"Flawed but forgivable"

[DavidCM]

There's a brief report on the LC500 in the new,May, issue of Motor Sport magazine with the above heading.

The final paragraph sums up the article.."I really liked the car despite its myriad flaws.But would I walk past a Porsche dealer to get one?Not a chance"

I can see some of what he means,but having owned both a Porsche and a Lexus,I would certainly feel more comfortable walking past the Porsche dealer.My ongoing bank balance would agree too.

[malcolmw]

How does the writer answer the point that "everyone's got a Porsche"?

If you walk past and go to the Porsche dealer they will ask if you are already an owner as they couldn't sell a new model to just anyone.

Then there is the problem of the profusion of models. Does anyone know a GT2 from a GT3?

🙂

[DavidCM]

7 minutes ago, malcolmw said:

 

Then there is the problem of the profusion of models. Does anyone know a GT2 from a GT3?

🙂

The answer to that part,is they're both the same.. unobtainable.

The answer to the first part used to be Audi.. everybody's got one that's why they are known as ar5eholes.

[Las Palmas]

Porsche 959 is a dream car. Boxer engine is perfect. Flaw only that it was not bought when offered first. Later could be sold for 3 times the amount.

I know that in this forum everything that is not Lexus or almost OK Toyota - is garbage. Which of course is extremely stupid.

Have had 3 Honda cars without problems, 2 Nissan ZX a 280 and a 300, both without least trace of a problem. The CT is also without problems.

Maybe the problems mostly come from neglecting cars and not keeping them serviced.

[DavidCM]

With a "classic" Porsche I would go for a 993.It drives (almost) like a much more modern car yet remains old school,especially the feel and sound of the air-cooled engine.The older air cooled 911s are ,by comparison ,horrible to drive with a well deserved reputation of flying backwards through the nearest hedge.

[BrettMRC]

Ahem.... 🤪

 

[DavidCM]

That one survived the hedge.

I can't see clearly from photo (glare from the shiny LC)..which one is it..a3.0SC?

[DtoTheM]

I've never got the Porsche love, admittedly I've never driven one but that's because I've never considered buying one. Overpriced and understyled, it's the German love of making the same car is slightly different proportions taken to the extreme. I'm sure they're flawlessly engineered but they just leave me cold, so many models so little difference in looks.

[Las Palmas]

No sound is like the sound of a 911 Turbo tuned by Stig in Sweden. Drive through a tunnel with windows slightly open and you will hear a sound of a perfect engine.

No audio is needed in that as you will not be able to hear music unless your turn volume up so much that your ears will get damaged, unless you drive very slow with extra filter in the exhaust pipe.

[eric skerritt]

BrettMRC. The best of both worlds. I'm thinking green.........ah just my envy.

[Fatts]

On 4/6/2023 at 9:10 AM, eric skerritt said:

BrettMRC. The best of both worlds. I'm thinking green.........ah just my envy.

 

[Alex S. Driver]

When I came back to my LC today there was a little black Porsche parked behind it. You don't often get to see the two marques in profile next to each other.

I stopped to compare and contrast the styling of these two very different beasts, and to make a note on which had the prettier curves. Didn't take very long  

[Brian R]

About 1 nanosecond, or less?

[eightk]

If you were a motoring journalist you’d pick the Porsche because it’s sportier. And because you’d want to be the same as all the other motoring journalists.

For what I paid for my LC I could have had an older 911 Targa, around 2018-2020 approx. I did look. I’d have gone for a slightly earlier NA 3.8 without a turbo I think. They don’t come with any of the stuff Lexus chuck in as standard (even basic stuff like heated seats and adaptive cruise are options if I remember correctly), the warranty would have run out by now, and they sound c r a p in comparison. And everybody else has one. And nobody knows whether to be impressed because it’s a gt3 or to ignore it because it’s just a 3 litre. They all look pretty much the same bar some spoilers. Even the base car is faster than the LC but it’s not about zero to 60 or how many gees it’ll pull in a corner. Probably an amazing driving experience but not an amazing ownership experience. And a boxster isn’t in the same ballpark although it’d be great fun to drive.

Not for me.

[H3XME]

I think Porsche 911 and Lexus LC500 are slightly different cars. Sure, arguably they are flagship models of both manufacturers, but Porsche is, and always has been more sporty and a driver's car. You can't say that about the LC500. While it drives well and the V8 makes nice noises, it's THE ultimate grand tourer. It's a stylish cruiser, and for most this is enough. Porsche on the other hand, is much more focused on spirited driving, track driving and overall sporty experience regardless of the model you get. Their handling is like no other. They are very capable cars. I know which one I'd choose for a back road Sunday drive.. the 911. And on the flip side, if I'm going cross country or even daily driving, the LC500 would be a much better companion. 

