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When it arrives in U.S. showrooms in spring 2009, the new
Lexus IS
Convertible will do two things for the
Toyota luxury brand: give it a reason to dump the slow-selling, bathtub-shaped SC
convertible, and simultaneously give it a much less expensive hardtop
convertible with which to fight the onslaught of folders like the new
BMW 335i
Convertible.
The
Lexus IS
Convertible will come in two flavors: 250 and 350, based on the displacement of its engines. The IS 250C sports a 204-hp, 2.5-liter V-6 and a choice of automatic or manual six-speed gearboxes. The IS 350C, meanwhile, offers up 306 horsepower and a six-speed automatic.
The hardtop
convertible part of the equation is straightforward; it opens or closes in 21 seconds, and gives the appearance of a hardtop coupe when closed--although, like nearly all of its kind, it's a far-better looking beast with the top down. The aluminum three-piece roof folds in a compact way and preserves good luggage space,
Lexus says. The conversion to a two-door makes the Convertible's doors nearly a foot longer than the front pair in the sedan; hence,
Lexus applies a one-touch seat mechanism for easier access to the two small rear seats.
Lots of tweaks give the IS
Convertibles more aero flair, and acoustic glass and additional sealing around the glass give it coupe-like noise levels when the roof is raised. Elsewhere inside, the gauges have been revamped for better visibility, and the climate control's been tweaked for top-down use--as is the sound system. Outside, LED lighting and a spoiler are standard.
Nothing on pricing in today's announcements; stay tuned as we bring you more on the IS
Convertible later this year.
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Posted in : 2010, Convertibles, Lexus, Paris Auto Show
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Avast ye scurvy wenches and prepare to be boarded! Or something like that. It's Talk Like a Pirate Day--you know, the holiday that took the place of Arbor Day on our corporate calendar--and an excuse for all kinds of otherwise normal-appearing people to speak like Johnny Depp speaking like Keith Richards.
It's no Martin Luther King Day.
Pirate day was started in 1995 by two folks from Oregon who thought it sounded clever, then hyped by Dave Barry in a 2002 book.
So while you're practicing some pirate pickup lines and trying on eyepatches at Target, tell us -- which car from the past 25 years made you go "aarrggh!" The comment section awaits you, mateys.
Posted in : Acura, Lexus, Uncategorized
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Toyota's plans for the 2009 model year include a big boost to ethanol-powered
trucks and to four-cylinders.
Toyota says for 2009, its entire
Tundra model line will be available with E85 ethanol flex-fuel capacity "in select regions." Far less efficient than diesel and even gasoline, burning ethanol results in lower fuel economy and higher prices as the fuel is currently more expensive than gasoline. It's not all bad news, we suppose: if those gas prices have you down, just feast your eyes on the "unique wheels and color-keyed exterior" of the brand-new TRD Sport and TRD Rock Warrior option packages.
Also tweaked for 2009 are the
Tacoma and
4Runner; the former does get a new SR5 Trail Edition, the latter some new colors, audio systems, and standard STAR safety system (ABS, EBD, VSC, and traction control) among other changes.
On the flip side,
Toyota is announcing a fuel-miser version of its popular
Highlander. Powered by a big 2.7-liter four-cylinder,
Toyota says the four beats the 3.5-liter V-6's mileage but "still keeps performance brisk." This new engine will be available in two-wheel-drive Highlanders beginning in January '09.
Also more efficient (and more powerful) is the 2009
RAV4, which benefits from a new 2.5-liter four, cosmetic upgrades, and a new sport appearance package.
Over at sister division
Lexus, they are still chasing that elusive 3 Series magic. Both
IS 250 and
IS 350's suspension and steering have been revised for better handling and feel. Both also now feature paddle shifting for the automatic while in the "D" position, new wheels, and side mirrors incorporating turn signals. Finally, Lexus' VDIM (Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management system) is now standard on the IS 250.--
Colin Mathews
Posted in : 2009, Lexus, Toyota
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The
2009 Lexus LS 460 gets the same all-wheel-drive option found in the
hybrid LS 600h L sedan, the
Toyota luxury brand confirmed today.
Both the long- and short-wheelbase LS
sedans will receive the option, which makes the LS the fourth
Lexus sedan to offer all-wheel drive. Both versions also are powered by the 357-horsepower V-8 that powers current rear-drive versions. With it and the standard eight-speed automatic transmission,
Lexus predicts a 0-60 mph time of 5.9 seconds.
The all-wheel-drive system in the LS
sedans, as in the
hybrids, uses a Torsen limited-slip differential to distribute torque to the front and rear wheels. It's set at a 40:60 power split, but can vary from 30:70 to 50:50 depending on traction needs.
Air suspension, variable steering, and an adaptive suspension will be standard on AWD models. They'll also come with 18-inch wheels, a leather-and-wood steering wheel that's also heated, and a power rear sunshade. The on-sale date is October.
Posted in : 2009, Lexus, Luxury Cars, Sedans
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Lexus is planning a
convertible version of its IS sedan, but no coupe version is planned.
A report in
Autoblog, via eGMCarTech this morning, says that the
Lexus SC
convertible is history, and that a new IS
convertible is in the pipeline. TheCarConnection.com's sources report the new
convertible IS will be shown as soon as October's
Paris auto show.
The
Lexus IS
convertible won't quite let it mirror the
BMW 3 Series lineup, as no hardtop coupe version is planned for the current-generation car. However, the hardtop
convertible will bring
Lexus a new offering at a much lower price point than the expensive SC convertible--and reportedly, the styling will be much more cutting-edge than the SC.
Autoblog passes on word that the
Lexus cabrio will come in IS 250 and IS 350 models, and a lightweight IS sport sedan is in the pipeline.
The
Paris auto show opens to the press on October 2.
Posted in : 2010, Lexus, Paris Auto Show
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