Damn Lexus. I thought the IS250C was going to come to North America first. Why, oh why! Are you happy selling only 100 in a month? Are we not good enough for your “super intelligent sports sedan converitble”?

The four seater, two door, drop top was originally shown off at the Paris Motor Show last October. That’s when my love affair started. And today is when it ends. We have to wait until just before Summer for the Lexus IS Convertible. At which point every tanning bed, spiked hair, greaser will be driving around in one.

Like the sedan, the IS 250C is powered by a 204-horsepower 2.5-liter V6, while the IS 350C gets a 306-hp 3.5-liter V6. A six-speed automatic transmission is available on either engine; a six-speed manual is offered only on the IS 250C. The top goes down in 21 seconds.

I’m just kidding! I think all Lexus IS’, with their retartedly high belt line, look funny. Hardly something I could fall in love with.

LEXUS PRESS RELEASE

Lexus announces the launch in Japan today of the “IS250C” convertible, an addition to the “IS250″ “intelligent sports sedan” series.

The IS250C features an electrically operated metal top that ensures the four-seater maintains its characteristic beauty equally with the top up or down. This exciting convertible aims to embody the joy of open-air driving for both the driver and passengers.

Electrically controlled metal top creates characteristic beauty

- The lightweight, aluminum alloy top combines with a fully electric mechanism to allow smooth control, and prompt and quiet 20-second opening and 20-second closing.
- The design of the IS250C – based on the Lexus L-finesse(1) design philosophy – portrays two distinct personalities. With the top down, the unique shape of the upper part of the trunk is given even more presence, resulting in an elegant flowing silhouette, and with the top up, the car takes on a sporty coupe look with a harmoniously balanced cabin and body.
- The seats – sporty in front and luxurious in back – boast bold yet refined shapes, creating an interior that has a unique presence when the top is down.
Five interior color arrangements are available, with leather or cloth seats. Further individual styling is made possible for the seats and trim by choice of three two-tone seat color combinations, three stitching colors (manufacturer’s option) and three varieties of wood-grain paneling.
- Nine body colors are available – including the newly added Cattleya Mica Metallic – with each expressing the prestige that is Lexus through elegance, radiance and deepness of hue.

High-utility package, ease of ingress and egress

- The vehicle comfortably accommodates four adults, while the compact, three-segment top enhances utility by enabling stowage of a nine-inch(2) golf bag in the trunk even when the top is down.
- The front seats can be folded, slid forward and returned to their original position with one push of a button that is conveniently located on the outside shoulder of each front seat, facilitating easier ingress and egress for rear seat passengers.

Outstanding driving, environmental and safety performance

- The reinforced body and under-floor bracing result in one of the sturdiest convertibles in the world. The comfortable ride and outstanding driving performance of the IS250 – as well as outstanding collision safety – are maintained in the IS250C even when the top is down.
- The IS250C has fuel efficiency of 11.2km/l in the 10-15 Japanese test cycle, as certified by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), and exceeds by 5% the level called for by the Japanese 2010 fuel efficiency standards. Emissions are 75% lower than the 2005 standards under the MLIT’s Approval System for Low-emission Vehicles.
- Front seat dual-stage supplemental restraint system (SRS) airbags and SRS knee airbags, as well as newly developed SRS side airbags to protect the head and upper body in the event of a side-on collision, all come standard.

Enhanced comfort and features specifically tailored for a convertible

- The shape of the windshield and other exterior parts was designed to reduce wind disturbance on occupants during top-down driving and facilitate airflow.
A superlative system of seals in the roof provides the quiet and comfortable ride of a sedan when the top is up.
- The air conditioning automatically switches between “open” and “closed” modes depending on whether the top is up or down. When the top is down, the air conditioning adjusts cabin temperature in relation to exterior temperature and amount of sunlight. Air volume is also adjusted in relation to the vehicle’s speed, thereby providing a comfortable interior environment at all times.
- The audio system automatically adjusts sound quality and volume to suit conditions created by the top being up or down.

IS250C Main Specifications

Length/width/height 4,635 / 1,795 / 1,415mm*1
Wheelbase 2,730mm
Track (front/rear) 1,535 / 1,535mm*2
Weight 1,730kg
Occupant capacity 4
Engine
- Model/displacement 4GR-FSE / 2,499cc
- Type V6 gasoline engine DOHC
- Maximum output 158kW (215PS) / 6,400rpm
- Maximum torque 260N-m (26.5 kgf-m) / 3,800rpm
Transmission 6 super ECT*3
Powertrain Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Suspension (front/rear) Double wishbone / Multilink
Brakes (front/rear) Ventilated disc / Ventilated disc
Tires
- Front 225 / 45R17
- Rear 245 / 45R17

(1) 1,420mm for vehicles with 18-inch wheels
(2) 1,525mm (front and rear) for vehicles with 18-inch wheels
(3) Super Intelligent, Electronically controlled,
Six-speed Automatic Transmission

Monthly Sales Target: 100 units

Assembly Plant: Miyata Plant, Toyota Motor Kyushu, Inc.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices

Grade IS250C “Version L”
Engine 4GR-FSE (2.5-liter V6)
Transmission 6 Super ECT
Powertrain Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive
Price* (including
consumption tax) 4,950,000 5,350,000

*Prices in yen; prices listed do not include recycling fees

(1) Created by combining the “leading-edge” and “finesse” design concepts
(2) Depending on shape of golf bag, stowage may differ