Lexus LC

They don’t make them like they used to.

Modern cars are efficient, full of useful technology like autonomous driving, safer than ever, and breathtakingly fast. But they will rattle even in a $150k Porsche 911, annoy you with auto engine start-stop, and hide common functions like adjusting air vents in touchscreen menus while you scratch your piano black interior every time you touch anything.

They’re not built to last, either. Why invest in longevity when so many people lease a new car every 2-3 years, or purchase and sell within 5 years? EVs are even worse; their underlying platforms are evolving so rapidly at the hardware level right now that they are equivalent to laptops that you upgrade every few years.

We do have two EVs (an Audi Q6 e-tron and IONIQ 5) that serve practical purposes, but they are both leases and I consider them temporary appliances. When their leases are up, they’ll be replaced with whatever is best at the time.

But I also own a 24 Lexus LC500. And I love it. It’s surprising that this car still exists today, though sadly its time may finally be coming to an end. With only 14k sold globally since 2017, that’s not surprising.

The LC has a naturally aspirated 5.0L V8 making 471 horsepower. It’s still built in Japan, at the same factory that made the LFA, to the exacting standards that made Lexus famous. The interior has the perfect combination of tactile buttons and a modern touchscreen. And it makes you feel alive when you push it to redline over and over again. Unlike a 992.2, it doesn’t rattle. It’s the perfect antidote to a bad mood.

This is a modern car built to last, and I plan to own, maintain, and drive it for as long as feasibly possible. Perhaps it’ll become the highest-mileage LC one day. Until then, it’s always fun to bump into other LC owners as it’s a rare car to spot on the road.