Lexus try going topless again with the IS C
Posted in News on June 26th, 2009 by admin – Be the first to comment
With the underwhelming response to the old SC 350 and 430 the luxury car maker is trying again with the IS C. The old SC is out as far as Toyota are concerned, preferring to replace it completely than throw good money after bad.
The Lexus IS is a sexy looking car, there is no doubt about it. Now imagine that sleek sedan, but with the roof sawn off and you have the IS C. It has the same front profile as the sedan but things change as soon as you step around the side. The open top three door looks the business. A neat combination of sporty and luxury in one package.
The tri-fold roof has been brought over from the SC and upgraded to fit the new chassis. It folds down and away in 20 seconds, which is a good few seconds faster than the old SC could ever manage, and is on par with many other fixed roof convertibles out there.
Officially the car is a four seater, you are only ever going to be able to fit children or midgets in the back as the rear seats have had to be moved forward to make room for the roof.
The cabin is still a nice place to be. The seats are comfortable and supportive and the leg room in the front at least is more than adequate. The interior has been updated rather than revolutionized. There is a new voice activated system for non essential functions like seat heating, air conditioning and voice dialling which is a nice touch if you pay for the ‘tech package’. It also includes Bluetooth audio streaming and hands free calling.
Once on the road it was hard to tell the difference in handling between the IS C and the IS. The handling is remarkably similar with the convertible feeling just as stiff as the sedan. The car does feel a bit heavier though, which it probably is if it is actually as stiff as the IS.
The V6 of the IS 350 is a 3.5 liter 306hp engine that seems to prefer cruising rather than being driven on the edge. The smaller 250 is a 2.5 liter 204hp V6 that feels sluggish and needs to be worked hard to do anything exciting. Braking is taken care of by floating callipers on the 250 and massive four pot callipers and oversized discs in the 350. The suspension handles the ride well, and as already mentioned the car felt slightly heavier, with the 350 it was only really round the corners that it was really noticeable.
If your thing is boulevard cruising then the IS C is definitely something to consider. If you want a drop top, back road racer then I would stick to the BMW Z4 or Porsche Boxster S, both world leaders in the roadster market. It looks as good with the roof up as it does down so you can enjoy this car whatever the weather.
