Car India – August 2019

LEXUSLC 500 h

Price:rs 1.80 crore (estimated)

Engine:3,456cc,V6,petrol,132-kWelectricmotor

MaxPower: 299 hpat6,600rpm

MaxTorque: 348 nm at 4,900 rpm

E-motor: 132-kW (180 hp)

CombinedPeakPower: 359 hpat6,600rpm

Transmission:10-speed, automatic,rear-wheeldrive

Suspension:double-joint multi-link front, multi-link rear

Performance: 5.0 seconds 0-100 km/h, 250 km/h

Weight: 2012 kg

as your eyes move towards

the back of the car, you’re

treated to a familiar spindle

on the rear created by the

creases on the bumper and

the tail-gate. The final piece

that completes this work of

art are three-dimensional

tail-lamps. This intricate

set-up creates a multi-

reflection effect using pieces

of mirrors which gives an

impressionofinfinitedepth

butisjustthreeinchesdeep.

ProbablyinspiredbytheclimaxsceneinBrucelee’s famous film, Enter the

Dragon.

To enhance the dynamics of the LC, the engineers made most of the GA-L

(Global Architecture-Luxury) underpinning, an all-new rear-drive platform.

So, they moved the front wheels forwards and brought the powertrain

rearwards,givingitamore mid-enginelayoutandto getas muchmass as

possiblebetweentheaxles.The lowbody andpushed-outwheel-trackmake it

ratherwide.Thecar’s1,920millimetresofwidthmeansthaticouldn’treach

thepassengerdoorfromthedriver’sseat.andit’sprettylow,too,witha

groundclearanceofjust 140 mm.Thisis greatforthecar’saerodynamicsbut

whendrivenonunevenroads,suchastheonesbackhomeinindia,onemust

beextracautioustoavoidscrapingthecar’sbelly.

Speakingofwhich,indiawillbethe69thcountrytogetthelC and we’re

getting the new 2020 iteration and that too in the top Sport+ trim, which, like

my test car,willcomewithacarbon-fibreroof andanactive rear wingwhich

slidesoutat 80 km/htoimprovedownforce.Therearesomeminormechanical

tweaksalso,suchasnewaBS, updated performance damper for the rear, and

use of more forged aluminium which enhances the dynamics even further.

Retractable door-handles

create a flush finish

(Below) Rear-wheel steering

tightens the turning radius

84 car india^ August 2019 http://www.carindia.in

First Drive | Lexus LC 500h