The LC is one of the best looking modern cars, but it’s days are officially numbered.
A dealer letter recently made the rounds signaling the end of Lexus LC production in the coming months. Now, the automaker confirmed that news, marking the end of the road for a car that’s sold more than 15,000 examples through December 2025.
That may not seem like a huge number — and it isn’t, in the grand scheme of Toyota’s carmaking business — but the Lexus LC instantly gained a reputation as one of the most stunning modern cars to hit the roads when it first went on sale back in 2018. A company spokesperson told Car and Driver and other outlets that, “The Lexus LC 500 will officially be discontinued after the 2026 model year. Lexus constantly evaluates its model mix and strategy to optimize product lineup options to meet our guests’ needs and align with consumer demand.”
Dry as Death Valley though that statement may be, it is at least conclusive and doesn’t waffle on whether high-end, high-priced flagships like the LC were going to keep on kicking moving forward. The news follows the demise of the LS sedan, the car that kick-started the Lexus brand in the first place. It also leaves Toyota’s luxury marque decidedly SUV heavy, though it is still carrying on with the midsize ES and the smaller IS…at least for now.
With the LC 500 gone, the Lexus brand loses the last champion of its naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine. While that powertrain didn’t necessarily make the LC a neck-snapping sports car, it did heap character on top of the already handsome styling and luxurious interior. Lexus confirmed it will end LC production by August 2026.
Where do we go from here?
Despite the LC’s impending end, the Lexus brand as a whole still obviously has a full line of SUVs, not to mention a couple sedans still kicking around. The most direct answer for “what’s next”, however, seems to be the electric LFA (for better or worse, depending on who you ask). While some folks hoped that the LFA revival would feature a screaming gasoline engine, that feature was reserved for Toyota’s new flagship sports car, the GR GT.
In many cases, the death of a car doesn’t really hit most people, so much as pass them by. I mean, how much are you really going to miss the Nissan Versa? It’s a good little car, but…it’s not this. A drop-top with a V8 engine and looks to kill? Yeah, the Lexus LC is one of those cars I am actually going to miss.
