2008 Paris Auto Show: 2010 Lexus IS 250C Convertible
- Competes with: Infiniti G37 convertible, Volvo C70, BMW 3 Series convertible
- Looks like: Lexus destroyed all the cool lines of the IS sedan
- Drivetrain: Same 208-hp, 2.5-liter V-6 that’s found in the IS 250 sedan; six-speed automatic transmission
- Hits dealerships: Late 2009
Lexus has let its SC convertible wither on the vine, and now we know why. The company is going downscale with its next retractable-hardtop convertible, tapping its entry-level IS line of sedans to serve as the basis for the IS 250C retractable-hardtop convertible.
While the new IS 250C is decent-looking with the top down, we’re a bit taken aback that the distinct, somewhat masculine lines of the sedan are all but absent here. What we’re left with is more of an inheritor of the SC and a competitor with the Volvo C70 than it is something dramatic – like the early look we’ve seen of the Infiniti G37 convertible, which, by the way, will also pack a lot more power.
We do like the three-piece aluminum roof though … well, not the way it looks when up, but how it stows efficiently enough to pack a full-size golf bag into the trunk.
Check out the photos below and let us know if you think this new Lexus convertible will be a hit.
