UPDATE: 2026/06/13 07:00 EST BY DAN CLOUGHER
Costs of keeping a Lexus LC fueled, maintained, and insured have been added, in order to provide a more detailed answer on just how much LC ownership may set prospective buyers back in 2026.
In early 2017, Lexus announced that an all-new performance coupe would join their model range to open a new chapter in its history and bring the automaker’s presence into a scene dominated by an elite class of international grand touring coupes. Riding a new architecture and powered by a free-breathing all-motor V8 engine, the Lexus LC 500 was intended as a rolling showcase of the brand’s very best work, perhaps especially on the styling and engineering fronts.
If you’ve been looking to spoil yourself with something on four wheels and a second-hand Lexus LC has your attention, then you’re definitely in the right place. Below, we’ll trace the LC back to its roots, look at what you might pay for a second-hand copy today, and dig into some useful information to know before making your decision. Get it while you can: the LC will likely go down in history as one of the last Lexus models with a V8 engine – and it’s a superb one.
Lexus Drops a Future Classic In 2018
The Lexus LC500 Inspiration Series was inspirational on many fronts. The very first car that rolled off the production line was sold in aid of charity.Lexus
In 2018, Lexus had luxury performance car shoppers nicely covered with a model range including the Lexus RC Coupe and its rocket-propelled RC F version, as well as the Lexus GS F high-performance sedan. According to Lexus’ initial press release for the LC from March 2017, each of these “emotional designs and high-performance models issued by Lexus in the past few years prefaced a new chapter for the brand – one that begins now with the arrival of the 2018 LC flagship performance coupes.”
2020 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series rear 3/4 angle in greenLexus
With engineers and designers now well-versed in high-performance design, hardware, and tuning from a recent family of high-performing Lexus coupes and sedans, the LC 500 would consolidate everything the automaker had learned from recent performance models into a single new halo offering that delivered long-distance comfort and a head-turning look. Pricing would start at $92,000, before considering the options catalog.
Key Accomplishments of the Lexus LC
The Lexus LC500 Inspiration Series was inspirational on many fronts. The very first car that rolled off the production line was sold in aid of charity.Lexus
- 10-speed automatic built to shift like a dual-clutch transmission, but with the smoothness of a torque converter.
- The stiffest Lexus ever built.
- Included standard safety features like pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, all-speed dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and intelligent high beam.
- Available carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof was adapted from the Lexus LF-A
- Optional Lexus dynamic handling (LDH): Coordinated efforts of both electric power steering with variable gear ratio steering (VGRS) and active rear steering (ARS) for enhanced agility and maneuverability
The story goes that Lexus required a new development process to turn the LF-LC concept car into a production-ready machine while remaining faithful to its looks. Engineering and design capabilities were combined like never before, and the new Global Architecture Luxury (or GA-L) platform was the result. This flagship-spec platform was also shared with the latest-generation Lexus LS. All models are two-door, four-seat, rear-wheel drive.
Related
Driven: 2023 Lexus LC500 Is An Infotainment System Away From Perfection
The infotainment system is awful, but is it a dealbreaker?
Here’s What To Pay
2018 Lexus LC 500 CoupeLexus
This multiple award-winning performance coupe is highly rated and respected by owners and reviewers around the globe, with styling that’ll go down in the history books and a driving experience that’s as relaxing or racy as you’d like for any given situation. Prefer a calm and peaceful drive? Use a more modest drive mode to keep the noise down, the suspension soft, and the drive relaxing and easygoing. Weekend lapping day? With its most athletic settings engaged, the LC 500 is a corner-carving V8 concert that’s not too hard on its driver.
2024 Lexus LC Coupe exhaust tipsLexus
In summary, Lexus put extensive work into ensuring the LC 500 would deliver an enjoyable drive and an approachable performance experience virtually regardless of the occasion or location. Add in the brand’s knack for interior craftsmanship and long-term owner satisfaction – as well as a strong reputation for excellent dependability and high resale values – and an LC 500 stands out as a solid investment towards years of hassle-free motoring from a world-class machine that shouldn’t be too tricky to care for.
From its starting MSRP of $92,000 at launch, you’ll find second-hand copies with reasonable miles for around $60,000 today – and some earlier units have less than 20,000 miles on their odometer, especially if your budget is flexible enough to push towards the $70,000 mark. Since the LC 500 is equipped with an extremely reliable engine, you might not mind a unit with higher miles. Cars with roughly 80,000 miles on them are selling in the $50,000-ish region.
These values won’t hold, as Lexus confirmed 2026 is the last model year for the LC. With naturally aspirated engines dying out, this car is guaranteed classic status.
Here’s What Makes It Go
2024 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Exterior Engine Bay Close-UpLexus
Let’s start up front, where the LC 500’s 5-liter V8 engine doles out 471 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque. This highly respected engine is built to spin fast and isn’t fitted with a turbo or hybrid system. By the time the LC 500 arrived, the free-breathing Lexus ‘2UR-GSE’ V8 had been around since 2008, having its roots in the Lexus IS F and then powering other F-branded Lexus machinery with updates bringing more power and torque as new and faster models were introduced.
