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2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible First Drive | Is less roof better?

The azure waters of the French Riviera are set ablaze by the setting sun as a cool breeze wafts in from the Mediterranean. The warm breath from the neck-level heaters commendably compensate. The 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible turns inland, the road winding through the rocky terrain like an ebony ribbon. A stunning blonde in a vintage Ferrari waves as she passes by; a man resembling Pierce Brosnan, but richer, gives a thumbs up. I'm sure someone is having this experience during their first drive of the new LC Convertible, but it sure isn't me. I'm in Scappoose, Oregon, which is as picturesque as it sounds. It's raining. Hard. An old woman in a Subaru pulls out of the Dutch Bros. So yeah, this won't exactly be a romantic tale of car and locale meeting on equal terms of grandeur. Resplendent in Flare Yellow paint, the LC Convertible couldn't be more conspicuous here if there were literal yellow flares bursting from its tailpipes. Yet, even on the Cote d'Azure, the LC would assuredly stand out. Being the color of an electric banana helps, but it’s a stunning car in any shade. From the A pillar forward, it's identical to the LC Coupe, but as expected, things change rearward. Currently available in two colors — black and "sand" — the four-layer soft top fits snugly over the cabin and creates a much different silhouette than the coupe. Although the LC's shoulder line rises to roughly the same point in both body styles, it meets a black trim piece on the coupe that creates the impression of a "floating" roof that extends deep onto the tail, resulting in a tiny trunk lid. By contrast, that shoulder line meets the convertible's roof directly, which pinches the rear quarter window, abruptly ends the roofline and creates a comparatively vast plain of a trunk lid. From the rear and with the roof up, the coupe is the more elegant car. Roof down, it's debatable. To these eyes, that rising shoulder line creates a bit of the hunchback look you get with the 911 Cabriolet. There are other design changes. The trunk lid kicks up further and extends wider, creating a more pronounced integrated spoiler. Within it is the relocated brake light. Covering the lowered roof is a rigid tonneau cover with humps that neatly align with the back seat's headrests. Between them is a small wind deflector that manages to be enough when the windows are raised to create an impressively serene cabin in the brief moments when the drizzle clears to motor al fresco.

Lexus shows off gaming-themed IS built with input from Twitch community

Lexus has revealed the 2021 "Gamers' IS," which was built in collaboration with the Twitch community as an "ultimate gaming space." Based on a 2021 IS 350 F Sport, the Gamers' IS looks every bit the part of a crowdsourced promotion, with every element chosen by community vote.  "The Twitch community dives headfirst into their passion of gaming, just as we did in designing the new 2021 Lexus IS as a pure expression of a sports sedan," said Vinay Shahani, vice president of marketing at Lexus. "We asked for their help designing their dream gaming space, and they answered in spades. Together, we created the ultimate fusion of design and performance in automotive and gaming." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The interior design is based around a theme called "Neon Tokyo," which, yep, that's what that looks like. An acrylic layer was added to the cabin ceiling with resin rain drops formed into it. Backlit with RGB LEDs, the ceiling is meant to give the feel of driving through downtown Toyko at night during a light rain shower. Neat. The passenger seat is where the gaming ostensibly happens, and elements here such as the type of monitor, controller bling and even the drinks in the center console (aka "gaming fuel") were chosen by the Twitch audience too. We're talking about a showpiece here, as is plain from the detail work. This looks like the sort of thing Lexus would have set up at CES and later this year at E3 (the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo), but it may have made the auto show circuit as well. It's not really much of a car, nor would it make a very good gaming space, but hey, it's colorful.

2022 Lexus LX 600 starts at nearly $90,000

Lexus unveiled pricing for the 2022 LX 600 SUV by uploading the new truck's configurator. Financially, there's good news for American shoppers who want the 300-series Toyota Land Cruiser but can't have it: the LX 600 isn't much more expensive than the outgoing Toyota. Last year's two-row, entry-level Land Cruiser started at $85,665 after destination. The entry-level, two-row 2022 LX 600 starts at $88,245 after the $1,345 destination fee — which has gone up by $50 — an increase of $2,580, but for the completely new model with additional luxury trimmings. The price difference is even less between LX generations, with the new one costing a scant $470 more than the 2021 LX 570. Pricing for all five trims is below. Base: $88,245 Premium: $96,345 F Sport: $102,345 Luxury: $104,345 Ultra Luxury: $127,345 All trims sit on the same TNGA-F body-on-frame chassis as the Land Cruiser and are powered by a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 making 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Power goes to all four wheels through a ten-speed automatic transmission. The Lexus features adjustable ride height and suspension stiffness. The former adjusts automatically between low for easier access, normal for pavement driving and two lifted heights for off-roading. And to assist with off-roading, the Lexus gets Crawl Control off-road cruise control, multiple terrain modes including an automatic one, and surround cameras that even show under the truck to help avoid banging together rocks and vulnerable parts of the car. Inside, the dual-screen infotainment system features a 12.3-inch upper touchscreen that handles audio, navigation and other vehicle settings and information displays. The lower 7-inch touchscreen is mainly used for climate control and comfort settings. The interface and operating system for the infotainment is the same system that made its debut in the completely redesigned Lexus NX. In our experience, it's a massive improvement over past Lexus systems, though not quite a class-leader. The base model comes with two rows and seating for five. The Premium adds a third row for seven-person seating and offers more package options like the 25-speaker Mark Levinson audio system. The new F Sport trim sports telltale exterior signs like a black mesh grille and 22-inch forged aluminum wheels. Mechanically, it's upgraded with a limited-slip differential, sport-tuned adaptive dampers and an exclusive rear stabilizer bar. Luxury boasts finer leather and audio.