The All-New Lexus LC 500 Aviation Edition

November 04, 2020 – Look out Japan, that’s no bird or plane, but surely a special edition Lexus LC 500 Aviation based off of the two! This plane-themed version of its LC 500 sporty coupe is Lexus’ take on the aerodynamic crossover possible between automobiles and aviation.

Because of its sleek design, you have too look close to notice the new curved carbon fiber reinforced plastic spoiler on the back of the car. It follows the arc of the trunk and includes two downturned functional winglets on either end, which generate a vertical vortex that smooths out any turbulence, improving the aerodynamics of the coupe. From this comes improved yaw response, direction changes, and steering response.

The best part about the spoiler? It was designed and made by a craftsman from the LFA project, the same one that created the 3d carbon fiber components on the past supercar. Also, aerobatic pilot, Yoshihide Muroya, shared his expertise on wings during the design process.

The spoiler isn’t the only upgrade to this Lexus LC 500 Aviation. Also included are 21-inch split-spoke wheels, an all-black Spindle grill, a custom steering wheel and shift knob, and an “Aviation Black” interior.

The Aviation package is available on both the Lexus LC 500 and LC 500H. However, Lexus is only producing 70 of these cars for Japan, with a cost of 15-million Yen, approximately $143,600.

All for the Love

Ray Soria’s Lexus RC F In The Making

“I fell in love with the IS 250 when it was released in ’06 but never pulled the trigger to call it my own,” stated Laguna Beach, California resident Ray Soria. The following year, the F brand introduced the IS F as the import adversary to the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C Class AMG. The Lexus F series models continued its production but for Soria, they seemed to lack the excitement and design that was needed to stir up his emotions.

Then in 2015, a new opportunity arose with the release of the RC F—the newest RC sports coupe that was branded as Lexus’s most powerful V8 performance car ever. This was the perfect pitch that immediately caught Soria’s attention.

“It was a no brainer, given the perfect opportunity in ’15 to purchase a brand new RC F and a suitable replacement for my GT500.” He was quick to admit that it wasn’t loved at first sight. “I thought the RC F was ugly when it was released.”

“I’ve owned a number of cars over the years but I wanted to try to build a Lexus. I liked the fact that it was rear-wheel drive, looked good, powered by a 467-hp 5.0L V8 (2UR-GSE) engine, and coupled to an 8 Speed Direct-Shift Automatic,” Soria recounts.

I thought the RC F was ugly when it was released.

As the Southern California import scene continued to evolve, so did Soria’s RC F. Car meets and local show events continued to flourish around him, which ultimately fed his desire to begin modifying his ride. His game plan was a simple, but ultimately time-consuming one; he would keep the engine and interior alterations of his Lexus to a bare minimum and devote all of his time into remaking the exterior.

It sounded easy enough but complementing the RC body already outfitted with wider wheels and tires, cooling ducts, an active rear wing, and stacked exhaust tailpipes is anything but. The complexities of it are actually one of the main reasons why you don’t see as many cleanly-executed RC Fs as you would on, say, an IS 250 or 350 model.

“I slowly began modding my ride over a two-year span with a plan for the car to be different than all the other RC Fs I saw online.” As promised, the outward appearance of his RC F was his main focus, as he outfitted it with a number of aero enhancements which consisted of an Alpheyga Carbon Fiber GTS spoiler and Lexon Carbon Fiber Diffuser but not before wrapping the body in Satin Black.

I’ve owned a number of cars over the years but I wanted to try to build a Lexus.

The added room from the factory fenders offers just enough space to house the aggressive staggered fitment of 20×10-inch and 20×11-inch HRE FF04 wheels in Tarmac Finish wrapped with Milestar MS932 XP+ 275/30-20 up front and 285/30-20 in the rear.

In the suspension department, an Airlift suspension kit was installed alongside an Airlift 3P management system. The end result was a comfortable and smooth cruise carving the canyon roads with no traffic to endure; one of the many guilty pleasures Soria enjoys partaking in.

Though Soria’s RC F is quite simple as a whole, we were impressed with the overall execution of his project. Often times, less is definitely more, especially when it comes to modifying a Lexus.

Toyota’s at Long Beach: The 2018 Toyotafest

It may sound like the latest sales gimmick Toyota created to drive sales of new cars, but that’s not what Toyotafest is about. You get owners of new, neo-classic, and classic ‘yotas from all over Southern California coming out to show off their cars and trucks and brag about reliability.

A Toyota has a different meaning to each person who owns one. That’s what helps make Toyotafest different from other niche shows. You can have a slammed, VIP luxury Lexus GS400 while at the same time having a high-lifted Toyota Tacoma ready to tackle Johnson Valley in the same area. You can have the fastest Time Attack Toyota out right beside a Supra that’s built for drag strip. You can have a drift car right beside a restored 90’s classic. The only thing in common is who built them: Toyota.

This type of variety is all thanks to Toyota’s previous history. It was once a brand dedicated to motorsports and the automotive lifestyle. They had drivers like Ivan “Ironman” Stewart racing off-road beside Dan Gurney who stuck with the pavement. You had Lexus going toe-to-toe with the best from Germany and beating them in both luxury and performance.

Then in the 2000s, they lost it. They went from an exciting brand to being compared to refrigerators and looked upon as the appliance car brand. The excitement was gone, even as they brought Scion on board. Fortunately, it seems some of that excitement is coming back as they have absorbed Scion back into their wings. It looks good for enthusiasts and Toyota once again with the 86 and the new Corolla that comes with a six-speed and three pedals. It’s also bringing back the Supra, so we mustn’t forget that.

Next year’s Toyotafest might shape up to look somewhat different as this new excitement continues to build in the most reliable Japanese brand. Hopefully, they will have learned their lesson so that these enthusiasts have something to look forward to with their own kids, just as they had when they were growing up.

Hopefully, anyway.