Lexus LC 500 2021: All-new convertible unveiled in glitzy Dubai ceremony

The Japanese brand has looked at the weather in the UAE and timed the arrival of its newest soft-top well

The Lexus LC 500 has a sense of drama. All photos courtesy Al-Futtaim Automotive

The LC 500 was unveiled at a gala event in Dubai Festival City, at the brand’s Al-Futtaim showroom.

It's powered by a 5-litre V8 engine that will produce 471 horsepower

Those will be the 21-inch forged wheels.

The top is down, but there are sound-dampening technologies at work here.

It will get you up to 100 kilometres per hour in 4.7 seconds.

The compact front lights on the LC 500.

Lexus says the roof can be opened or closed at speeds of up to 50kph.

Prices start at Dh465,000.

A suitable ride for the environment.

The styling is all a little on the fancy side.

At the water's edge.

The first-ever 2021 Lexus LC 500 convertible has just made landfall in the UAE, coming, conveniently, at a time of year when driving an open-top vehicle is actually an option.

The LC 500 was unveiled at a gala event in Dubai Festival City, at the brand’s Al-Futtaim showroom.

It's no surprise that the all-new vehicle is largely based on its coupe counterpart, but the manufacturer is keen to point out the new arrival has had a complete reworking where it matters, most notably in the enhancement of its structural rigidity (which is always an issue with soft-tops).

Pleasingly (and predictably), the styling is all a little on the fancy side – a difficult-to-miss mesh grille spreads across the front of the car, while chrome-plated mouldings along the sides echo the lines of a traditional Japanese sword, Lexus says. That’s not something you see every day and it’s a feature LC 500 drivers will no doubt mention often.

The new vehicle also has a design quirk around its night-time signature (that'll be the front and back lights to you and me). The tail lamps are, apparently, inspired by the glow of a jet's afterburners, while the headlamps have gone all minimalist, at half the size of the conventional variety.

Lack of speed won’t be a problem in the LC 500, either, as it's powered by a 5-litre V8 engine that will produce 471 horsepower. It will also get you up to 100 kilometres per hour in 4.7 seconds.

The elegantly appointed cabin has been designed to reduce wind noise, allowing you to hear the 13-speaker sound system more clearly.

More about that roof – Lexus says it can be opened or closed at speeds of up to 50kph, so no waiting for traffic lights if you suddenly fancy a little sun in your face.

Prices for the Lexus LC 500 convertible start at Dh465,000.