Lexus IS Convertible – A Stylish Coupe with Luxurious Amenities

Lexus IS Convertible – A Stylish Coupe with Luxurious Amenities

Retractable Hardtop Convertible Provides Cool Breeze or Refuge in Less Than 21 Seconds Sedan-like Quiet and Comfort in a Hardtop Convertible Available F SPORT Package Adds Bold Enhancements And A Sport-Tuned Suspension The sophisticated Lexus IS 250C and IS 350C continues to blend the expressive stylishness of a hardtop convertible with the quietness and comfort […]

By Herman Moolman21 August 20124 min read
  • Retractable Hardtop Convertible Provides Cool Breeze or Refuge in Less Than 21 Seconds
  • Sedan-like Quiet and Comfort in a Hardtop Convertible
  • Available F SPORT Package Adds Bold Enhancements And A Sport-Tuned Suspension

Lexus Is Convertible

The sophisticated Lexus IS 250C and IS 350C continues to blend the expressive stylishness of a hardtop convertible with the quietness and comfort of a coupe. The IS convertible’s quickly goes from a hardtop to a convertible in less than 21 seconds. The IS 250C and IS 350C’s exterior design has its lineage in the IS sedan but possesses its own dynamic styling, with unique characteristics coming to life when interchanging between convertible and coupe configurations.

The convertible’s three-piece hardtop provides open-air freedom with the top down through the operation of a convenient single switch. Constructed primarily of lightweight aluminum, the hardtop provides surprising storage space, with low noise and increased security not typically found in soft-top convertibles. The top completely retracts with no elements remaining in view.

The four-link roof assembly, also made of aluminum for a lightweight design, provides smooth, even movement. Each component is motor driven with detection switches, allowing the control unit to know their exact position at all times. The back window’s reinforced glass construction lends itself to reduced weight.

A roof-speed brake-control system decreases the roof speed as it approaches the end of the closing operation in either direction, ensuring an elegant and quiet movement. On models equipped with available Intuitive Park Assist (IPA), sonar sensors in the rear bumper will stop the movement of the luggage door at the start of operation if it detects an obstacle will interfere. Also, a visual warning will appear on the instrument panel if a detected obstacle may soon interfere with top operation.

 When the IS convertible’s top is opened or closed, the power windows will automatically lower if in the closed position, and raise back up when the operating switch is held. When the top is up, the door windows automatically lower 15 mm when the door opens, and then raise back into a fully closed position when the door closes. The aluminum hardtop features an automatic front lock assembly that provides the interior security not found in most soft-top convertibles. When the top is stowed in the down position in the rear of the IS convertible, the lock assembly is engaged to keep the panel in a fixed, stable position.

The optional Pre-Collision System (PCS) is packaged with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, which uses millimeter-wave radar to measure and help maintain a pre-set following distance from a vehicle traveling ahead. PCS relies on the radar sensor to detect certain obstacles in front of the car, and a PCS computer with sensor inputs from vehicle speed, steering angle and yaw rate is designed to determine whether a collision is unavoidable. In such a situation, PCS alerts the driver via sound and visual warnings while preemptively retracting front seat belts and pre-initializing Brake Assist (BA) so that increased braking will be applied the instant the driver depresses the pedal.

Navigation equipped vehicles feature Lexus Enform® with App Suite which leverages the customers’ mobile phone technology to provide a new level of connectivity and information management. Users can conduct local searches through Bing™, utilize voice-enabled apps to make restaurant reservations through OpenTable®, get movie tickets via MovieTickets.com, tap into internet radio, including Pandora® or iHeartRadio, search business reviews on Yelp and check in on Facebook places. A one-year trial subscription is included for the App Suite.

F SPORT Performance Accessories are available for the IS convertible and include performance enhancing parts such as 19-inch forged alloy wheels, brake upgrades, suspension systems, air intake, exhaust systems and more. F Sport Performance Accessories by Lexus U.S.A. are engineered by Toyota Racing Development (TRD). When installed by an authorized dealer, the accessories are fully warranted for 12 months or for the balance of the new car warranty, whichever is greater.

New for 2013

Interior

  • Red leather-trimmed interior option for available semi-aniline leather
  • Available Lexus Enform 2.0 ® and App Suite (one-year trial subscription included)
  • Available HD Radio™ with iTunes tagging
  • Available Bluetooth® hands free phone and automatic phonebook download capabilities

Exterior

  • Available 18-inch wheels with new split-five spoke design
  • Exterior colors: Silver Lining Metallic replaces Tungsten Pearl; Cerulean Blue discontinued

Other Options

  • F SPORT package includes F SPORT 18-inch wheels with dark superchrome finish, badging on steering wheel and exterior, upper and lower grille insert, leather-trimmed interior, steering wheel/shift knob, scuff plate; front lip spoiler; heated and ventilated front seats; sport-tuned suspension.

