Few vehicles combine stately motoring and high-performance driving dynamics as well as the 2026 Lexus LC. It’s big, elegant, and powerful. The LC is equipped with modern technology, but it is integrated into the driving experience without distracting from the joy of driving. Whether it’s being used as a daily driver or assigned the duty of traveling across the country in comfort, the LC is up to the task. Unfortunately, the LC 500 is about to exit the chat. The final year of production for the majestic two-door, coupe-or-convertible is 2026.

Once the LC 500 is no longer available, that’s it for coupes for a while in the Lexus lineup. The RC has been discontinued, too, and the LFA won’t be here for a while. And, it may be a while before we see internal combustion power from a two-door Lexus of any kind. The high-performance GR GT will arrive soon, but it will wear the Toyota badge, and the Lexus LFA Concept will make it to production as an all-electric vehicle when it eventually does arrive. Thankfully, the folks at Lexus are sending the LC out in style. The final version of the LC 500 gets a special Inspiration Series trim level for 2026 featuring a new unique color and limited production numbers.

A rarity these days, especially amongst luxury vehicles, the LC500 is powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8. There are no superchargers, turbochargers, or hybrid systems here: just the refined, yet simultaneously rowdy V8. It produces 471 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, all sent to the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Unassuming and docile at slow speeds, the LC is happy to scoot around town without making much of a racket. That’s the elegant and refined part of the experience. Flex your right foot a bit, though, and the Lexus’ V8 roars to life.

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The revs climb quickly, and the LC’s 10-speed automatic shifts rapidly and without hesitation, with a welcome bit of interaction from the quick-reacting paddle shifters. Mash the pedal all the way to the floorboard and the horizon arrives in a proper hurry. Lexus claims a zero-to-60 time of 4.6 seconds and an electronically-limited top speed of 168 mph. The LC’s exhaust note is deep, but loud. A few V8 crackles and burbles sound off from the rear of the LC when you decelerate, an experience I purposefully recreated pretty much every time I got the chance. Both the engine and exhaust create lovely noises as you row through the gears, so even on chilly days, you’re more likely to leave the top down.

The LC Coupe and Convertible get unique tuning for their suspension setups, but they both use an impressive adaptive setup called AVS. In the Convertible, the suspension does an excellent job of balancing comfort and performance. Over basically every kind of surface, the LC provides a smooth ride quality. Big bumps or potholes are only translated in tiny ways into the cabin. If you happen to be going through a corner at speed and come across a road imperfection, large or small, the LC barely reacts. On uneven highways and broken bits of road, it’s unbothered. If it weren’t for the limited trunk space (we’ll get to that in a bit), this might be the perfect cross-country road-trip vehicle.

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With a claimed curb weight from Lexus of 4,500 pounds, the LC Convertible is certainly no lightweight. It’s also relatively large in terms of exterior dimensions. From nose to tail, it measures 187.4 inches long. That’s only five inches shorter than the popular RX SUV. But from behind the wheel, there’s a sense that it’s much smaller. It moves well on winding roads, with appropriately-weighted steering across the various drive modes. The large 15.7-inch front brake rotors are paired with six-piston calipers, while the rear wheels get 14.1-inch rotors with four-piston calipers — all of which bring the LC to a stop in a hurry. It wouldn’t be my first choice for an autocross event, but even most of the constricted mountain roads I drove it on weren’t too small for a bit of enthusiastic driving.

If the Lexus LC were to carry on for another generation, it might be forced to succumb to the ever-creeping trend of one-big-touchscreen dominating the dashboard. The final year of the model, though, doesn’t have to suffer that fate. Instead, you get a simple, appropriately-sized screen and gauges. The 12.3-inch touchscreen was clear, easy to see, and easy to use. It responded to inputs quickly, booted up as soon as I started the car, and it had no problem connecting to Apple CarPlay during my test. In parking lots and at slow speeds, the corners of the LC are a bit difficult to get a sense of, but the high-resolution 360-degree camera solved that problem every time I drove through tight spaces.

