R&T: 2018 Best Performance Car.

[GoCougs]

Won't spoil it but a great read. Weighted toward track performance and price was not a factor, but driving experience was paramount. They broke cars into categories - track, GT, super car, etc. - so a bit of a departure from other similar tests, but still ranked all cars.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a13132962/2018-performance-car-of-the-year/

[veeman]

Interesting read.  They loved the Honda Civic Type R except for the styling (described the styling as vomited on ).  The Porsche GT3 got a mild demerit because of the manual transmission (they would have liked it better with a PDK) but they didn't mind the manual transmission in the Camaro.  The Lambo Huracan Performante was described as everyday livable?  I don't know if they tried to reverse it in a mall parking lot though.  They loved the Lexus LC 500 as a real driver's GT car.

[MexicoCityM3]

Good read. I hope I get to to drive a ZL1 on track one day. All these positive reviews can't be for nothing.

The Camaro's image here however is still 15 years behind. It gets no respect. Probably it will when someone gets one and it smokes a lot of euro cars.

Other than that I think the Lexus is very interesting. Forbidden fruit for us as Lexus isn't available here.

About the winner. For some reason there is a McLaren dealer here in my new town. The other night my wife and I went out for dinner at a restaurant next to it. I drooled a bit over even the "base" 540C they had on display.

[r0tor]

The Lexus surprised me a bit... But maybe it's just because it was being compared to a whale

[GoCougs]

I'm a big fan of the LC500. Looks fantastic. The only drawback seems to be the 10 sp AT (and of course the interior ergo). The lower gears are too long, leaving most of the gears as performance-useless OD gears.

[GoCougs]

Interesting read.  They loved the Honda Civic Type R except for the styling (described the styling as vomited on ).  The Porsche GT3 got a mild demerit because of the manual transmission (they would have liked it better with a PDK) but they didn't mind the manual transmission in the Camaro.  The Lambo Huracan Performante was described as everyday livable?  I don't know if they tried to reverse it in a mall parking lot though.  They loved the Lexus LC 500 as a real driver's GT car.

Hi-winding motors seem to do much better with DCT (and of course the ZL1's LT4 isn't high-wnding out all).

[2o6]

I'm a big fan of the LC500. Looks fantastic. The only drawback seems to be the 10 sp AT (and of course the interior ergo). The lower gears are too long, leaving most of the gears as performance-useless OD gears.

I get the gist the LC is more of a cruiser than a performance car. Having seen one in person, i'd buy one on looks alone. It's such a striking looking car.

[veeman]

Jaguar F type vs Lexus LC500.  Are the backseats in the Lexus as useless as they are in the Camaro?Probably.  Maybe not direct competitors but they're kinda similar cars at a similar price (higher end F types at least).

[AutobahnSHO]

I get the gist the LC is more of a cruiser than a performance car. Having seen one in person, i'd buy one on looks alone. It's such a striking looking car.

+1  Looks almost supercar-like.

  Are the backseats in the Lexus as useless as they are in the Camaro?Probably. 

I had the luxury of sitting in back of a camaro last month. Some Colonel got one as a rental, there was a huge event here where lots and lots of people were in from out of town, and rental agencies for a couple of towns were tapped out. Anyway, I'm 5'9" and would not want to bear more than a 5min ride there- I was having to scrunch my head down, I had to sit behind the passenger since the driver had his seat all the way back and it's literally touching the back seat.

The Lexus does indeed look similar.

[CaminoRacer]

I have enough legroom in the back of a Mustang or Camaro, but both are a couple inches short on headroom. Puts a nice kink in my neck after 5+ min

[MexicoCityM3]

The BMW sports coupes are much better in that regard. Even the 1M fits an adult in the back.

[GoCougs]

Back seats in Camaro and Mustang (and 911 and others) are mostly worthless, and it's always been that way. They're to be used in a pinch and then maybe for cargo capacity. The other two-door vehicles with back seats mentioned - Challenger, Accord Coupe, 4er, etc., are in effect two-door sedans (based off of sedans).

[MX793]

I have enough legroom in the back of a Mustang or Camaro, but both are a couple inches short on headroom. Puts a nice kink in my neck after 5+ min

Previous generation Mustang was much better WRT headroom than the latest.  Provided the person in the front seat moved their seat forward a bit, I could sit comfortably in the back of an S197.  I didn't have much headroom to spare, but I didn't have to tilt my head or slouch to avoid hitting the ceiling.  Not so in the S550.  The S550 does seem a little roomier in terms of hip and shoulder room, though.

[ChrisV]

I get the gist the LC is more of a cruiser than a performance car. Having seen one in person, i'd buy one on looks alone. It's such a striking looking car.

Agreed. I hate Lexus and their styling cues, and am not a big fan of modern Toyotas in general, but the LC is absolutely stunning outside and in, both in pictures and in person. On of my top favorite modern cars now. Other than the infotainment, it's about perfect.