First-ever IS droptop
Ten years after the first Lexus IS rolled into dealer showrooms, Lexus is finally following its competitors and offering an IS convertible, and it's a hardtop, just like the ones from BMW, Volvo, and Infiniti. The IS350C and IS250C, which hit dealers in late May, "give us an opportunity to compete in an area we've never competed in before," says Mark Templin, group vice president & general manager of the Lexus division. "We get to unleash our darker side with the IS C."
Marketing-speak aside, Lexus, being last to the table, had the luxury of watching everyone else introduce their convertibles first. Lexus must have been taking notes, because the IS convertible is a sweet piece. The retracting roof opens in only twenty seconds and doesn't produce the same sort of awkward thumping sounds as its competitors while doing so, thanks to a complex system with fifteen electric motors and 37 sensors that monitor top movement. Lexus claims it's the fastest-opening three-piece metal hard top in the world. What's more, once the top is down, the IS C offers the most accessible trunk space in its class.... Read full article