Lexus LC 500 Wins Texas Auto Writers Association 2018 Car of Texas

The Texas Auto Writers Association awarded the 2018 Car of Texas to the Lexus LC 500 at this year's annual Auto Roundup. The annual spring event sponsored by Steel Market Development Institute was held this year, for the first time, at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, Texas. Almost 50 automotive journalists voted on 46 different vehicles at this year's event with the majority voting the LC 500 the overall winner.

This professional road course allowed for consistent real-world driving simulation with its 70 feet of elevation change from start to finish. Because of the constant elevation changes, there was not a flat or sweeping corner on the simulation course. Whether a journalist drove an electric car or a high-end sports car, they could easily sense and judge how each vehicle's suspension, horsepower, and overall ride responded to the unique corners and elevation changes. There was also an uphill braking zone that allowed drivers to safely test a vehicle's braking system by accelerating to highway speed and then quickly applying the brakes and coming to a full stop.

The Lexus LC 500 is a disrupter in the hotly-contested sports car segment. One thing that makes this sports car different than most other sports cars is that you can buy the car either as a traditional V8 5L that creates a little under 500hp and a top speed of 168mph or a lighter, green, efficient 3.5 V6 Atkinson Cycle hybrid that produces 353hp, a top speed of 155mph and mpg's rated at 26 city and 35 highway. Whichever engine you decide on, they are both quick, super fast, and will provide more than enough horsepower to give you the fun you expect in a sports car.

The road course was set up to use 11 of the 13 corners. There were a couple of tight corners that climbed aggressively up on exit, so some natural g-forces were created. The LC 500 handled them flawlessly, and the driver-seat design allowed for plush comfort as well as driver stability in those high-g corners. Both the car and the driver turned as one on a rail. You could point the car at any point in the corner and it would go there.

The LC comes standard with an electronically-controlled direct shift transmission that would put the power to the road quickly and smoothly coming out of those challenging corners with no wheel slippage. It also has magnesium paddle shifters that not only looked great in the car, but helped with smoother transitions into some of the tight corners. You don't have to give up interior styling or comfort with this sports car either. It is plush and comfortable like you would expect a Lexus to be. I am just under 6'2" and I was able to sit comfortably in the car and not feel like I have to be squeezed into it.

Additional winners by specific category include:

ACTIVITY VEHICLE

Winner: 2018 Infiniti QX80

Runner-Up: 2018 Jeep Wrangler

COMPACT CAR

Winner: 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback

Runner-Up: 2018 Volkswagen Golf R

MID-SIZE CAR

Winner: 2018 Toyota Camry

Runner-Up: 2018 Volkswagen Passat

FULL-SIZE CAR

Winner: 2019 Toyota Avalon

Runner-Up: 2018 Honda Accord

FULL-SIZE LUXURY CAR

Winner: 2018 Lexus LS 500

Runner-Up: 2019 Infiniti QX50

GREEN VEHICLE

Winner: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

Runner-Up: 2018 Honda Clarity

PERFORMANCE COMPACT

Winner: 2018 Honda Civic Type R

Runner-Up: 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata

PERFORMANCE COUPE

Winner: 2018 Lexus LC 500

Runner-Up: 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody

PERFORMANCE SEDAN

Winner: 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

Runner-Up: 2018 Kia Stinger

PERFORMANCE UTILITY

Winner: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Runner-Up: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT

SUPERCAR

Winner: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GT R

Runner-Up: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

BEST TECHNOLOGY

Winner: World's First Production-Ready Variable Compression Ratio Engine, 2019 Infiniti QX50

BEST NEW INTERIOR

Winner: 2019 Toyota Avalon Touring

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Texas Auto Writers Association