Estimated Price: £120,000 - £135,000

In 2012, Lexus caused a sensation with the unveiling of its LF-LC concept at the Detroit motor show, its vision for a radical new flagship coupé and four years later, the concept became reality with an almost unchanged design for the production-ready LC. The LC's award-winning history reached its pinnacle with the introduction in mid-2024 of the new LC 500 Ultimate Edition. Numbers were strictly limited and in the end totalled 165 Worldwide with only five (four Cabriolets) reaching the UK. Each model’s status is recorded on an individually numbered plaque mounted on the centre console.

The stand-out feature of the Ultimate Edition was its dedicated Hakugin White paintwork, which has an elegant matt finish. This strikes a sharp contrast with black detailing around the muscular bodywork, including the grille, door mirrors headlamp surrounds and exhaust baffle and the 21", 5-spoked forged alloy wheels. This strong look drew heritage parallels with Lexus’s past coupé master, the LFA supercar. The interior also has an exclusive finish with upholstery in a deep Kachi-Blue. Luxurious semi-aniline leather is featured in the Coupé and a combination of suede-like Alcantara and leather in the Convertible.

The Ultimate Edition’s special qualities are not limited to styling. The car’s aerodynamic performance has been honed with the world-first integration of airflow-controlling canard fins in the front bumper moulding. On the Coupé, the aero management package includes an auto-deploying black carbon rear wing. The wing’s shape was defined with input from the world of competition flying through Lexus' support of aerobatic and race pilot Yoshihide Muroya and his team.

Lexus’s Takumi master technicians were recruited to tune the V8 engine for smoother rotation and the rear differential for even sharper acceleration response. Both LC 500 Coupé and Convertible were fitted with a 457bhp 5-litre V8 and a 10-speed direct shift automatic transmission.

The Ultimate Edition's equipment specification matches the top LC Sport Pack+ with the addition of a colour head-up display, Panoramic View Monitor, 13-speaker Mark Levinson Reference Audio system and limited edition Lexus scuff plates.

This example was supplied new by Lexus Swindon to our vendor (the car's only owner) and first registered on 4th July 2024. It's #003/165 and is powered (as they all were) by a naturally aspirated 5-litre V8, developing 457bhp and 530Nm of torque fed through a 10-speed direct shift automatic transmission enabling 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 168mph. No servicing or repair work has been carried out as it has only covered 191 miles from new. It's currently on SORN but our vendor does give it a little run once a week up and down his road. 

As one of only four in the UK, one imagines that it will become a future classic and very collectible, as with its predecessor, the Lexus LFA. A rare car that may turn out to be a very sensible investment.