Call it the car that nearly wasn’t. The Lexus LF-LC concept car appeared in Detroit in 2012. As so often happens with concept cars, it was an instance of the design and engineering teams letting their hair down, an exercise in “What would happen if…?” Five years on, it’s on its way to your Lexus dealership near Santa Monica, CA. What happened, and why did this concept succeed when so many others fail? Keyes Lexus looks back at the Lexus LF-LC, and ahead to the Lexus LC 500.

The Lexus LC 500, like the LF-LC concept that spawned it, is literally unlike anything else the company has built. From a company that’s better-known for a conservative approach to design, the concept was bold to the point of being polarizing. At the same time, however, it was thoughtful. There’s a lovely flow to the body, and practical touches — like the hybrid powertrain and the run-flat tires — that pointed to the amount of thought that went into this car.

Unlike the Lexus LFA supercar, the Lexus LC 500 will be available in Base, Touring and Sport trims. The Touring trim will add active safety features, heated and cooled seats, and a premium Mark Levinson sound system, among other amenities. The Sport trim adds 20-inch forged wheels and a limited-slip differential to the Touring trim, with an option package that allows you to add a carbon fiber roof.

There’s a lot more to take in about the 2018 Lexus LC 500. The proper way to do that will be to take a test drive when it’s available to the drivers we serve in Santa Monica and Los Angeles. For questions, or to see the rest of our great new Lexus vehicles, visit Keyes Lexus at 5905 Van Nuys Blvd. in Van Nuys, CA today.