble beginnings of the Toyota Soarer-similar 90s coupe.

Some people are starting to appreciate the forgotten - and perhaps unappreciated - second-gen Lexus SC, burdened unfairly with undynamic handling and an exterior aesthetic that didn’t do it justice.

Now, the LC is sharp looking with a long sloping glass roof, metal accents, aggressive head lamps and tail lights, a low, wide stance and features like the scoops in front of the rear wheels.

Lexus says “The Lexus LC 500 represents the most passionate expression of the Lexus brand. The eye-catching coupe displays a unique mesh grille that spreads across the front of the car. It has a large glass panel and blacked-out rear pillars that create a floating roof appearance. Chrome-plated moldings along the edges echo the lines of a traditional Japanese sword”.

Apparently the rear lights are even inspired by the ‘glow of a jet’s afterburners’ and the head lamps are lighter than ‘conventional’ units.

RELATED: Why The Lexus LC 500 Is A Severely Underrated Luxury Coupe

In Lexus’ press release on the latest LC grand tourer, the brand reveals changes to the 2023 model – and there’s a lot on offer.

The 2023 Lexus LC press release says: “For 2023, …Front and rear suspension settings have been optimized to enhance ground contact feel, linear steering response, and steering effectiveness in the high cornering G range...

The available LC 500 sport package includes numerous performance elements, including a Torsen limited-slip rear differential with Yamaha performance damper, performance brake pads, and Alcántara-trimmed seats. For 2023, the sport package with glass roof adds 21-inch forged alloy wheels with polish finish and Gloss Black accents”.

For the exterior, there is a choice of Caviar, Cloudburst Gray, Atomic Silver, Ultra White, Infrared, Nightfall Mica, Flare Yellow, Nori Green Pearl and Cadmium Orange, and you can drape the interior trim in Black leather, Toasted Caramel leather, and Circuit Red leather.

All interiors get complimented with exposed Satin Metallic ornamentation.

RELATED: This Is Why The 2022 Lexus LC 500 Is The Perfect (Japanese) Grand Tourer

Lexus equips the Lexus LC 500 with a 5-liter V8 with 471 hp / 398 lb-ft and the LC 500h gets a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid with a total output of 354 hp.

The V8-powered LC 500 can reach 60 mph in a quoted time of 4.4 seconds.

Its rivals such as the BMW M8 and Mercedes-Benz SL are around $35,000-40,000 more expensive than the Lexus LC 500 and LC 500h which costs from around $94,000 and $100,000 for the V8 and the hybrid respectively.

Those cars will likely be more dynamic and are more powerful and faster to 60 mph too, but the Lexus doesn’t look any less refined or luxurious from any angle or area – Car And Driver said of the ride: “The LC's ride is smooth, and its interior is lavishly lined with fine materials and a set of all-day comfortable front seats”.

Porsche’s excellent 718 Cayman and Boxster are also available from around $63,000 and come as standard with a 6-speed manual transmission while the Lexus LC makes do with a 10-speed automatic or interesting variable transmission unit for the hybrid.

Lexus makes sure the LC excels in most areas, while it falls short only when compared to the elite sports tourers like the BMW M8 and Mercedes-Benz SL, for dynamics and pure performance.

Some will enjoy the hybrid’s increased economy: 29 MPG combined compared to 19 MPG combined for the LC 500 coupe – the convertible version of the LC 500 loses a mile at 18 MPG.

It’s an amalgamation of style, sophistication and luxury but its best feature is the inclusion of the 5-liter, naturally-aspirated V8.

This is the key to unlocking its performance potential and character, transforming it from a grown-up grand tourer into something fun and dangerous.

Hailing from Britain, the home of both MG and Aston Martin, Dave is no stranger to sports cars. Or a little rain. When he's not busy working his day-job or writing songs and pretending to be a musician; Dave indulges his obsession with cars by writing and researching diligently, so that he can inform and convert other people to the dark side.