Lexus Concept May Preview Upcoming Convertible

Toyota Motor Corp. will publicly unveil a concept drop-top variant of its Lexus LC luxury coupe at next week’s Detroit auto show.

The concept is expected to preview a Lexus production model that media reports suggest could launch in 2020. If approved, the vehicle would be the upscale brand’s first convertible since the IS C was discontinued in 2015.

The LC convertible concept shares most of the attributes of the 2+2 LC coupe that bowed in mid-2017. But the drop-top model is about half an inch longer and has a contoured rear deck in which to store a retractable roof.

The convertible likely would share the coupe’s engine options: a 5.0-liter V-8 and the 3.5-liter V-6. The latter is paired with an electric motor in Toyota’s so-called multi-stage hybrid architecture that generates 354 in the LC 500h sports coupe.

The LC convertible has been prioritized over a range-topping F variant of the LC in Lexus’s product plan, according to Autocar. The British enthusiast magazine notes that the convertible has a higher global sales potential than a new F model.