The Lovely Lexus LC Might Not Be Long for This World
The LC will reportedly be discontinued after the 2026 model year, and the Japanese market will get a limited-run Pinnacle Edition.
We don't yet know if a similar model will be sold in the United States or if the hybrid LC500h and V-8-powered LC500 will last past the current 2025 model year.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we'd argue anyone with eyes will agree that the Lexus LC is one of the most beautiful new cars on the market. Its design hasn't changed since the lovely two-door coupe and convertible first went on sale for the 2018 model year, yet they still manage to look both futuristic and timeless. Sadly, if a new report turns out to be true, Lexus's prettiest car might not be long for this world.
The LC's Pinnacle
The LC will be discontinued after the 2026 model year, as reported by Creative Trend, a Japanese automotive website. While there won't be any significant changes, a Pinnacle Edition will reportedly be offered in limited quantities, with just 100 coupes and 100 convertibles available. Those copies will only be offered in the Japanese market, and buyers will have to be lucky enough to win a lottery. So, who's eligible for the lottery? The report states that half the slots are for Lexus owners and the other half are for the general public.
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Lexus
While we don't have any images of the LC Pinnacle, the coupe reportedly has matte silver paint with a black-and-white interior. Other special bits are said to include forged 21-inch wheels, red brake calipers, and a carbon-fiber rear spoiler. The topless alternative reportedly wears Neutrino Gray paint with a sand-colored soft top and an interior that mixes saddle tan and white. The convertible Pinnacle is said to have the same unique extras as its hardtop counterpart.
In the United States, the lineup includes the LC500h (coupe only), with its 354-hp hybrid V-6 setup, and the LC500, which has a glorious 471-hp naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8. When we tested the latter in convertible form, it confidently leapt to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Pricing for the outgoing Japanese-market LC is irrelevant, but the 2025 Lexus LC500 and LC500h currently start at $101,100 and $104,250, respectively. A special goodbye edition will only increase those prices.
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Lexus
Car and Driver reached out to a spokesperson for Lexus North America and asked if they could confirm whether the LC will soon be discontinued, but we didn't hear back at the time of publishing. We'll update this story if we get an answer. Meanwhile, it's unclear if the Lexus LC sold in the U.S. will last past the current 2025 model year. It'll also be interesting to see if we get a limited-production send-off similar to the JDM Pinnacle. Considering Lexus has announced an Ultimate Edition of the IS500 sedan, it seems likely the LC could receive the same treatment.
Eric Stafford
Managing Editor, News
Eric Stafford's automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si.
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