Lexus Pulls the Wraps Off New IS Convertible in Paris

Finally, the car Lexus teased us with in LF-C concept form even before launching its popular IS sedan has arrived, and

with a two-door configuration sporting a retractable hardtop convertible it suitably gets a “C” added to its IS designation.

The show car is an IS 250C, the less powerful IS variant, but one look will have prospective buyers thinking more about style than performance anyway. The new C is pure elegance from its familiar nose treatment to its unique new profile and tail end design, at least when the three-piece aluminum top is lowered.

Only a day in the spotlight and some pundits are critical about its rear end styling and the shape of its roof line, but fans of the brand's sporty SC roadster and those who like Lexus' new L-finesse design language will appreciate the familial cues penned into the IS 250C from front to back.

Of course, that design includes aerodynamic elements for the reduction of wind noise and benefit of environmental concerns, both being paramount to Lexus,

a brand whose ultra-refined flagship car, the LS 600h is a hybrid, after all. The IS 250C's sheet metal has been shaped for slipping through the air with as little resistance possible, resulting in a 0.29 Coefficient of drag next to the IS sedan's rating of 0.27, extremely good for this class while benefiting interior quietness and fuel economy simultaneously.

That roof only takes 21 seconds to lower, making it the fastest retractable hardtop in the industry. Fast yes, but it also comes with Lexus' requisite refinement built in. According to the press release, “Unlike many retractable-roof mechanisms that increase in speed due to the weight of the structure, a unique roof-brake mechanism slows the closing roof-panels as they approach the windscreen area, ensuring easy retraction just before closure.” Cool. Lexus also says that NVH levels are on par with the sedan with the roof in place.

And the roof opens up a clear view to a resplendent cabin featuring rich leathers, high-quality plastics and top-tier switchgear and instrumentation, just like the

current IS sedan. Additionally, a 12-speaker Mark Levinson sound system with an equalizer that automatically adjusts volume and bass response to open-top specification as well as vehicle speed can be had, plus a speed-sensitive climate control system designed to increase air flow (and therefore heat or A/C depending on need) when the top is down. These are the types of features that make living with a car enjoyable long after the honeymoon is over, and to that end help to maintain Lexus' enviable owner satisfaction index.

On that note, according to Lexus the rear seats have been designed for real-life scenarios too, not just a discount on your insurance rates. The press release states, “Rear-seat comfort is enhanced by shifting seat position inboard, providing improved headroom.” Additionally, the front seatbacks are modified for greater legroom, and a “one-touch automatic mechanism provides easier egress and ingress through quick-acting, front-seat fold-and-slide activation.”

Sounds like Lexus was trying to say that the seats move out of the way when called upon for getting in and out of the back seats. Great.

Most important in this upwardly mobile segment, the three-piece roof structure means that a single golf bag can be stowed in the trunk with the top down, or two with the roof in place.

While the C's grille and headlights appear much the same as the four-door model (actually the hood, headlamps, door handles and mirrors are common to the IS sedan), while its taillight design stays true to the original in concept, it gets longer overhangs front and rear, by 0.6 inches and 2.0 inches respectively, while the fog lamps up front have been reshaped to fit into the revised air dam.

Additionally,

the C's profile below the shoulder line has changed, and not just by removing the rear doors and making the two remaining ones longer by 11.8 inches. The beltline rises dramatically as it approaches the rear deck lid and meets up with the C-pillar (one of the more controversial design elements), and when seen from behind with the top down appears like a set of small flying buttresses. Very racy.

Those concerned about safety in a convertible shouldn't be, as Lexus fills the IS 250C with a full array of airbags, including a twin-chamber front passenger ‘bag plus new larger seat-mounted thorax airbags. All the latest electronic driving aids are included too, such as Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), and an available Pre-Collision System (PCS), while reinforced A-pillars with a beefed up crossmember over the windshield protect front occupants and a set of rollover hoops integrated into the rear bulkhead keep rear-seat passengers safe if the car turtles.

And

while it is expected to be stable at speed even with the top down, thanks to the same double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension setup as the IS sedan and torsional rigidity strengthened by extra reinforcements, the IS 250C won't have any trouble attaining speed thanks to its 204-horsepower 2.5-liter V6 and six-speed automatic transmission. The IS 350C gets the IS 350 sedan's powertrain too, a 3.5-liter V6 good for 306-horsepower, also mated to a quick-shifting, sport-oriented six-speed auto with paddle shifters on the steering column.

So why debut a car that will sell better in North America on a continent that Lexus has struggled to compete in for decades? Exactly. The IS sedan has improved European sales significantly since it came to market globally, and the introduction of the IS 250C puts attention on the Lexus brand in a growth market. And don't forget that the IS 350C still needs its own special unveiling... next month in LA, drop-top capital of the world, perhaps?

If you're wondering when you can get into one, the IS 250C and the IS 350C will hit US showrooms next year, late spring, as a 2010 model.