Lexus India has confirmed that the 2020 LC500h will be launched in India next year. While the company is still to decide on the timeline of the launch, we expect it to come to us in the 2nd half of 2020. The LC500h was first showcased as a concept at the 2012 Detroit Motor Show as the LF-LC. The challenge here was to bring this concept to life and in 2017 the LC or Luxury Coupe was finally launched. The LC500h is on sale in 68 countries already and India will be the 69th to get it. 12,000 units of the LC500h have already been sold worldwide ever since its launch and with its introduction to new markets, Lexus is looking to add more customers to its tally.
The LC500h will be positioned as a GT or Grand Tourer. India will only get the hybrid variant of the LC. Sadly, we won’t get the one with the V8 engine. Then again, given that Lexus India’s portfolio currently boasts of majority cars getting hybrid powertrains, this move does not come as a surprise. The LC500h will get the 3.5-liter petrol engine which produces 295 bhp. There are two electric motors which will produce 177bhp and there’s a lithium-ion battery for the energy to be stored. Now total combined output stands at 354bhp and this translates into a 0-100 kmph time of just above 5 seconds.
The LC500h looks mad and devilishly handsome. Lexus has really turned a new leaf with its design. Upfront, it gets the massive spindle grille, which is a family identity now, L-shaped DRLs and three LED headlamps, which blend well into the design. There’s a bit of aggression on the face and the low hood makes it look as if it’s closer to the ground and gives it a sports car-like stance. The pinched waist, blackened C-Pillars and the creases to the side, add a lot of drama to the look. As you move to the rear, the LC500h gets wider and there’s no doubt it looks stunning.
Lexus is likely to price the LC500h in India in the range of ₹ 1.5 crore and this will see it take on the likes of the Jaguar F-Type which is priced between ₹ 90.93 crore for the 2.0-liter coupe variant and goes up to ₹ 2.80 crore for the SVR convertible variant along with the Audi RS5 Coupe which costs ₹ 1.12 Crore. It will be a low volume player for the company but there has been no clarification from Lexus India about how many units of the LC500h it plans to sell in the country.