This is just my opinion, and what I'm trying to say is that they're different cars. LC500 is much more comparable to BMW 8 Series coupe. Whereas the 911 would be more of a competitor to the M4.. 

[eightk]

Oh god don't start the 8 series comparison again 🤣

[Winston]

Having owed a 911 a Vantage and currently owning a LC500

they are all great cars, my heart is with the Aston, driving dynamics are with the Porsche but looks, interior and wallet are with the Lexus.

[eightk]

On 7/8/2023 at 8:32 AM, Winston said:

Having owed a 911 a Vantage and currently owning a LC500

they are all great cars, my heart is with the Aston, driving dynamics are with the Porsche but looks, interior and wallet are with the Lexus.

The voice of experience speaking there I think, sums it up well. A potential owner rather than just a test driver is much more likely to pick the LC. Except nobody does. Still can’t work out why there are so few LCs in the UK.

[shapiro]

I’d rather keep it that way. The rarity is a plus for me. 

[Jgtcracer]

17 hours ago, eightk said:

The voice of experience speaking there I think, sums it up well. A potential owner rather than just a test driver is much more likely to pick the LC. Except nobody does. Still can’t work out why there are so few LCs in the UK.

Slightly biased but brand name and vanity will 100% play a part. To the general public, Lexus doesn’t hold the same prestige as something like a Porsche or Aston and when you are going to spend £90k+ on a car that matters.   A good chunk of people that drive a Porsche, Aston etc want to be seen and feel good about it.

Id love to get one but they need to be in the £40-50k range for me and as an enthusiast that doesn’t need another car I can wait.  Combined with the fact the RCF is already a capable car does make the proposition harder.

I do think that as they get cheaper the pool of people that would be interested is going to increase but for us that want to buy on the second hand market, there needs to be car enthusiasts that are wealthy enough to be in the top 1% and not be driven to the obvious brands!

 To all of you that made that move, I salute you!!

[BrettMRC]

It was this Evo group test that tipped the balance for me in buying mine.  (I was also considering a Roma, McLaren GT, Vantage, and a Cayman GT4)

https://www.evo.co.uk/features/204878/ferrari-roma-v-lexus-lc500-v-bentley-continental-gt-v8-v-aston-martin-db11-amr

[DamianLEX]

I would like to see a drag race RCF vs LC500. RCF is 200kg lighter so easily beating LC, am I right? None mentions that and I never found a comparison of these 2.

If I ever changed RCF for LC it would not be for the look (I love RCF lines) not for acceleration, but for very nice quality materials feel. That makes a difference to some people. 

One of my neighbours has 2020 911 basic one apparently worth few times my RCF and every time I walk pass it I say naaaah. 
So many different cars are more appealing to me in this particular 911 price bracket. But maybe my neighbour wants this WOW factor from peasants? I don’t know, need to ask him one day:)

 

[Jgtcracer]

1 hour ago, DamianLEX said:

I would like to see a drag race RCF vs LC500. RCF is 200kg lighter so easily beating LC, am I right? None mentions that and I never found a comparison of these 2.

If I ever changed RCF for LC it would not be for the look (I love RCF lines) not for acceleration, but for very nice quality materials feel. That makes a difference to some people. 

One of my neighbours has 2020 911 basic one apparently worth few times my RCF and every time I walk pass it I say naaaah. 
So many different cars are more appealing to me in this particular 911 price bracket. But maybe my neighbour wants this WOW factor from peasants? I don’t know, need to ask him one day:)

 

There’s a few videos online and I don’t think there is much in it.  Possibly the RCF is ever so slightly faster but having driving an LC500 it does feel quicker.  Think it’s due to the gearbox and exhaust making it sound better through the gears.

 Once an aftermarket exhaust goes on the RCF then it becomes much the same.

[MNMJ]

On 7/14/2023 at 7:45 AM, Jgtcracer said:

 Combined with the fact the RCF is already a capable car does make the proposition harder.

 

The RCF is a hard act to follow. The LC500 also feels quite a bit bigger, but has a smaller boot and backseats. I put a large road bike in the back of the RC-F to drive to the Alps last year, with a boot full of kit. That would not have worked in the LC

Pity, as the LC is gorgeous and a natural step on from ISF and RCF

[eightk]

On 7/14/2023 at 8:34 AM, BrettMRC said:

It was this Evo group test that tipped the balance for me in buying mine.  (I was also considering a Roma, McLaren GT, Vantage, and a Cayman GT4)

https://www.evo.co.uk/features/204878/ferrari-roma-v-lexus-lc500-v-bentley-continental-gt-v8-v-aston-martin-db11-amr

That was one of the reviews I read too.
Less than half the base price of the others (even before the others get tens of thousands of pounds worth of options) - the very definition of the LC punching above its weight.