Engine/Transmission/Drivetrain/Performance

  • The IS 250C’s 2.5-liter V6 engine delivers 204 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 185 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,800 rpm.
  • The IS 350C’s 3.5-liter V6 offers 306 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 277 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,800 rpm.
  • The 3.5-liter V6 augments the direct fuel injection with port fuel injectors, and in light- and medium-load conditions, these additional injectors help produce a precise burn, optimizing power and efficiency.
  • A dual exhaust system reduces backpressure at higher engine speeds.
  • The IS 250C and IS 350C come with a six-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Chassis/Body/Suspension/Tires/Brakes

  • The body structure has excellent rigidity and strength, achieved by effective structural changes and additions to the rocker area, A and B pillar under structure, side collision crossmember, and upper and rear-floor crossmembers; underfloor braces were added both in the front and the rear.
  • All body and chassis revisions went through extensive testing to ensure that the IS 250C and IS 350C have nearly identical noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics to the IS sedans.
  • High-rigidity damping materials and asphalt sheets were added to help minimize vibration effects, while redesigned rear-suspension-mount bushings help reduce noise and vibration associated with the changes in body characteristics from a sedan to a convertible.
  • The IS convertible features standard 10-spoke 17-inch wheels with a clean liquid-graphite finish and optional split five-spoke 18-inch wheels with a liquid-graphite finish and all-season tires.
  • Engineers tuned and optimized specific features including:
    • The double-wishbone front suspension to help provide handling control and ride comfort;
    • The torsional rigidity of the suspension bushings,
    • The spring constant on the coil springs, and the shock absorber damping force;
    • The stabilizer shape and the Electric Power Steering (EPS) gear ratio for control;
    • The suspension bushings, coil springs and shock-damping force of the multi-link rear suspension; and
    • A lowered rear-suspension tower with enhanced rigidity to help provide rear control, linear yaw response and improved trunk space.
  • Standard Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management System (VDIM) governs all of the vehicle’s dynamic handling systems – the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist (BA), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRAC) – employing them collectively and seamlessly to make corrections while helping provide higher dynamic capability; and interfaces with the electronic throttle control system.
  • The IS 350C is equipped with 13.2-inch front and 12.2-inch rear rotors with aluminum four-piston front calipers, while the IS 250C has 11.7-inch front and 12.2-inch rear rotors.

Safety and Security Features

  • Seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters are used for the front seats, while the rear seats adopt emergency locking retractor seatbelts with an automatic locking retractor.
  • The Lexus Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) includes dual-front airbags, front-seat-mounted side curtain and torso side airbags, and knee airbags for both the driver and the front passenger.

Luxury/Comfort/Convenience

  • For easy access and rear-seat comfort, the front doors are 11.8 inches longer than the IS sedans.
  • Two convenient fold-forward lock-release levers on both sides of the front passenger seats make it easier to operate from any location inside the vehicle.
  • The passenger seat features a power slide button on the top of the seatback to ease rear seat ingress/egress.
  • An available automatic one-touch, easy-entry power-seat mechanism provides even easier egress and ingress through quick-acting, front-seat fold-and-slide activation.
  • The two passenger doors also have three open-stopping positions (rather than the normal two) to add convenience in various parking situations.
  • The IS convertible’s air conditioning system automatically adjusts for the outside temperature when the top is lowered by changing temperature and air flow exiting the outlets.
  • The standard SmartAccess keyless entry and push-button-start/stop allows the driver to keep the access key fob in a pocket or purse.
  • Standard Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) helps prevent the vehicle from moving backward when the driver moves their foot from brake pedal to the accelerator.
  • The standard Lexus Premium Audio System features a six-disc, in-dash CD changer, eight speakers, integrated SiriusXM Satellite Radio receiver (complimentary 90-day trial subscription included), Bluetooth® hands free phone capability with automatic phonebook download, Bluetooth music streaming, and USB/iPod® connectivity.

Luxury Options

  • Lexus’ available Hard-Disk Drive (HDD) navigation system has a seven-inch VGA touch-screen, back-up camera, Voice Command casual-language voice recognition system, Bluetooth® automatic phonebook download and music streaming HD Radio™ with iTunes tagging.
  • Also available in conjunction with the optional navigation system is a 12-speaker Mark Levinson® Premium Surround Sound Audio system that features discrete 5.1 multi-channel playback with 5.1-channel speaker architecture, nine amplifier channels providing 270 watts total output at 0.1 percent total harmonic distortion (THD).
  • Bi-Xenon HID headlamps with LED daytime running lamps (DRLs) are also available.
  • The optional Intuitive Park Assist (IPA) system uses ultrasonic sensors to detect objects close to the car’s front and rear bumpers, alerting the driver and showing distance to objects in the multi-information display within the speedometer.

Exterior Design

  • With the exception of the hood, all other body panels have been specifically designed to blend seamlessly with the three-panel folding roof.
  • The convex shoulder lines distinguish the convertible’s profile, while the top-up configuration provides a sweeping cabin silhouette.
  • The IS convertible has a best-in-class 0.29 drag coefficient (Cd) that is accomplished with the help of underbody covers below the engine (with aerodynamic steps), the full floor, and fuel-tank covers, as well as a rear-floor diffuser with vertical fin and airfoil.

Interior Design

  • A four-seat configuration provides each passenger with their own space
  • The rear-seat console enhances the rear-passenger amenities with cup holders and storage.
  • Rear headrests are retractable for improved visibility and the lever located on the front of the rear console can easily be accessed from the driver’s seat.
  • Ten-way adjustable power front seats, including power lumbar support are standard, and the available heated/ventilated function has a heating range that includes the shoulder areas and increases airflow in ventilation mode.
  • The IS C features a high-contrast multi-information LCD and decreased surface-glass transmittance for enhanced visibility when the top is down.

Warranty

  • 48-month/50,000-mile basic limited warranty with roadside assistance for 48 months/unlimited miles.
  • 72 months/70,000 miles powertrain and restraint system coverage.
  • 72 months corrosion perforation protection coverage, regardless of mileage.

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