2020 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series is a ready-made collectible

By Stephen Edelstein August 14, 2019

1 of 11

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

2020 lexus lc 500 inspiration series 2019 monterey car week — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The sleek Lexus LC 500 coupe has a shape that defies the stereotypical image of Toyota’s luxury brand. But even the shock of seeing a car that looks like the LC 500 wearing a Lexus badge will wear off eventually, so Lexus has to keep its flagship coupe fresh. Limited to just 100 cars, the 2020 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series adds the appeal of exclusivity.

Changes for this limited-production Lexus are purely cosmetic. On the outside, the Inspiration Series wears Nori Green Pearl paint, and sports 21-inch, two-tone wheels. On the inside, the car gets Bespoke Saddle Tan aniline leather seats. As on other LC models, the door panels are trimmed in Alcantara, but it’s a darker shade in the Inspiration Series. Black Amber leather trim with brown stitching is used on the doors as well, along with the steering wheel, dashboard, and center console.

So owners don’t forget their cars’ specialness — and so they can show off to friends — the Inspiration Series features a custom laser-cut sill plate, with a design inspired by the LC’s taillights.

No mechanical changes were made, according to Lexus. That means the Inspiration Series gets the same 5.0-liter V8 used in the standard LC 500, which drives the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission. The V8 makes 471 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, which will get the LC 500 from zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, according to Lexus. An LC 500h hybrid model is also available. It ditches the V8 for 3.5-liter V6 with electric assist. Total system output is 354 hp, with an EPA-rated 30 mpg combined. An LC convertible is on the way as well.

The 2020 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series goes on sale this fall. Production will be limited to just 100 units, but considering that Lexus also did an Inspiration Series for the 2019 model year, it’s possible that you’ll be able to try again next year if you miss out. Lexus hasn’t disclosed pricing for the 2020 Inspiration Series, but it should be fairly close to the $106,210 asking price of the 2019 model. The 2020 LC 500 Inspiration Series will make its public debut during The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. It’s one of the many events that make up Monterey Car Week, and will also host Lexus rival Acura’s Type S concept car this year.

Topics

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

Here’s how Lucid plans to merge into the EV mainstream

Lucid midsize SUV preview.

Lucid has released a dark preview image of a yet-unnamed electric crossover that will be positioned in one of the most competitive segments of the EV market. The model will be positioned below the Gravity as the brand's entry-level offering, and it will cost approximately $50,000.

Posted on X (formerly Twitter), the image shows the outline of a crossover with fluid lines. It doesn't look like a copy of an existing Lucid model but the design seemingly incorporates a handful of familiar styling cues, including an upright front end and an arch-shaped piece of trim on the roof.

Cars

The best level 2 home EV chargers

ChargePoint Home EV charger plugged into car.

When you brought home your shiny new electric vehicle, it came with a home charging cord. But that was likely a Level 1 charger, which can only add 2 or 3 miles of range per hour. Upgrading to a Level 2 home EV charger can triple that speed — or more — plus provide you with a multitude of options to help lower your electricity bill and extend your car battery life.

In other words, it's now easy to keep your car topped up without ever having to drive to a DC fast charging station unless you're on a road-trip — ensuring that in day-to-day use, your car will stay fully charged, basically all the time.

Cars

The state of solid-state batteries: We may be on the cusp of an EV revolution

Factorial solid-state battery

Electric vehicles may have become a whole lot more popular over the past five years or so, but that’s despite some issues they still face regarding things like limited range and slow charging speeds. The result of these issues is that plenty of buyers are unsure about whether an EV might be for them. But there’s one technology that has been hailed as a savior for all of the EV issues related to batteries, and that’s solid-state battery tech.

This technology has been so hyped for so long that, at this point in time, it seems not only almost mythical, but as if we might never actually see it in the real world. So, what’s the state of solid-state batteries right now, and how far are we from finally seeing them and reaping their rewards? Here’s a look.
What are solid-state batteries?
What is a solid-state battery in the first place? Solid-state batteries keep the fundamentals of traditional battery design, offering an anode and a cathode with a porous separator in the middle, and a substance through which electrons flow from one side to the other. This, in turn, creates a circuit. But while a conventional battery is built with a liquid electrolyte solution on the inside, a solid-state battery instead makes the separator between the anode and the cathode the electrolyte itself.