Any way you look at it, the Lexus LC 500 is one of the world’s greatest cars. I’ve been lucky to drive several since it came out in 2018, and each time I got behind the wheel of the V8 model, I loved it more than the last. The hybrid V6, though? No thanks.
Other people seem to agree, as a Lexus spokesperson confirmed to The Drive that the brand only sold eight of them last year. Maybe that’s why it’s getting the ax.
When Lexus announced the 2026 updates for the LC 500 last week, it quietly omitted the hybrid V6 model from the press releases, spec sheets, etc. A Lexus spokesperson confirmed to The Drive that only the V8 model will be offered in the States next year. The hybrid will remain available in some markets, but the U.S. isn’t one of them.
The fact that they sold so few is probably all the reason Lexus bosses needed to sunset the car. Normally I’d show some remorse over a stylish coupe departing our shores, but in this case, nope. Goodbye and good riddance.
It’s not often that something like this happens, where we actually keep the good car and say goodbye to the bad car. Imagine if an automaker killed the automatic and kept the manual instead of the other way around?
The 3.5-liter V6 hybrid was slow, clunky, and sounded bad, while the 5.0-liter V8 model has been a future collectible since its debut. Sometimes people sleep on good cars and that’s why they get discontinued, but this time, justice has been served.
Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com
Source link
