Introducing the Lexus LC 500h Hybrid Coupe

krew

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16-02-18-lexus-lc-500h-full-details.jpg


The new Lexus LC 500h hybrid coupe will feature a lithium-ion battery and a radical new transmission.
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James

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Sounds very interesting. Looks really good in that blue color. Does sub 5 mean like 4.9 or more like 4.5 or even faster? Also I wonder what the price will be with the hybrid? Excited it sounds all really good. I don't know if I like it more than the LC regular or of course if we get an LCF but it's great to have options and it's great that Lexus is showing off technology!
 

Gecko

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I'm going to need a technical overview for the transmission... the 4AT bit is throwing me off. 370hp is a pretty solid number, and it will probably feel damn fast around town being a hybrid.

Not sold on orange interior :D
 

oem_is300

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I'd like to hear more information on the 4-speed auto and how its incorporated too, but the ability to paddleshift/control gears sounds great. The multi-stage hybrid sounds really interesting though.

That interior is gorgeous. Wouldn't know what to expect hearing orange as an interior color option, but this just works so well!
 
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I was looking over the photos and the "Hybrid" badge has another "Multi Stage" badge above it. As for the 4-speed automatic, Hybrids generally have the E-CVT transmission, the LC 500h being Lexus' first to stray from the E-CVT. My guess is that the electric motor and the 4-speed work together to emulate additional gears, which is potentially why it is called "Multi Stage." Just my thoughts.

I seriously love the LC more and more. I never get bored of it!

Edit: I can't imagine anyone driving this car and only shifting to a maximum of 4 gears... Lol.
 
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Joe

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Hopefully this multi stage hybrid system with gears hiding the CVT effect finds its way very soon to the more 'affordable' hybrid models. I am getting tired of those negative press comments all the time regarding the current hybrid E-CVT noise... :mad:
 

spwolf

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I was looking over the photos and the "Hybrid" badge has another "Multi Stage" badge above it. As for the 4-speed automatic, Hybrids generally have the E-CVT transmission, the LC 500h being Lexus' first to stray from the E-CVT. My guess is that the electric motor and the 4-speed work together to emulate additional gears, which is potentially why it is called "Multi Stage." Just my thoughts.

I seriously love the LC more and more. I never get bored of it!

Edit: I can't imagine anyone driving this car and only shifting to a maximum of 4 gears... Lol.

i would not be surprised if they show gears as 1-6, with us being able to change between 2 and 5.

GS450h powertrain had 2 stages within CVT before, it was very expensive to produce vs RX450h with single speed. So now there are 4 stages.


Important part of course is this - it is more than 1s faster 0-62mph than GS450h while being around the same weight!
In Europe, GS450h is listed 0-62 mph in 5.9s. Lexus Europe now says "significantly under" 5s, so lets say 4.8s or 4.7s 0-62 mph.
GS450h's 0-62mph in 5.9s in Europe translated to 0-60 in 5.6s in the USA.

So all things being equal, LC500h should be able to do 4.5s or less 0-60 mph.

Thats pretty crazy for 19hp increase in battery output. Engine stays very similar, but revs higher now (not Atkinson cycle full time anymore? But then it would have 306hp).

If they manage to make it more efficient as they say, that means over 30 MPG for 4.5s LC500h, without deception and cost that 20 mile plugin hybrids bring.
 

James

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i would not be surprised if they show gears as 1-6, with us being able to change between 2 and 5.

GS450h powertrain had 2 stages within CVT before, it was very expensive to produce vs RX450h with single speed. So now there are 4 stages.


Important part of course is this - it is more than 1s faster 0-62mph than GS450h while being around the same weight!
In Europe, GS450h is listed 0-62 mph in 5.9s. Lexus Europe now says "significantly under" 5s, so lets say 4.8s or 4.7s 0-62 mph.
GS450h's 0-62mph in 5.9s in Europe translated to 0-60 in 5.6s in the USA.

So all things being equal, LC500h should be able to do 4.5s or less 0-60 mph.

Thats pretty crazy for 19hp increase in battery output. Engine stays very similar, but revs higher now (not Atkinson cycle full time anymore? But then it would have 306hp).

If they manage to make it more efficient as they say, that means over 30 MPG for 4.5s LC500h, without deception and cost that 20 mile plugin hybrids bring.
So the LC and LCH is almost the same speed 0-60? The LC was about 4.5 rt?
 

spwolf

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So the LC and LCH is almost the same speed 0-60? The LC was about 4.5 rt?

crazy, isnt it? This is European press release, so it quotes 0-100kmh, but thats what it comes down to. I suppose that it might actually feel faster since 60hp electric motor will act as turbo when accelerating mid speed.

Now, lets compare it to Q50 Hybrid. It actually has extremely similar specs - 61hp max lion battery output, 3.5l engine with 300hp. But it has much cooler sounding 7 speed DCT transmission. 7 speed DCT should eat 4 speed auto for breakfast, right?! It goes 0-60 in 5.1s and gets 30mpg... weight should be same!

So this new Lexus system improves on that by 0.5s 0-60 and should get at least 10% better MPG, all with 4 speed auto! :)
 

James

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Just read on autofans.be in an article related to a press event held today at Louman Museum in The Netherlands that the combination of the E-CVT with the added 4 speed auto would give the driver a 10-speed shifter in the M mode :cool:
For those who understand Dutch, it's an interesting article: http://www.autofans.be/reportages/s...-die-je-moet-weten-over-de-lexus-lc-500h-2016
I definitely can't read Dutch but I heard 10 speed shifter in M mode...I like the sound of that! ☺️
 

spwolf

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Just read on autofans.be in an article related to a press event held today at Louman Museum in The Netherlands that the combination of the E-CVT with the added 4 speed auto would give the driver a 10-speed shifter in the M mode :cool:
For those who understand Dutch, it's an interesting article: http://www.autofans.be/reportages/s...-die-je-moet-weten-over-de-lexus-lc-500h-2016

that explains a LOT!

So:
- combination of CVT and 4 speed auto is why it is so much faster than GS450h, together with 19hp stronger max battery output. Basically e-CVT has 4 reduction gears now!
- 85mph max electric-only mode - very important for highway mpg! This is how new Prius gets better highway cruising mpg than VW Jetta 2.0 TDI. Prius G4 has 70mph maximum for electric-only mode! Previous one had 42 mph max!
- 1800kg total weight - 4050lbs! Very good!!!!
 
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