Ruffle

I was surprised to hear it as, like yourself, I'd guess significant development of the LC is unlikely for the UK. Maybe he was talking exclusively about the US market as there's no EV-only date set there AFAIK. I'm still hoping for wireless Android Auto though 🙂

In this Youtube video, the reviewer says that 'by time you get yours' the infotainment system will be upgraded to the one in the NX series and Android Auto will be wireless. Anyone else heard this rumour? Mine's not due to be built until February next year so I guess this would apply to mine if true and wireless Android Auto would be nice.

Hooligan 🙂 🙂 🙂

So you have to fiddle with the remote or did you find some neater method? Has your Inspiration been in for a service since you fitted the widget? Did Lexus spot it?

The controller widget being sold on Etsy seems quite interesting but AFAIK the UK cars don't get the buttons on the rear view mirror so you'd have to go scrabbling around for the remote when you want to change the exhaust valve settings. Pulling the connectors from the solenoids appears easy but it's not a neat as being able to turn it on or off. In my scanning of everything LC500 I can find, I thought I saw a suggestion that in Sport+ mode the valves stay open below 4K RPM. Is this correct or am I imagining it?

What do you define as not daft? Ballpark will do. Black on black with extra black bits looks smart... but I'm sticking with my Black/Red choice. It'll probably end up looking like the inside of a low rent brothel 🙂

WooHoo Indeed 🙂 🙂 🙂 The wait is going to kill me! Black/Red LA31. I have a history of black/red interiors (SL500 & XKR) and didn't want to break the trend 🙂 What did you go for? If it's also black/red got any pics? The Lexus website is pretty crap and only shows one pic of a LHD black/red and the other 'real vehicle in the wild' pics found with Google show what I assume is a USA black/tan trim. Why did you go for a third party ceramic coat instead of the Lexus offering? Leicester (Inchcape) were weird. Booked test drive on their website. Got confirmation email saying they'd phone; they didn't. Emailed a reminder. No reply. Phoned sales and they found my unactioned request within seconds but then said the only available LC500 was a second hand one which might not be available for a test drive as it was probably being sold. Promised to phone me to say what the situation was and how a test could be arranged... not heard anything since. All very strange and it makes me wonder what they'd be like with a service/warranty issue. Cambridge (Steven Eagell) relocated their demonstrator from Wolverhampton to Cambridge for me to try which seems a lot more realistic when you're shelling out the thick end of 100K.

You can add a fourth to that list - a V8 of course 🙂 After a bit of initial confusion, that a call to the Sales Manager swiftly resolved, Lexus Cambridge organised a demonstrator and I now have a Black Inspiration on order with a Feb 2023 build date and April delivery. Gosh that's a long time to wait 😞 Driving my XKR (5l V8 Supercharged) and then the LC500 back to back was interesting. The LC is down 40 odd BHP but the way it revs and goes through the gears is entrancing and just as much fun as the low down wall of torque from the Jag. Bit like jumping from a Ducati V Twin to a 4 cylinder Japanese litrebike - both get the to same place but in a very different manner. PS - I've still heard nothing from Lexus Leicester; seems like they have zero interest in selling an LC500. Shockingly awful pre-sales service. Their loss.

Wow! That does look splendid and thanks for the info. I see it's parked outside a Vehicle Detailing shop. What did you have done to it or is that your business? All I need to do now is get a Lexus dealer to let me have a drive in one... which rather disturbingly is proving harder than one might hope 😞

Thanks for the links Brian. I've visited the page about a zillion times already 🙂 My question was not where does Lexus UK provide the info on the Inspiration but more 'how does the inspiration series work' from the point of view of a new car purchaser. Is it normally a new look for each model year as Lexus are 'inspired'? AFAICS, the 2022 Inspiration seems to be much the same as the 2021 offering whereas the 2020 model, in the UK, seems to be green without the wing and the 2019 yellow. Again, it's tricky to filter out the north American info but I think that's right.

While I love the look of the 2022 Inspiration series, the rear wing swings from love to hate each time I look at it 🙂 Assuming the needle is in the 'love' portion of the dial when I start talking turkey with a dealer; I'm curious as to how the Inspiration series actually works. I know it's a limited edition but do Lexus build and allocate N inspiration cars to each market or are they each built to order? Am I likely to get an 'oh they're all sold' response? Will the 2023 be the same as 2022 or do they change dramatically from year to year? Yes, I have tried searching but the stuff online is, for a UK dweller, polluted by stuff from the USA so it's hard to clean the info.

Thanks for that. I may well be heading over that way as so far Leicester have been less than impressive 😞 I filled in the online test drive booking form, got an email back saying they would phone next day... they didn't... or the next day despite a reminder email from me. Still not heard a peep from them; my request was sent on June the 8th. I know it's a sellers market but even so 😞 Sadly I'm got stuff on for the next couple of weeks so it'll be July before I can try again.

Thanks chaps, very helpful. Sounds like it is sensible booking a test drive (I'll take a box with me and scare the salesman by trying it in the boot!). All I have to do is choose between the Leicester and Cambridge dealers both being around an hour from me. Any comments on those two? BTW - rear seats wouldn't work as if I stay overnight my insurance won't cover me if the 'goods' are visible from the outside so it's in the boot or nothing.

Hi, Bit of a weird question but I thought I'd give it a try. I don't have an LC500 but I'm seriously thinking about one. I currently have an XKR which is great but getting a bit long in the tooth. Given that there are not too many years left before we can't buy cars with proper engines the LC500 seems a great choice while they're still available but... ...before I organise a test drive, could anyone tell me if a 70x46x22cm size box will fit in the boot? If it can't then the LC500 is a total no-go for me 😞 My Jag dealer dropped in an F-Type for me to test while my XKR was being serviced but one look in the boot was enough to tell me that I couldn't fit the box I absolutely have to carry from time to time so the F-Type didn't move off my drive (why get all excited by a car I can't use). Thanks.