The 2018 Lexus LC 500 is a vehicle worth discovering. As the brand’s new halo coupe, it stands as a symbol, demonstrating with its profile, its engine, its interior, its tech, exactly what Lexus interprets as automotive luxury.

And as the concept coupe that Lexus actually made, there are a few features that stand out as particularly noteworthy. Check out our full video review of the 2018 Lexus LC 500 right here, and read on for some of the most surprising features.

The 10-speed automatic transmission

While most vehicles have six or eight gears within the automatic transmission, the Lexus LC 500 has ten! Using the magnesium paddle shifters to run up and down through the 10 available gears is an experience. True, you will inevitably wind up driving mostly in the same few gears in the middle, but it’s always nice to have options.

The howl of the naturally aspirated V8 engine

At a moment when more and more automakers are scaling back engine size, opting for the more fuel-efficient but much less snarly 6-cylinder turbo engines, the 2018 LC 500 stands out with a gorgeous 5-liter V8 engine producing 471 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. At a peak 88 decibels in Normal Mode, this is the new soundtrack to our dreams. 

Enform App Suite 2.0

The infotainment system’s app suite integrates a few of the most-used apps from smart phones right into the vehicle. Pandora, Slacker, Yelp, NPR, Stocks and more can be accessed with the touch pad and display screen, no iPhone needed.

ALL of the interior details

This is where the LC 500 really shines. All of the interior details like the pronounced leather dash, the sturdy paddle shifters, the inset drive-train selector or the origami-inspired seats, combine for a truly unique effect. Sit in either of the front seats and just explore the textures and you’ll see why Lexus is so proud of this one.

High resolution audio playback

Sometimes little developments in the world of technology come along and cause us all to say, “huh, why didn’t we think of that?” The arrival of the infotainment system’s simply brilliant high resolution audio playback feature, which records whatever you’re listening to (even live radio) when you get a phone call and plays it back from where you left off afterward, was one of those moments.

These are just a handful of the features that took us by pleasant surprise, and we can assure you that the 2018 Lexus LC 500 has a lot more to discover. If you’d like to learn more, and maybe get in the driver’s seat of an LC to do a little first-hand exploration, drop us a line or come down to Northwest Lexus.