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Instead of a regular physical gauge, the LC uses a gauge pod that houses a digital gauge, but that can also move. Change the drive mode, and the circular center gauge moves into a performance position and lights up with a unique color scheme. It’s simple, easy to read, and doesn’t overwhelm with too much data. It’s also housed in an excellent, upscale gauge cluster surround that’s wrapped in Saddle Tan leather as a part of the Inspiration Series package.

Like other Lexus models, the LC is known for its build quality, and this Inspiration Series model is a great example of Lexus’ commitment to upscale interiors. Every stitch and union of fabrics is seemingly perfect. I couldn’t find a fray or misaligned bit of cabin construction anywhere. The materials used to make the seats, center console, dashboard, door panels, arm rests, and even the carpets were all impressive.

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The seats were supportive, bolstered well enough to hold me in place on curvy roads, and easy to adjust for my desired driving position. They weren’t particularly sporty, but they shouldn’t have been. Like the rest of the LC, the seats struck a pretty perfect balance.

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The layout of the interior and the design of most of the switchgear are pleasing too. There’s a great flip-up style switch for putting the convertible top down (it feels a bit like a fighter-jet switch), and the row of controls for the dual-zone climate control is elegantly styled. The steering wheel isn’t particularly cluttered either. There are a few controls, but you can learn them in almost an instant, and they fall to hand easily, so there’s no distraction when trying to engage with the functions.

It’s built well and fun to drive, but the biggest drawback of the LC is the lack of space. The LC convertible, in particular, has a laughably small trunk. The standard coupe model gets 5.4 cubic feet of cargo space which is barely enough for a few small carry-on sized bags.

The convertible is significantly smaller, offering just 3.4 cubic feet of storage space: less than the always-diminutive Mazda Miata or the front trunk of EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The back seat, not suitable for adults or adolescents of any kind, is probably the best place for your extra luggage instead.

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Limited space for small items is a problem too. The cupholders are small, as is the center console, and the doors don’t have much storage space either. To my mind, the best way to fix all these problems would be to turn the LC into a two-seater vehicle (a bit like the upcoming GR GT or LFA). The cabin could expand a bit, as could trunk space. And really, I can’t imagine putting anyone in the back seat for any amount of time – even a child’s seat would be a dubious proposition back there.

The standard LC 500 Convertible starts at $109,200 (including $1,450 destination fee). That price is admittedly high, but not for what the LC offers in terms of performance, comfort, and standard equipment. The V8 and 10-speed automatic are, naturally, standard. The large, responsive touchscreen is part of the standard equipment list too, as is the excellent interior. Then there’s the active exhaust, adaptive suspension, 21-inch wheels, LED headlights and taillights, heated and ventilated seats, and a 12-speaker sound system. Driver aids like a blind spot monitor and a 360-degree camera are also standard.

The Inspiration Series is a big addition to the price tag and to the equipment list. It’ll cost an extra $10,950 on top of the standard LC 500’s sticker price, but it includes a limited-slip rear diff, performance rear dampers, unique wheels, unique bumper canards, a 13-speaker Mark Levinson stereo, a crisp head-up display, heated steering wheel, special door-sill scuff plates, and a serialized number plate. The package is admittedly expensive, increasing the size of an already-large price tag, but it’s worth the difference.

On the outside, the LC 500 looks like a big, plush, grand-touring convertible. It’s premium, sure, but it doesn’t appear aggressive or focused on performance when you see it parked. From the driver’s seat, however, it’s so much more. The LC 500 is dynamically impressive on just about any road, with a fantastic soundtrack from the big V8. That performance doesn’t lose it any comfort points, though. It’s comfortable over even the worst surfaces, hushed on the inside, and even the most discerning luxury aficionados will be pleased with its build quality.

The LC 500 is a reminder to the world that Lexus has built some of the best performance vehicles in the modern age. The LC name didn’t last very long, but it’s the vehicle that’s proudly carried the Lexus performance torch the highest since we lost the utterly-unique LFA. The loss of the stylish coupe/convertible from Lexus’ lineup will leave a big hole in our enthusiast hearts — hopefully one that the GR GT and LFA are properly equipped to fill.