Lexus convertible lures new breed

The Lexus IS250C may be designed to make the most of clear blue skies, but it's set to cause a storm.

The Japanese maker's most affordable droptop since the $174,000 SC430 flagship – and first challenger to the hugely popular BMW 3 Series convertible – went on sale in Australia this week, but the first two month's allocation of cars has sold out.

Little wonder: the price of the Lexus range ends where the German rivals start.

The starting price for a BMW 3 Series convertible is $97,121 plus dealer charges and on-road costs; for the Mercedes-Benz CLK convertible it's $103,689. But the starting price of the Lexus is almost $20,000 less than the competition.

As reported earlier this month, there are three models in the IS250C line-up, ranging from $79,900 to $99,900 plus dealer charges and on-road costs.

It seems the drop-top Lexus has already made an impact, with the company claiming four out of every five orders received so far being made by customers who've never bought a Lexus before.

"We've seen a number of Porsche Boxsters traded-in, as well as the usual European brands," says the boss of Lexus Australia, John Roca.

"This car has really taken us by surprise. The demand has been pretty much instant and we're getting seriously worried about how we'll be able to meet demand.

"To get customers who are new to the brand is really important to us, because it gives us a chance for more people to have the Lexus customer experience."

It's a good thing summer is still a few months away. Order a new Lexus IS250C convertible today and you may just be able to take delivery before the start of the open-top season.

Lexus may have also caught its rivals by surprise. When Lexus had an IS250C on display at the Sydney Motor Show last October, the company told customers it expected the starting price would be about $100,000.

"We worked very hard on pricing negotiations [with Japan], because we wanted to make a statement with this car," Roca said. "It really is a flagship for the whole Lexus brand."

Although it looks a lot like the sedan on which it is based, there are in fact only four carry over external parts: the bonnet, head lights, mirrors and door handles. Even the front bumper is unique. Weight has increased by 130kg to between 1730 and 1750kg depending on the model.

Convertibles typically weigh more than their sedan siblings because of the extra body strengthening required. In the case of the IS250C, the extra weight was comprised of 60kg in body reinforcements, 60kg in the roof and motors, and 10kg in extra equipment such as folding rear head rests, roll over hoops and a luggage barrier.

The lower body sills are thicker and made from higher strength steel, and the rear seats have each been moved inboard by 30mm to accommodate the change. There are seven underbody braces also designed to increase the vehicle's stability on the roads and strength in a crash.

Lexus says the IS250C earns a five star rating in European crash tests by the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), thanks to the car's body structure and six airbags (dual front airbags, dual knee airbags and head protecting side airbags in the front seats).

Lexus claims the IS250C's electric roof is the fastest-folding three-piece hard top; up or down in 20 seconds. A total of 15 electric motors (note: not hydraulic, to avoid leaks) and 37 sensors ensure smooth running. Indeed, the roof even uses the rear parking sensors to check there is enough clearance behind the car to open or close the roof.

Two of the three roof sections are made of aluminium to save weight.

Lexus used Formula One style aero simulations (Computational Fluid Dynamics) to measure the aerodynamic efficiency of the body. Plastic covers for sections of the underbody were added to promote smoother airflow. The co-efficient of drag rating is 0.29 compared to the sedan's 0.27.

Lexus fitted slightly larger rear disc brakes to handle the extra weight and mass and despite the weight increase, the Lexus is still remarkably fuel efficient, with a fuel rating of 9.3L/100km compared to 9.1L/100km for the sedan.

The sedan's 2.5-litre V6 and six-speed automatic transmission carry over to the new model, although Lexus is considering importing the 3.5-litre V6 version in the coming years.

Interestingly, the IS250C was one of the few Lexus models to be tested locally during its development; engineers clocked up 40,000km of testing on gravel roads in central Australia for dust sealing, air-conditioning efficiency and, believe it or not, the efficiency of the audio system when the top is down.

The IS250C has two modes for the air-conditioning and audio systems so they can operate at their best whether the top is up or down.

The car was tested in the heat of the Australian summer in December 2008. The chief engineer, Keiichi Yoneda, says he has blow flies in his stomach to prove it.

"Australian food is very delicious for us -- particularly beef burgers," Yoneda-san said. "However … I also discovered Australian blow fly is not delicious."

Check out our European preview drive of the IS250C and look out for our full local review soon.

The IS250C line-up:

Lexus IS250C Prestige $79,900
Six airbags and stability control
Satellite navigation
Proximity "smart" key
Eight-speaker audio system
17-inch alloy wheels
Front seat heaters
Front and rear parking sensors
Rear view camera
Hill start assist

Lexus IS250C Sports $84,900
As above plus…
18-inch alloy wheels
Pre-collision radar system
Radar cruise control

Lexus IS250C Sports Luxury $99,900
As above plus…
High intensity discharge head lights that turn with the steering
Slim line "proximity" key
Soft leather
Front seat heating and cooling
12-speaker premium audio system
Woodgrain cabin highlights
Alloy sports pedals
Rain sensing wipers
Auto dipping side mirrors
Driver and passenger seat memory
Illuminated scuff plates

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