as wedriveintothescenicShikashimaisland,ipull
overtotakesomemorepicturesandinspectthecarup
close.ThelCis a completeshowstopper.Theartistic
creases onthebody, beautifullypolished21-inchalloy
wheels,andthatspectacularproportionsmakethelCthe
mostrivetingcardesignfromtheJapanesebrand.it’s just
so edgy that one canmistakeit fora conceptcar.Tobe
honest,itisn’t too farofftheLF-LC conceptunveiledby
thecompany’sMasterdriver,akioToyoda,atthe
detroitMotorShowin2012.Toyodasanhasbeenthe
drivingforceinthedevelopmentofthelC and has left
the critics aroundtheworldwhodoubtedthisproject eat
their words.Witha designlikethis,theyunanimously
agreed that thelexus isn’t boring any more.
Theelegancecontinueswithinthecabintoo.it’s plush, with exceptional
build quality and top-class sound insulation. These are the things one looks
forwardto inaLexus.Details suchas theflowinglinesonthedoor-panels
whichseemtobea continuationofthebonnet’screasesmanagetocreatea
perfectbalancebetweentheexteriorandtheinteriorofthelC.i like our test
car’s tan upholstery which can brighten up the day for practically anyone. But
havingitinadarker shadewould have reducedthereflectiononthe
windscreen,especiallysinceweweredrivingona sunnyday.Theseatsare
supercomfortableandlowandlexus claim that your heels are just 200 mm
lower than your hips. The driver’s side gets a cockpit-like layout, with most of
the creature driving aid switches well within reach. The two seats at the back
can’t be used by adults and are avoidable during longer drives. The hybrid’s
battery pack is concealed between the rear seats and the luggage compartment,
whichmeansthatthere’slimitedstoragespaceintheboot.
Onthehighway,whilefiddlingaround thevarious controls,Idiscovered
somethingthatstoodoutinanotherwisespectacularcabin.ThelC gets four
drive modes, including Sport and Sport+ which can jazz up suspension,
steering,and,ofcourse,thepowertrain.Buttherotarystubtotoggleamong
thevariousmodesisa stretchtoreachasit jutsoutfromthetopleftcornerof
thedriver’sinstrumentbinnacle.everytimeyouwanttochangethedriving
mode,you’reforcedtomoveforwardstoreachit.insteadofthis
unconventionalapproach,havingthetoggle switchnearthegear-leveroreven
onthesteeringwheelwouldhavemadeit a lotmoreconvenient.apart from
this minor hiccup, it’s an exceptional cabin in terms of design, use of
materials, and the Takumi-level of craftsmanship it offers. In fact, during the
entrance exam, upholstery craftsmen are asked to create an origami cat using
their non-dominant hands only. That, too, in less than 90 seconds just to test
their skill level.It’s a plush cabin, with
exceptional build quality and
top-class sound insulation
Mirrors are used to create
a multi-reflection effectThe
rotary stub to
toggle the
driving modes
is a stretch
to reachhttp://www.carindia.in August 2019 car india 85
Lexus LC 500h | First Drive