Jaguar F-TYPE R v Lexus LC 500 2024 Comparison

We’re not going to pretend there isn’t a fair old price discrepancy between the 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE R and Lexus LC 500 Convertible.

At $283,020 plus on-road costs, the Jaguar sits well clear of the Lexus ($218,242 plus ORCs) and the F-TYPE P450 Convertible ($186,920 plus ORCs) would’ve been a better match.

Unfortunately, the appropriate specs and body styles didn’t line up geographically but, as mentioned in the intro, this comparison is more about examining and celebrating these V8-powered two-doors. And there’s a strong argument that buyers in this segment will go for the car they want rather than sweating overly about cost.

The waters are muddied further by the fact the F-TYPE has now ceased production, but there were still new examples of the P450-based F-TYPE 75 and the limited ZP Edition (priced at a whopping $373,547 plus ORCs) available at the time of writing.

On the other side of this test the Lexus can also be had as a coupe in LC 500 ($204,635 plus ORCs) or hybrid LC 500h ($212,727 plus ORCs) guises.

What you see is what you get with the 2024 Lexus LC 500 Convertible. There are no options. All 10 colours are no-cost choices – likewise the four interior colours, though only certain combinations are allowed.

It’s also loaded with kit, including a head-up display, powered, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control and ambient interior lighting.

All colours, inside and out, are also standard on the F-TYPE R, but from there you can get ticking from a plethora of options.

Our test car had the $2760 climate pack (heated windscreen and steering wheel and dual-zone climate control) and the $2110 extended leather pack, plus $1150 to add heating and cooling to the 12-way adjustable front seats and $650 for privacy glass.

There’s a reasonable argument these things should be standard, but beyond this you’re looking at huge bills for carbon-ceramic brakes ($21,280) and special SVO paint ($18,600-$26,440 depending on the finish).

Both cars offer five-year/unlimited-km warranties, but Jaguar throws in the first five services for free, too. This is no small offer given the same costs $3475 in the Lexus over the same period, itself not an unreasonable figure in this segment.

The Lexus Encore aftersales program also gives buyers various benefits from discounts at partner brands, the ability to book other Lexus vehicles for holidays, plus international lounge access at airports and more.

Neither the 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE R nor the Lexus LC 500 Convertible come with an independent safety rating, but both have the usual airbags cocooning the front occupants and plenty of active safety tech which, happily, is well calibrated and unintrusive in both cars.

One slight quirk is the F-TYPE offers blind-spot assist and rear cross-traffic alert as a no-cost option, while self-park costs another $700. Rear cross-traffic alert is well worth having in these cars as seeing out the back of them is not easy.

One of the bigger recent changes to the 2024 Lexus LC 500 Convertible is the inclusion of a new touch-screen infotainment system, Lexus finally abandoning its unintuitive and awkward mouse/touchpad arrangements.

The screen can be a fraction slow to respond to inputs but makes the car so much easier to interact with. The system also includes wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, plus digital radio and app connectivity, and it all plays through a 13-speaker Mark Levinson stereo.

It’s always worth mentioning the LC 500’s instruments, too. They feature beautifully engineered moving rings taken from the LFA supercar and they’re a showpiece in and of themselves.

The Jaguar’s infotainment offering is similar. It works fine, with wired smartphone mirroring, digital radio and a 10-speaker stereo that’s possibly too potent, vibrating most of the interior on bass-heavy tunes, while the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster offers different views depending on the drive mode and driver preference.

For many the primary appeal of the 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE R and Lexus LC 500 Convertible will be the V8 engines under their respective bonnets. Both displace five litres, but the Jag adds a supercharger that boosts outputs to 423kW/700Nm – a sizeable bump over the 351kW/540Nm of the Lexus.

Both use automatic transmissions – eight speeds in the F-TYPE and 10 in the LC – but all-wheel drive allows the Jaguar to blitz to 100km/h in just 3.7sec and on to a 300km/h top speed, whereas the Lexus manages 0-100km/h in 4.9sec and 270km/h flat-out (claimed).

If fuel efficiency is a concern, you might be better off shopping for vehicles other than the 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE R or Lexus LC 500 Convertible.

