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By Nick Trott
First Drives
25 June 2009 11:02
Depending on your point of view, the new Lexus IS 250C is either very slinky and attractive and full of lovely designer-speak ‘arrowhead’ shapes – or it is an absolute ug. And we mean this literally. It’s quite telling that all the press shots for the IS 250C are shot from low-down; the point where the new car’s larger backside is hidden beneath the darty, sloping beltline.
At least anyone over three-foot tall (and we presume this means those damn pesky ‘customers’) will fail to notice the big butt – a consequence of a folding hard-top roof mechanism that takes the IS250 C from coupe to cabrio in under 21 seconds.
Subjective looks aside, the Lexus IS 250C appeals on many levels. It’s a Lexus – so you can expect royal butler-levels of care and attentiveness from the dealer – and it is extremely refined and comfortable.
It’ll be rare too – just 2000 will make their way to Europe and of those a scant 800 will find brave British summers. However, the IS 250C is up against two of the finest convertibles, folding hard- or soft-top, in any class. That’ll be the 3-series and the Audi A5 convertibles then.
In true Lexus tradition, the IS 250C uses its considerable standard equipment specification to take the fight to the Germans. Two model grades are available – SE-I and SE-L – of which the cheaper SE-I is expected to be the biggest seller. Well, we say ‘cheaper’: the IS 250C SE-I costs a wallet-popping £34,500.
Lexus argue that a similarly specced BMW 325i SE costs over £40K, but then the BMW starts at £33,780 and you can decide if you want Lexus-levels of spec or not.
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Lexus IS 250C (2009) CAR review
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wittgenfrog says
RE: Lexus IS 250C (2009) CAR review
I've spent a lot of time hereabouts slagging the terrible three: Audi, Merc and BMW for making pointless dull overweight under-imagined cars. Lexus, join the club. There's no point in reiterating the usual litany of inadequacies that this barge displays. To sum it up: Wubbish!
I've spent a lot of time hereabouts slagging the terrible three: Audi, Merc and BMW for making pointless dull overweight under-imagined cars. Lexus, join the club.
There's no point in reiterating the usual litany of inadequacies that this barge displays. To sum it up: Wubbish!
29 June 2009 13:57
chickenfeed says
Lexus haven't really made the mistake Peugeot have yet. When the 206CC came out there was much room for improvement and years down the line the 207 CC and 308 CC are still as ugly as their predecessors. The IS isn't much prettier but I wouldn't put it in the same category as the French hunchbacks. Only time will tell if the next IS CC will be an improvement over this one. Judging by the Lexus track record, I bet it will be. I'd also give the same benefit of the doubt to the Focus CC, for it has more or less the same back end as the IS. However as it stands this car isn't much of a rival to the BMW 3 series cabrio. Not as much as the 4dr IS is to the 4dr 3 series anyway. If you don't compare it to the germans than it's fine, unfortunately it's price range will make you do just that.
27 June 2009 09:15
-Joe- says
And remeber the 306 convertable, that hardly had a rear at all, well not a really high one rivaling Big Ben anyway.
26 June 2009 15:00
Hold on though theres nothing much wrong with the Focus, Astra or Megane, well no where near as bad as this. Plus the 3 series is actualy very good looking, proving that it is possibly just if you get the rest of the proportions correct. And I'll say it again, if I deisgn something that I know is awlful I use one of them things thats generally called a rubber/eraser or simply just bin it... Ang anyway the 1 series has a nomal fabric soft top so why can't any of the other cars nowadays, if the car looks a whole lot better with the fabric I ceteranly wouldn't mind.
26 June 2009 14:58
Fopster says
The Astra got the first three piece roof to offset the aircraft carrier rear deck of the older French folding tin tops. BMW copied it. Then this comes out with the same roof as a Megane CC from I forget how long ago? Poor effort. Must try harder...
26 June 2009 11:58
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