The Lexus LC 500 Could Be a Collector’s Car and You Should Buy One Now

There may never be another car like it

Just a few months ago, Lexus announced that 2025 would be the final year for the Lexus LC 500. Now, it seems the LC will hang on for just one more year. The naturally aspirated V8 grand tourer was never a big seller, since buyers turned to European offerings and also steered away from coupes. Despite a recent facelift, improved interior tech, and growth in the luxury automotive segment, the LC has experienced dwindling sales. Lexus moved fewer than 1,500 LCs (V8 and hybrid) in the US in 2024, a drop from just over 1,700 units in 2023. For comparison’s sake, Porsche sold over 14,000 units of its 911 sports coupe, a 20% jump from 2023.

When the V8-powered LC 500 is no more, only enthusiasts of V8-powered, rear-wheel drive, luxury sports coupes will weep. But its departure is more significant than that. The inevitable demise of the LC marks the end of an automotive era. Everyone’s caught up in fewer cylinders and more electrification, so the LC 500’s death won’t really be for a little while. That’s why you should buy one of these rarities before it drives off into the sunset.

The last of its kind

The LC 500’s most compelling bragging point is the sonorous, naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 that produces 471 horsepower. In 2025, this engine configuration is becoming as rare as a manual transmission in a luxury car. As just about every other manufacturer pivots toward turbos, hybrid systems, and full electrification, the LC 500’s V8 engine represents a dying breed of powerplant that enthusiasts will undoubtedly romanticize and lament for years after the LC 500 is gone. Press the start button and hear the 8-cylinder beast roar to life. It’s a sweet sound that no twin-turbo, hybridized V6 will ever match. Ever.

This isn’t just any naturally aspirated V8, either. Lexus engineers spent considerable time perfecting the 2UR-GSE engine’s soundtrack. They gave it an active exhaust system and an intake sound generator to create a sound experience to be coveted. The engine revs to 7,300 RPM, delivering a linear power curve and a buttery smooth driving experience.

Twenty years from now, when most luxury cars are whirring EVs, the LC 500’s burbling V8 will sound like music from the much-missed automotive past. The LC 500 isn’t the quickest, but it’s also no slouch. 0-60 comes in 4.4 seconds, and the power delivery is remarkably satisfying. The shove to your back is palpable and incredibly gratifying.

Stunning design that will age gracefully

Its beauty extends from the engine sounds to the exterior. The LC 500’s design is unlike any other vehicle on the road. It’s not derivative, nor is it polarizing or boring. Created under the direction of Koichi Suga, the LC’s proportions follow classic grand tourer principles: a long sloping hood, steeply raked windshield, set-back cabin, and short rear deck. The design is bold without being gimmicky, incorporating Lexus’s spindle grille in a way that actually enhances the car’s presence rather than overwhelming it. Revisions to its headlights only made it better.

The LC 500 is modern elegance defined. Its design is daring without being excessive. That’s hard to do without making the car look trendy, but the LC 500 pulls it off deftly. There are no fake vents, excessive scoops, or overwrought body cladding. The surface language is clean and artistic, with carefully sculpted lines and curves. To say that it looks as good (if not better) than when it debuted in 2018 would not be an overstatement. When you see one on the road, which is rare, you can’t help but stare in the best of ways. It looks incredible coming and going.

The interior continues this theme of timeless elegance. If you’ve ever sat in one, it feels like a modern jazz lounge. The materials quality is superb, and touches like the simple door handle and the front passenger grab bars are statements all by themselves. The hand-pleated door panels, gobs of soft Alcantara suede, a sweeping door-to-dash line, and brushed metal trim all help create an environment that feels truly special and without an over-reliance on massive screens.

While some critics have complained about the updated and now larger infotainment screen detracting from the fluid design that incorporated the smaller screen, the improvements to its size and functionality help push it out of the frustrating tech zone. Gone is the annoying touchpad, as well. Regardless of whether the car’s cabin is clad in caramel brown, maroon red, or deep black, the LC has one of the few interiors that can be characterized as beautiful.

Production numbers and market position

Lexus has never positioned the LC 500 as a volume seller, and the production numbers reflect this exclusivity. Although Lexus doesn’t disclose the LC’s production numbers, it’s estimated that fewer than 15,000 units will be in the U.S. by the end of its run. This limited production number, combined with the model’s position as Lexus’s flagship coupe, creates the scarcity that collectors value.

The Lexus LC 500 also holds a unique position in the luxury coupe segment. It’s more exclusive than a BMW 8 Series or Mercedes S-Class Coupe, yet more accessible than a Ferrari or McLaren. For those who don’t want to spend $200k+ to get something super-exotic but still want a car that isn’t commonplace on the streets, the LC 500 nails it. This price and style sweet spot means that it may very well be a coveted vehicle within the next decade.

Couple this with the brand’s reputation for engineering excellence and unparalleled reliability, and you can almost be guaranteed that the LC 500 is built to last. The naturally aspirated V8 is a proven engine with fewer potential failure points than a more complex turbocharged or hybrid system. The build quality is exceptional, with fit and finish that rivals cars costing twice as much. A collector’s car that requires very little upkeep and repair is a unicorn, indeed.

The EV wave will drive up the LC 500’s value

When the world is littered with EVs and dull driving experiences, the LC 500 will stand as a beacon for passionate car collectors to flock to its naturally aspirated V8, rear-wheel drive goodness. Sometimes, it’s only when something great has been gone for a little while that people start to remember how much they miss it. Such will be the case for the V8 Lexus LC 500.

Lexus has already announced plans to become a fully electric luxury brand in certain markets by 2030. The LC 500 represents not just the end of naturally aspirated luxury coupes from Lexus, but potentially the end of internal combustion grand tourers from the globe entirely.

Final thoughts

The Lexus LC 500 has all the right ingredients of a future collector’s car: a unique powertrain, limited production, exceptional design, engineering excellence, and historical significance as potentially the last naturally aspirated V8 grand tourer from Lexus. If there’s a time to buy one, it’s right now. Prices could even get ugly in its final year when dealers may add a premium as the car exits the market. Yes, it’s six figures, but you might have collectors banging on your door willing to pay top dollar in just a handful of years. Or you could just keep it with the knowledge that you own one of the last great V8 grand tourers on earth.

This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Oct 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.