On paper the Jaguar is a clear winner with a combined claim of 10.3L/100km, versus 12.3L/100km for the Lexus, but the manner in which they’re driven will dictate their consumption.

The Jaguar, in particular, has a hellacious thirst when extended, but either should trickle along at under 10L/100km on a highway cruise and rocket well into the 20s if used hard.

When it comes to out-and-out driving thrills the 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE R is in a class of its own here. It is extraordinarily fast, has phenomenal grip – in the dry at least, but more on that in a moment – tremendous brakes and an agility born of being 250kg lighter than the Lexus.

It is a thrilling, intoxicating machine, but can also be a handful. The front-end is very responsive, so initial inputs need to be calm so as not to upset its balance, especially if you have the dampers softened.

Firming things up in Dynamic mode – you can adjust the car’s parameters individually through the central screen – solves this but at the cost of compliance.

Throttle response is also extremely sharp in Dynamic, so again inputs must be quite measured. This is particularly the case in the wet, where you might think the all-wheel drive F-TYPE would shine, but it allows a remarkable amount of slip and slide before transferring power to the front wheels. It’s definitely exciting, just occasionally too much so.

In calmer use it rides relatively well. There’s quite a bit of road noise but it’s a solid enough cruiser.

In comparison, the Lexus LC 500 Convertible has a bit of an identity crisis. The busy ride on poor surfaces and relatively torque-lite engine undermine its GT credentials, but the suspension is too soft – especially with 2035kg to control – to offer true sports car thrills.

That said, it’s also a very enjoyable car to drive. The engine is truly magnificent, with a searing snarl in Sport+ that’s more cultured than the Jaguar’s – still enjoyable – anti-social racket.

If you’re a keen driver and want an LC 500 then get the coupe, which is much stiffer and comes with quicker steering and rear-wheel steering among other dynamic enhancements, but accept the convertible isn’t the sharpest thing around and there’s lots of fun to be had.

It’s heavy and the body flexes but it’s also faithful and trustworthy and it can be driven hard with relative ease.

There’s a welcome bit of theatre inside the 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE R. Some might find it contrived and cheesy, but the way the air-vents rise out of the dash and the pulsating ‘heartbeat’ in the starter button are little reminders that you’re driving something special.

Otherwise, it’s a cosy, very driver-focused environment. Everything is within easy reach, though finding the ideal driving position may be a challenge depending on your body composition. And there are plenty of soft, leathery surfaces, but storage is a premium.

Thankfully, under the rear hatch you’ll find a handy boot space that can carry a few overnight bags with relative ease.

Unfortunately, the luggage area of the Lexus LC 500 Convertible is terrible. It’s OK in coupe but half of it is now given over to roof storage and, as such, it’s a paltry 149L. The shopping or a couple of soft bags will fit OK but not much else.

The LC 500 does have another card to play, though, thanks to its back seats. They aren’t really fit for human habitation, though taking one of the kids to school is possible thanks to ISOFIX points if you fold the front passenger seat all the way forward, in addition to being a useful storage area.

There’s also more storage space in the Lexus, plenty of aluminium and leather, it feels beautifully put together – it’s a nice environment.

To return to an earlier analogy, some people like pink lady apples and some people prefer granny smiths, so there is an element of choose the one you like here between the 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE R and Lexus LC 500 Convertible, especially as we wanted to celebrate these cars as much as compare them.

However, some buying advice can be dispensed. The F-TYPE is arguably at its best in P450 guise. You lose the mind-bending power and you’ll pay more for some options, but it really is a tremendous British muscle car and one that will be fondly remembered.

Unless, you’re absolutely addicted to having the wind in your hair, it’s difficult to make a case for the LC 500 drop-top over the coupe, which is cheaper, more practical and better to drive.

Regardless, the days of hedonistic pure-petrol powerplants like these are numbered, but it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

2024 Jaguar F-TYPE R at a glance:
Price: $283,020 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now while stocks last
Engine: Supercharged 5.0-litre V8 petrol
Output: 423kW/700Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Fuel: 10.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 241g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Unrated

2024 Lexus LC 500 Convertible at a glance:
Price: $218,242 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 5.0-litre V8 petrol
Output: 351kW/540Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 297g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Unrated