What does the LC 500 stand for in Lexus?
The LC 500 name signals two ideas in one: LC stands for Luxury Coupe, and 500 refers to the 5.0-liter V8 engine used in the standard LC 500 variant. In other words, the designation communicates both body style and powertrain for the non-hybrid version of Lexus’s flagship two-door.
Etymology and engine reference
To understand how the name is built, consider how Lexus labels its large coupe. The following breakdown explains what the letters and digits mean in practice.
- LC = Luxury Coupe, indicating a premium, two-door grand-touring body style within Lexus’s lineup.
- 500 = denotes the 5.0-liter V8 engine used in the LC 500 (the non-hybrid variant).
- h = Hybrid, the suffix used with the LC 500h to designate the hybrid variant, which uses a different powertrain from the LC 500.
In short, the LC portion signals the Luxury Coupe body style, while the 500 badge on the non-hybrid model highlights the 5.0-liter V8 powerplant; the hybrid variant uses the “h” suffix to differentiate its drivetrain.
Non-hybrid vs Hybrid powertrains
Non-hybrid LC 500
The LC 500 is driven by a 5.0-liter V8 engine, delivering substantial performance and the characteristic V8 soundtrack. The 500 badge is a nod to the engine displacement, with power and acceleration figures varying slightly by model year and configuration.
Hybrid LC 500h
The LC 500h carries the hybrid designation with a 3.5-liter V6 paired with electric motors under Lexus Hybrid Drive. Its total output is lower than the LC 500’s V8, emphasizing efficiency alongside performance. The presence of the “h” suffix signals this is the hybrid variant rather than the displacement-based 5.0-liter V8 version.
Note: The digits in the hybrid’s name are part of Lexus’s marketing naming scheme rather than a direct one-to-one mapping to engine displacement, and specifics can vary by market and model year.
Context and model variants
The LC family represents Lexus’s flagship two-door lineup, with the primary division between the LC 500 (non-hybrid) and LC 500h (hybrid). The branding emphasizes the car’s luxury intent, its grand-touring capabilities, and the available powertrain options for different customer priorities.
Summary
In Lexus nomenclature, LC stands for Luxury Coupe, and the 500 badge on the LC 500 points to the 5.0-liter V8 engine used in the standard, non-hybrid model. The LC 500h uses the hybrid suffix “h,” signifying a different powertrain. Together, the naming guides buyers to understand both body style and drivetrain when selecting from the LC lineup.
