8 Of The Most Memorable Lexus Cars From Movies & TV

Often used in car chases, but also to showcase the financial status of characters and their taste in automobiles, movie cars can also help automakers reach cult status.

Aston Martin made a name for itself by teaming up with James Bond. Ford solidified Mustang's image as one of the coolest in the industry with cameos in "Bullitt" and "Gone in 60 Seconds." Ferrari showed its exotica credentials with the F430 in "Miami Vice" and F355 Spyder in "The Rock." Let's also not forget that the Toyota Supra Mk IV became a cultural phenomenon after featuring in the "Fast and Furious" franchise.

But what about Toyota's luxury division, Lexus? The Japanese premium automaker is already an established player in the industry and launched some stunning cars through the years. From revolutionizing the high-end segment with the LS 400 in 1989 to giving us one of the most memorable supercars with the LFA, Lexus has done everything to deserve its place among the automotive icons.

Unsurprisingly, Lexus has also had prominent cameos in movies and TV series. In this piece, we'll have a closer look at what makes the most memorable Lexus cars to appear on screen so notable. Naturally, we'll also tell you more about the cars themselves, because we are SlashGear, and we like to share our knowledge. Let's dig in!

Lexus' first prominent role on the big screen was in the sci-fi masterpiece "Minority Report," directed by Steven Spielberg. Based on a short book by Philip K. Dick, "Minority Report" is set in 2054, and follows officer John Anderton (Tom Cruise) from the futuristic PreCrime police unit. Utilizing the psychic powers of people called "PreCogs," the PreCrime team can predict before a murder happens, notifying officers to stop the murder.

Minority Report is unquestionably one of the finest sci-fi movies of all time, which makes Lexus' role even more significant. Curiously, director Steven Spielberg contacted the automaker because he drove a Lexus 4x4, and the Japanese luxury brand delivered — big time. The team at Lexus' CALTY design studio imagined a two-seater sports car with futuristic, muscular looks. The design team opted for a cab-forward design, made possible by the all-electric powertrain, which makes it hard to determine which is the front end of the car.

The tech in the Lexus 2054 Concept was equally unorthodox. Notably, John Anderton entered and started the car using his DNA, and received information via a head-up display with night vision and organic recognition capability. Heck, he could even use a voice command to change the exterior color. Still, the tech that is perhaps most viable was the autonomous drive feature; the Lexus 2054 Concept could drop John at a desired location, park itself, and arrive later to pick him up. Somewhat predictably, this is one of those Lexus concepts we wish made it to production.

Even eight years after its launch, the Lexus LC 500 still wows with its concept car looks. As colleague Chris Davies found out when testing the coupe in 2020, Lexus' coupe also impresses with the driving experience. A naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 dominates the stage with its sonic extravaganza. Sure, with 471 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque it's not as potent as its turbocharged rivals, but good luck finding a sweeter-sounding V8 in any other grand-tourer. Besides, with a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds and 168-mph top speed, the LC 500 is certainly no slouch.

All these qualities translated perfectly into the 2018 "Black Panther" movie, directed by Ryan Coogler. The sharp, sporty design of the LC 500 suited T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) perfectly in the movie, when he held himself on top of the car during a frantic on-screen car chase scene. The dark blue exterior further added to the connection between Lexus' most handsome car and the Black Panther himself. To add some intensity to the scene, Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) drove the LC 500 remotely from Wakanda, using advanced tech developed by the technologically advanced nation of the country.

However, the collaboration between Lexus and Marvel was also transferred into the "Black Panther: Soul of a Machine" comic, written by Fabian Nicieza, and drawn by graphic artists Scott "Rahzzah" Wilson and Szymon Kudranski. There, the creators gave the LC 500 a more prominent role and even cast Lexus' Takumi Masters in a role to discuss science with Wakanda graduate students.

