With its long hood, piercing headlights, and purposeful stance, the Lexus LC500 is undoubtedly a stunning premium sports sedan. Throw in a 5.0-liter V-8 channeling 471 horsepower to the rear wheels, and the package gets even sweeter. But slide into the Lexus’s lush leather seats, and you’ll find what was the LC500’s greatest flaw: a clunky infotainment system centered around a tricky-to-use trackpad.
For 2024, Lexus has ditched that setup in favor of a new 12.3-inch touchscreen. The Bespoke Build package—previously exclusive to the coupe—is also now available on the convertible model, bringing performance goodies and a more personalized look.
Infotainment Overhaul
We sampled the Bespoke Build package and the latest infotainment system on a 2024 LC500 convertible painted in the lovely Copper Crest hue. The new touchscreen makes a world of difference, as it’s much more intuitive to operate than the touchpad. The ease of use is bolstered by the screen, which measures two inches larger than the display in the 2023 LC and features crisp graphics.
The removal of the touchpad means you can no longer lean back and relax while navigating the infotainment menus, but the touchpad’s closer placement to the driver had always been negated by its finicky and imprecise translation to actions on the screens. This often took the driver’s attention away from the road for too long.
Now every action requires you to lean forward and tap the screen, which requires more physical effort than before, but the screen is responsive and the resolution is sharp. Plus, in a world filled with touchscreens, reaching forward to tap has become second nature. It also allows you to select exactly what you want instead of shuffling around with the touchpad until the cursor went where you intended, which sometimes took a frustratingly long time.
While we preferred the flowing, sleekly integrated look of the old screen, the slight protrusion of the new display makes it a bit easier to reach while cruising. The screen also sits a tad closer to the driver than in the outgoing car, although the reconfigured dash also means the classy analog clock is no more. All told, however, the new touchscreen-based infotainment handily fixes our biggest gripe with the LC and makes the grand tourer a far more livable vehicle.
Breaking Down the Bespoke Build Program
Lexus first launched Bespoke Build in 2022 on the LC coupe and has now expanded the program to the convertible model, although there are some differences in what is offered on each body style.
On V-8-powered coupe models, the Bespoke Build option costs $3600 and adds the Sport package (normally $5010), which includes a Torsen limited-slip rear differential, Yamaha rear performance dampers, and performance brake pads. Sport seats with Alcantara inserts are optional. If you want the V-6 hybrid—of which Lexus sold just 19 units last year—the package costs $3200, but none of the performance add-ons are included, and the seats are still optional.
All Bespoke Build models come with a small badge behind the shifter with “Bespoke Build” written in a delicate cursive. There is also a certificate of authenticity, signed and stamped by the LC’s chief engineer and Lexus’s vice-president of marketing, which is printed on Japanese washi paper.
The convertible’s Bespoke Build costs a significant amount more, at $5500. Although the Sport package isn’t offered on the convertible, the Bespoke Build includes the differential and dampers, the latter of which are offered separately on all convertibles as a $460 extra. The performance brake pads and sport seats are not available for the convertible. All Bespoke Build LCs also have the $250 all-weather package, which includes a heated steering wheel.
On top of the standard equipment, Bespoke Build allows buyers to tack on other options, although these do come at an additional cost. Coupes can wear a carbon-fiber roof or an Alcantara headliner, and other choices include exclusive all-black wheels and the rear spoiler first seen on the Inspiration Series. Convertible models can also have the soft top in Dark Rose or a blue hue.
For 2024, there is also a new interior color that is only available on Bespoke Build convertibles. Our LC500 test car was fitted with this white-and-blue cabin, which paired beautifully with the pink notes from the exterior. This interior color combo, however, tacks on an additional $1900 atop the Bespoke Build’s $5500 charge.
Is Bespoke Build Worth It?
On the V-8-powered coupe model, the answer is undoubtedly yes. All of the Sport package equipment is included for $1410 less than the Sport Package itself. These add-ons make a real performance difference, adding a dose of extra athleticism to the large, comfort-oriented grand tourer.
On top of that, Bespoke Build allows owners to personalize their LC by choosing among options like the carbon-fiber roof or rear wing. Although those add even more to the LC’s already hefty cost, the Bespoke Build is the only way to combine many of these options in the precise way that you want. If there is a specific look that you are really committed to, the cost could be justified.
When it comes to the convertible, the value is more debatable. The Bespoke Build option costs more than the Sport package, and it doesn’t even come with the high-performance brakes or the option to spec the sports seats. However, the Sport package itself isn’t offered on the droptop, so the Bespoke Build program is therefore the only way to get the Torsen rear differential on the LC convertible.
Ultimately, the Bespoke Build program only makes sense for someone who wants their open-air experience paired with the nimbler handling of the Sport package. All of the additional options send the price even higher, with Bespoke Build simply unlocking the ability to pick and choose from those individual features. But if you can stomach the $1900 for the white-and-blue interior, we don’t blame you—it looks simply marvelous.
Associate News Editor
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.