Going back quite a few years I owned an old ’94 Lexus LS400, and it was a truly wonderful car.  Yes it had covered over 200k miles, and the majority of its LCD screens had packed up, but the seats were immaculate, its V8 had plenty of umph and the ride was still majestic. I remember it fondly.

Today though I'm driving a totally different Lexus, their LC500.  If I'm being honest, apart from the odd advert on telly its launch passed me by, mainly because it’s not an off-roader.  However, Muddy Madam was instantly hooked by its sporty looks, and at a recent SMMT day she made a beeline over to the Lexus table and got the keys; I'm glad she did.

My first impression was, like most cars these days, it looks terrible in white.  Personally I think all white cars look like fridge freezers on wheels, albeit in the this case, a sleek fridge freezer!

Slotting into the driver's seat, my first thought was that Lexus has done a splendid job with the interior. It looks and feels rather special, and visibility was surprisingly good.  

Tootling along the straight B1224 was a breeze, but I wanted to have a little fun, so I headed off in the direction of a twisty road that I know. The LC500 handled it with ease, and although it looks like a sports car, it handles and feels much more like a grand tourer.

What is the Lexus LC500? 

Well, it’s 'the new flagship 2+2 luxury coupe that not only showcases the qualities of design, engineering and advanced technology, that define Lexus as a premium vehicle manufacturer, but also symbolising its ambition as a luxury lifestyle brand'.  Yeah, I got that from the marketing blurb!

Lexus say that it’s been engineered in every dimension to deliver very special driving experience; a coupe focused for the road, not the track. Its handling, responsiveness and comfort have been tuned on some of the world’s great driving roads to deliver a rewarding and hugely enjoyable experience, and I have to concur.

There are 2 versions, the 3ltr V8 LC500 and a 3.5ltr V6 LC500h (h meaning hybrid of course).

Lexus have provided generous legroom beneath the instrument panel, and have enlarged the door aperture, creating more head space to make getting in and out of the LC easier and more comfortable, although for me, a big bloke, it was still a bit awkward (but not as bad as the F-Type).

Overall my very brief stint was joyous, I just wish I had more time with it!, by