Lexus IS 350C in Full F-Sport

Edmunds took a Lexus IS 350C and outfitted it with every F-Sport accessory available, all to determine which of the upgrades are really worth the money—here’s their verdict:

If you’re looking to spend good money on a modified IS convertible, look no further than the $2,346 wheel/tire upgrade and add it to the $1,588 for springs, shocks and antiroll bars. The resulting $3,934 is a reasonable amount to spend on the 2010 Lexus IS 350C’s chassis, and here’s why.

The forged-aluminum wheels reduce unsprung weight by 21 pounds (5.5 pounds at each 19-by-8-inch front wheel; 5 pounds at each 19-by-9-inch rear wheel), plus they look undeniably cool. Combined with supple Bilstein dampers, the new springs reduce ride height by 1.3 inches in the front and 0.9 inch in the rear. The antiroll bars are 105 percent stiffer up front and 320 percent stiffer in the rear. What does this all mean? It means the lower chassis is more responsive, the handling balance is a little livelier and the tauter suspension calibration works the new Michelin Sport PS2 tires harder.

The article is well-balanced and incredibly informative for anyone deciding where to best invest in F-Sport, and also makes a good point that the IS convertible “looks serious, especially with the top up.”

There’s no arguing the business sense behind building a convertible over a coupe (basically two models for the price of one), but I can’t help but wonder what could have been when I see a photo like this:

Lexus IS 350C with the top up

A coupe would have been a real looker.

[Source: Edmunds]