Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/861960
FRONT ROW SEAT LEXUS'S GROUNDBREAKING NEW FLAGSHIP SPORTS CAR, THE 2018 LC500, IS BREATHTAKING BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. HERE, WE TAKE ITS NEXT-GENERATION INTERIOR FOR A TEST-DRIVE. BY NATE CHAPNICK 4 1 2 3 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 15 7 13 138 MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM 17 GAUGE CLUSTER Inspired by the design of Lexus's LFA supercar, the LC500's center gauge ring [1] employs thin-film transistor (TFT) display technology and moves to the left and right while driving. Metallic- trimmed rotary knobs [2] next to the steering wheel provide quick traction con- trol and suspension setting changes. Plus, the low instrument panel position and hood line [3] help give the driver a commanding view of the road, despite low- to-the-road, sporty seating. STEERING WHEEL Attention to detail is on display with the leather- stitched center cap [4] as well as the outer wheel [5], which features different circumferences and careful stitching for the perfect grip, allowing the magnesium- alloy paddle shifters [6] to fall readily into hand. DOOR PANEL The flowing lines of the doors [7] add visual depth and a sense of movement to the interior, while the door handle [8] is perfectly contoured to the hand. CENTER CONSOLE Embedding the 10.3-inch color screen [9] in the leather dash (at the level of the instrument cluster) while extending the center stack [10] toward the driver adds depth—a plus for ergonomics and the driver's sight lines. The screen responds to the Remote Touch Interface pad, displaying everything from navigation instructions to Lexus's Enform App Suite. In a nod to old-school luxury, Lexus also added an elegant analog timepiece [11] just to the right of the screen. LEATHER DETAILING "Takumi" is the Japanese word for artisan, and Lexus's takumi craftsman- ship is on full display in the meticulously wrapped leather gearshift [12], the contrast stitching just underneath the magnesium- colored climate control buttons [13], and the sculpted side bolster [14], which gradually rises to create a grab handle for passengers and adds another layer of depth to the interior design. LOWER CONSOLE Knurled seeking and tuning buttons, plus a gleaming volume knob [15], make audio adjustments painless. A high, padded armrest [16] is ideal for operating Lexus's new Remote Touch Interface pad [17], which understands gestures like swiping, tapping, and drawing when entering infotainment commands. McGrath Lexus of Chicago, 1250 W. Division St., 855- 659-5629; mcgrathlexus ofchicago.com . SPACE WHEELS