2018 Lexus LC500 Hot Lap! - 2017 Best Driver's Car Contender - video Dailymotion

MotorTrend

Pro driver Randy Pobst hot laps the 2018 Lexus LC500 Hot Lap! around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for Motor Trend's 2017 Best Driver's Car.

Transcript

00:00 (engine revving)

00:02 (upbeat music)

00:14 The big coupe from Lexus is large and lovely,

00:17 on the inside at least.

00:18 The polarizing sheet metal causes joy in some,

00:21 consternation and confusion in others.

00:23 However, the LC500 comes with what you crave

00:26 in a driver's car,

00:28 a free revving naturally aspirated V8

00:30 that's good for 471 horsepower.

00:32 All that power is routed to the rear wheels

00:35 through a 10 speed automatic transmission.

00:38 Also, those rear wheels can steer.

00:41 If there's a knock on the large Lexus, it's exactly that.

00:44 At 4,364 pounds, the LC500 is the heaviest car in the group.

00:49 Let's see what Randy makes of it.

00:52 (engine revving)

00:56 (engine revving)

00:58 Nice little predictable drift out of turn one there,

01:01 turn 11.

01:02 There we go.

01:06 Not quite so aggressive on the initial attack

01:09 of the brake pedal.

01:10 Entry under steer.

01:12 Putting down power pretty well.

01:20 Entry under steer, see the angle of that wheel.

01:23 (engine revving)

01:26 Nice balance on the exit though.

01:28 Entry under steer, wow, does not like to turn.

01:31 I've got all the stability controls turned off.

01:35 It's certainly a very easy car to drive fast.

01:49 (engine revving)

01:52 It's not a threatening car, you know what I mean?

02:04 It's stopping really well for just plain old street tires.

02:07 Plain old street tires,

02:13 they're Michelin Pilot Sports Super Sports,

02:16 which is a really great tire.

02:19 (engine revving)

02:22 Come on, turn in baby.

02:23 Interesting.

02:27 Does not like turning in.

02:32 Little more aggressive on the throttle there.

02:39 Got a little bit of power under steer, actually a lot.

02:46 That's a beautiful car, the Lexus LC 500.

02:50 It's a luxury coupe.

02:52 This car is not in the same category

02:54 as a lot of the other cars we've driven.

02:56 Yet on track, it was really a delightful experience

02:59 except it had a one sore thumb sticking out.

03:02 In corner entry, it had a lot of under steer.

03:05 I was impressed with the braking performance on the Lexus,

03:08 especially on a street tire.

03:10 Really a good performer on track

03:12 except for that corner entry under steer.

03:16 While not the quickest car of the competition,

03:18 the LC 500 did nothing to embarrass itself.

03:21 It's time of 1.43.40 lands it right between a BMW 1M coupe

03:26 and an AMG C63 507.

03:29 That's great company to be in.

03:31 At times, there was too much under steer,

03:33 especially on the track.

03:35 Also, while the transmission changed gears quickly

03:37 and assertively enough,

03:39 none of the 10 speeds seemed to be the ideal gear

03:41 for a given situation.

03:44 But of course, the LC 500's largest problem is itself,

03:47 its weight.

03:49 Could Lexus chop 500 pounds out of it?

03:51 Until then, eighth place.

03:53 (car engine roaring)

03:56 (upbeat music)

03:59 (car engine roaring)

04:02 (car engine roaring)

04:05 (car engine roaring)

04:08 (dramatic music)

2018 Lexus LC500 Hot Lap! - 2017 Best Driver's Car Contender

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