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Open-Air Attitude D o you remember the introduction of the Lexus brand in 1989? An unorthodox TV ad was wildly successful by stacking a pyramid of champagne-filled, narrow-stem glasses on the hood of the new LS 400 sedan that was positioned on dynamometer rollers. e car was started and accelerated to reach the equivalent speed of 145 MPH without spilling a drop of bubbly. e Lexus launch was brilliant and the ad's creator, Team One, received awards and praise. And I'll bet the client reps and the ad team celebrated the shoot by toasting from the perfectly surviving props. Entering the luxury marketplace was a gamble that paid off handsomely for Toyota's new Lexus brand. In a relatively short time, the fresh marque passed Acura and left Infiniti in the dust, quickly rivaling German luxury brands. Lexus stood for refined quiet comfort, attributes that can separate luxury buyers from their hard-earned dollars. In 2001, the Lexus SC 430 entered the luxury grand touring segment as a coupe with a retractable metal hardtop, squaring off with the similarly featured Mercedes SL. And today, Lexus offers both an LC 500 coupe and convertible to participate in this small but brand-polishing segment. When our lovely Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series Convertible arrived for testing, I resisted the temptation to populate the hood with a gaggle of our stemware filled with champagne and rev the V8. Perhaps I've learned over time what creative endeavors are unwelcome in a marital relationship. Besides, without a chassis dyno, a garage feature the builder didn't include, I couldn't replicate the LC 500's 168 MPH top speed. If I had assembled the champagne pyramid behind the car and revved the 5-liter engine, they may have blown across the street. Or perhaps just run to escape the thunderous exhaust. Apparently, the Lexus LC 500 is responding to the male species' Harley Davidson instinct. detour transportation PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF LEXUS e Lexus LC 500 Convertible delivers sculptural design and a bold new expression of luxury performance BY BRIAN DOUGLAS ranchandcoast.com 78 MAY 2026 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE