Hail To The King!

The grand-tourer crown belongs to the majestic Lexus LC500. Bow down before it. 

- Botchi Santos

In its almost 30 years of existence, Lexus has produced three truly groundbreaking and iconic models. The first, the LS400 of 1989, showed the world that the Japanese know how to make luxury cars that can rival European offerings. The second, the LFA, bloodied the noses of established supercar companies when it was launched in 2009. It was sex appeal on wheels and had a heart-rending V10 shriek. It even competed in the 24 Hours Nürburgring and spawned a Nürburgring Package version that lapped the Nordschleife in an impressive 7min 14.64sec.

But today, we’ll focus on the third car: the LC500. This model and the fictional Kingdom of Wakanda share a number of qualities: Both go their own way, exude nobility and grace, and hide a quiet ferocity within them. No wonder the LC500 is King T’Challa’s chosen steed.

I leave the metro at the crack of dawn on the day of our photo shoot. Despite riding on massive 21in tires (245/40 front, 275/35 rear), the LC500, in comfort mode, feels light and easy to drive. Steering feedback is just right: alert without being nervous, direct without being too heavy on long drives. The throttle has that perfectly measured long-travel quality, making it easy to modulate. The brakes, with six- and four-piston calipers front and rear, respectively, clamp down firmly on gigantic vented rotors for fade-free stopping performance.