After its successful showcase in "Black Panther," Lexus again demonstrated a V8-powered machine in "Men in Black: International." This time, though, it was the recently discontinued Lexus RC F — a more aggressive, less refined sports coupe than the LC 500. Both cars share the same engine, though the RC F makes 472 hp and gets to 60 in 4.2 seconds (Final Edition).

In the movie, the RC F stars in an action-packed car chase, driven by the main protagonist Agent H (Chris Hemsworth), with Agent M (Tessa Thompson) sitting beside him. Naturally, the film's creators didn't miss the chance to showcase the rear-wheel drive RC F's drifting prowess. With its sharp, striking design, and dressed in black, the RC F also suits the alien-fighting agents perfectly.

However, this is no ordinary RC F — you can't fight advanced aliens with a V8, after all. Somewhere in the middle of the car chase, the RC F shapeshifts into the Lexus QZ 618 Galactic Enforcer jet (pictured at the top of the post), which looks as crazy as it sounds.

It gets even more ridiculous once you see the specs Lexus slapped on this thing. Thanks to the Quasar Power Source Technology, 0-60 takes just 0.0000000000001 nanoseconds and the fuel economy is staggering 122 millennia per gallon. The QZ 618 also has an Inter-Galactic Positioning System, Amazon Alexa that understands seven trillion alien languages, force field, and gamma ray headlights. Sure, gamma rays can kill you, but don't worry about that.

You could argue that the Lexus LFA wasn't the most prominent car in "Fast Five," but you blame us from featuring Japan's finest supercar with one of the most special V10 engines ever made? Truly, this 4.8-liter unit is a perfect example of why we love naturally aspirated engines. 552 hp (562 hp in the Nürburgring Edition) at a stratospheric 8,700 rpm. A 9,000-rpm redline. 0-60: 3.6 seconds. Top speed: 202 mph. Oh, and let's not forget the hyper-responsive throttle action — the 1LR-GUE revs from idle to 9,000 in mind-boggling 0.6 seconds.

But by far the most unique aspect about the LFA's V10 is its melodic goldmine. Developed by Yamaha's sound engineers, the noise this engine produces is similar to the V10 units from the F1 golden era. Angry, yet harmonic and sophisticated, the 1LR-GUE is feast for your ears. The best part — "Fast Five" director Justin Lin used the LFA V10's noise prominently in its short cameo.

And it's not just the noise that makes LFA's movie cameo memorable. With Han (Sung Kang) behind the steering wheel and Gisele (Gal Gadot) sitting in his lap and kissing him, the scene gives us those "don't try this on public roads" vibes we all love in movies. It's silly, sure, but showcases the chemistry between the two characters. Even so, maybe the LFA should've had a more prominent, but surely the producers wouldn't want to destroy one of the only 500 examples ever made.

The producers of the third installment of the popular Terminator movie franchise didn't have the rarity problem with the SC 430. Lexus' elegant convertible wasn't sold in the millions, but wasn't as limited as the LFA, either. So, they used three vehicles to record multiple car chase scenes in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" (2003).

The silver SC 430 was showcased prominently from all angles, driven with the top down by the angry female Terminatrix (Kristanna Loken). During her time with the Lexus convertible, she was stopped by the police, and even passed through a drive-in restaurant, killing almost everyone in sight. Standard terminator stuff, you know.

You could argue that the SC 430 wasn't the best choice, because it's more of a luxury cruiser than a sports car. However, you can't deny it's one of the best looking convertibles ever built by Lexus. It looks rad on camera, too. Although not featured in the movie, the car's interior looks plush and luxurious, with high-quality materials you'd expect from a Lexus.

Let's not forget the SC 430 also packs a V8 under the hood. The naturally aspirated 4.3-liter produces 300 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque and sends the power to the rear wheels via a five-speed automatic. The result: 0-60 in brisk 6.1 seconds. The only thing it maybe lacks is a more prominent V8 rumble, which would've made its movie cameo that much more memorable.

