DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Lexus reveals flagship LC 500 coupe

UPDATE 12/01/2016 9:00am:

Lexus Australia has confirmed the production-ready 2017 LC 500 will become available in Australia, but has not yet said when.

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Lexus has revealed its all-new luxury flagship coupe at the Detroit motor show.

Said to be inspired by the LF-LC coupe concept that was unveiled at the same North American car show back in 2012, the new large 2+2 coupe comes equipped with the same 348kW/530Nm 5.0-litre V8 that powers the RC F and GS F, but in the LC 500 it's combined with the world's first 10-speed automatic transmission supplied by Aisin.

The new 10-speeder is not only lighter than current eight-speed autos but is also packaged smaller. The benefit is, says the Japanese car-maker, the 10 gears can be spaced closely meaning there's an optimal gear for all conditions.

Lexus says it's aiming for a 0-100km/h sprint of just 4.5 seconds for its big coupe.

Measuring in a 4.7m long, 1.9m wide and standing 1.4m tall, the new LC 500 is based on the brand's all-new Global Architecture for Luxury vehicles (GA-L) that, Lexus says, will be its blueprint for future front-engine, rear-wheel drive cars.

There's no information how heavy the new coupe is, but according to Lexus the LC has a near perfect 52:48 weight distribution front to rear and has undergone some significant weight saving. The roof, for example, is made of carbon-fibre, as are the door structures (that have aluminium skins) and boot floor.

The LC 500 is also claimed to have better structural rigidity than the old carbonfibre-bodied LFA supercar.

Under the skin there's multi-link rear suspension with double ball joints on upper and lower arms (for optimised suspension geometry) and control arms made of lightweight forged aluminium to reduce unsprung mass.

The show car rode on large 21-inch wheels.

Inside the luxurious cabin there's Lexus' latest infotainment system that features updated, faster software with a new user interface.

In the future a hybrid version (thought to be badged LC 500h) is also expected to join the line up and use an all-new 350kW 3.5-litre V6 ‘multi-hybrid’ for rear-drive models, which will also be offered on the next-generation LS.

The LC 500 will be launched globally in 2017, with a hotter F version expected in 2018.

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