2025 Lexus LC Tan Interior detail shot of the gauge cluster and HUDLexus
Known for its distinctive all-motor soundtrack, the 5-liter V8’s carefully tuned exhaust (complete with sound control valves) is matched by an intake sound generator, which allows the engine’s characteristic intake growl to flood into the cabin, saturating the driving experience with lusty sound effects.
2018 Lexus LC 500 Coupe Specifications
Engine
5.0-liter V8 NA gas
Power
471hp
Torque
398 lb-ft
Transmission
10-speed automatic
Drive
RWD
0-60 mph
4.5 seconds
Fuel
Premium
Further back, a 10-speed automatic transmission includes paddle shifters and special tweaks to deliver the sort of lightning-fast gear changes expected of modern dual-clutch gearboxes, but with the smoother and more direct feel of a torque converter transmission. This ‘best of both worlds’ gearbox drives the rear wheels on all LC models.
Though a torque-vectoring rear axle was in Lexus’ technological toolkit at the time of the LC’s development, that particular handling-enhancing tech was never applied to the Lexus LC. Instead, all models came with either a conventional ‘open’ differential, or (optionally), a Torsen (Torque Sensing) limited slip differential (LSD) between the rear wheels.
Related
Lexus’ Most Stylish LC 500 Is Back For 2024 With More Carbon Fiber
After a one-year hiatus, the V8-powered Lexus LC has a new Inspiration Series model.
Associated Running Costs
Exterior detail shot of a 2023 Lexus LC Coupe in greenLexus
It’s been well established that most Lexus models are incredibly reliable, and the LC is certainly no exception to the rule here, but that doesn’t mean running and maintaining costs will be comparable to that of a Camry. The LC is still a highly technical performance car, with eight cylinders, and complex systems hiding beneath its sculpted curves.
CarEdge provides us with the below ownership costs:
- $2,609 in maintenance over the first five years, which while very reasonable for a car in this bracket, is still something that needs factoring into ownership budgets
- Gas bills will sit north of $2,500 per every 15,000 miles, assuming a fairly even highway-city driving split. If gas prices continue to soar though, expect this figure to soar accordingly
- Insurance on a near-six-figure (when new) Lexus will not be cheap, so annual estimates sit just shy of $3,900 on average
None of these costs should come as a surprise, and again, they are in-line or lower than what could be expected of other high-performance V8 luxury coupes. Still, for someone stepping up from a far more typical daily driver, like a Lexus NX for example, the financial commitment of LC ownership will require some adjusting to.
What About The Convertible?
2025 Lexus LC500 Convertible Red Roof Down Front DrivingLexus
The LC500 Convertible is quite special. Normally, you pay a premium on the used market for the coupe, and not the convertible. With the LC500, it’s the other way around. Unlike the coupe which has lost a lot of value, the convertible has not. You can still expect to pay at least $90,000 for a drop-top, and there’s a very good reason why.
If you take the roof off a car, it loses rigidity. That’s just a fact. The question is whether the buyer is willing to accept the loss of rigidity for the level of pantomime provided by whatever car. In the case of the LC500, removing the roof is definitely worth it. It’s one of the few cars left powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine, and you get the full effect with the roof down. It’s as simple as that.
Before You Buy
2018 Lexus LC 500 CoupeLexus
When meeting the car you’re considering, be sure to carefully check the underside of the front bumper lip as well as each wheel for signs of damage caused by careless parking. If you notice any, call it into your pricing negotiations. Leather cleaning and protective paint coatings performed by a professional can go a long way to helping maintain the look and finish of your LC’s interior and paint, and a battery trickle charger, used frequently, can help fend off a barrage of electronic problems, too.
2018 Lexus LC 500 Coupe Yellow Rear View DrivingLexus
Few used cars in the LC’s league provide such strong purchase confidence, and the LC was built in an era where the Lexus brand was topping J.D. Power’s charts for vehicle dependability and initial quality. What’s more important to the long-term health and reliability of the specific LC 500 you’re considering is how well it was cared for and maintained by past owners, and whether all servicing and maintenance outlined in the owner’s manual service section has been adhered to religiously. The most reliable used Lexus LC 500s will tend to be the ones subjected to a strict and consistent regimen of regular care, ideally in a dealer setting.
What Else Can You Buy for $50,000?
2020 BMW 8 Series coupe. M850i xDrive. Front, three-quartersBMW
The Lexus LC is positioned against rivals like the Porsche 911 and BMW 8 Series Coupe. While the LC makes for a great $50k used sports car, there are more options to consider at this price point. Firstly, no modern 911 fits within that budget — the most modern 911 you can find for about $50k will be nearly 20 years old. However, the BMW 8 Series Coupe from 2019 is currently worth about $45,000, according to CarBuzz’ price trends data.
Other luxury sports car options to consider with a $50,000 budget include the Aston Martin DB9’s early model years and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage from 2005 to 2007. While these are on the older side, and will need more maintenance than a Lexus, it’s hard to beat their luxurious driving experience. For a greater emphasis on the sporty side of coupes for under $50k, consider the 2023 Audi TT or the 3rd-generation Porsche Cayman.
Sources: Lexus, J.D. Power and Associates