"Suits" (2011-2019) is an award-winning TV series that follows the professional and private lives of lawyers Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) and Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht). Both have their own lifestyle, but Specter's caught the attention of audiences worldwide. Sharp-minded, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, and with passion for the finer things in life, like expensive cars, Harvey Specter is like a lawyer James Bond.

Predictably, Specter has his own chauffeur, and was initially driven around in a Mercedes S 550. Soon, though, the Lexus LS 460 AWD took over and was featured prominently in the remaining seasons. This wasn't surprising, as Lexus sponsored the show.

Still, the LS 460 AWD is one of the best cars to be chauffeured in. Even in the short-wheelbase LS 460 F Sport, the rear seating is roomy, so Harvey's suit won't wrinkle. Specter could also use the powered rear blinds to hide from the public, while enjoying his favorite tunes on the excellent 19-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.

Although primarily designed for comfort, Specter's LS 460 AWD quickly gets up to speed. Under the bonnet, it packs a 4.6-liter V8, good for 360 hp, which propels it to 60 in 5.9 seconds. However, the RWD version had 386 hp, shortening the 0-60 sprint to 5.4 seconds. The LS 600h L (long wheelbase) was also available, featuring a 5.0-liter V8 in hybrid-electric configuration, producing 438 hp. The hybrid sprinted to 60 in 5.5 seconds and came standard with AWD.

Lexus' high-end flagship sedan was even more prominently featured in medical comedy drama "Doc Martin." The highly rated British TV series follows Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes), a socially challenged doctor that moves from London to the fictional, picturesque village of Portwenn. Doc Martin is an excellent doctor, though awkward to people.

Even so, Martin is always seen dressed in a suit, and driving a luxury Lexus sedan. Initially, he drove the third-gen LS 430, which suits his personality quite well. See, the LS 430 is an excellent luxury sedan, with smooth and quiet ride, luxurious and comfortable cabin, and a buttery-smooth V8. The 4.3-liter engine that powered the LS 430 was also no slouch. With 290 hp on tap and a five-speed automatic transmission, the V8 could propel the sedan to 60 in 6.3 seconds. However, the LS 430 is not the most exciting to look at, with its bland styling aging quite poorly. The interior is also very plush but again lacks the pizzaz of its German rivals.

From season 6, though, Doc Martin replaces the LS 430 with the LS 460 — yup, the same one Harvey Specter was chauffeured in. With a brand-new L-Finesse design, the LS 460 looks much more cohesive and elegant, like it was made from one piece of metal. The interior was upgraded with more modern looks, too.

Lexus borrowed a model or two for most of the entries on this list, but in the TV series "Bel Air," the automaker went berserk. Namely, during season 3 of the show, Lexus vehicles were prominently featured in seven out of 10 total episodes. There is a reason for that, though; the series takes place in the eponymous Bel Air neighborhood in Los Angeles, known for the lavish lifestyle of its residents. Naturally, Lexus wanted to showcase its premium cars in such surroundings.

In episode 1 "Baby, I'm Back," Lexus makes a splash with the LC 500 Convertible — the same car the Black Panther drove, but topless. The LC 500 Convertible is even more stunning, particularly with the top down, and allows the sonorous V8 to reach the driver's ears unaltered. The LC 500 Convertible again features in episode 7 "Black Lotus", driven by Carlton (Olly Sholotan) in both cases.

Meanwhile, in episode 3 "True Colors," Geoffrey (Jimmy Akingbola) is seen driving the latest Lexus LS 500. The latest version of Lexus' flagship car looks way more dynamic than before, though in our review, it still provided old-school luxury with a smooth and refined ride.

Furthermore, in episode 4 "Out All Night" and episode 6 "Baggage," the producers showcased the LX 600, a potent and capable off-road SUV. Finally, in episode 10 "Save the Best for Last," the Banks family was seen in a Lexus TX, which answered the three-row prayers among Lexus enthusiasts.