Lexus LC vs BMW i Series
What's the difference?

Lexus LC

—

2021 price

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BMW i Series

$88,900 - $233,400

2026 price

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Aston Martin Vanquish

Lamborghini Aventador

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Summary

2021 Lexus LC

2026 BMW i Series

By Andrew Chesterton

Safety Rating

Engine Type

V8, 5.0L

Electric motor type

Electromagnetically Excited

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Vehicle type

Battery Electric

Fuel Efficiency

12.7L/100km (combined)

Electric range

805 km

Energy consumption

18.8 kWh/100km

Battery capacity

108.70 kWh

Seating

Likes

Punchy engine
Throaty exhaust
Climate-controlled cabin

Ridiculous range in its most efficient settings
Properly fun in its sportiest settings
Tech that feels futuristic but somehow familiar

Dislikes

Disconnect from the drive experience
Lexus trackpad tech persists
Thirsty

Light-touch steering takes some getting used to
Feels heavy on some roads
The native operating system can be clunky and confusing

2021 Lexus LC Summary

Being a true Jack of all trades in the car world is rare.

Generally speaking, a vehicle is either capable or comfortable. Attractive or aerodynamic. Practical or performance orientated. And problems arise when cars try to do all those things well, all at the same time.

Which make the Lexus LC 500 Convertible such an interesting proposition. Because it is, without doubt, stylish, and lavishly equipped. It’s also rather large and rather heavy. All of which is perfect for cruising the Bondi foreshore.

But it’s also equipped with a thumping V8 engine and a throaty exhaust that sounds like bricks in a blender on the overrun. It’s stiffer than the LFA supercar, and plenty powerful, which should deliver one of Lexus’ sportiest-ever drives.

So can the LC 500 really do it all? Let’s find out.

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2026 BMW i Series Summary

There are a lot of big numbers surrounding the BMW iX3, the German brand’s new-from-the-ground-up EV that acts as the flagbearer for its future-facing Neue Klasse (or New Class) architecture, designed to distil all the ingredients that make a BMW a BMW, and then electrify for them for the post-ICE (internal combustion engine) era.

But the one that really stood out? 805. That’s how many kilometres of driving range the iX3 will deliver, though admittedly in its most efficient and least exciting driving modes. That is bonkers, right?

It’s worth pointing out the first BMW i3, which only launched a decade-or-so ago, delivered more like 150km on what would have been the WLTP cycle, if it had existed then. Talk about leaps and bounds.

A good start for the newest BMW EV, then. But what else does the iX3 have to offer?

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Deep dive comparison

2021 Lexus LC 2026 BMW i Series

Verdict

Stunning to behold, and even more so to listen to, the LC 500 Convertible with no doubt turn as many heads as its owners surely want it to. It's not the final word in performance, but it's a lavishly equipped transporter none the less.

Verdict

The thing that really grabs you from behind the wheel of a car like this is just how far EVs have come. The fact you can get a ridiculous range and have a really, really good time on the right twisting road is a pretty good deal and solidifies the fact EVs like this one are the future.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Lexus LC vs BMW i Series What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Lexus LC vs BMW i Series
What's the difference?