As part of their Great Drives issue, Automobile Magazine has a convertible comparison pitting the Lexus IS 350c against the Infiniti G37, BMW 328i and Volvo C70 in Laguna Beach, California. Ultimately, no winner is given, but the IS 350c was named first among equals:
The silky 3.5-liter V-6 in the [IS 350c] makes 306 hp and the most torque in this comparison – 277 lb-ft – yet it’s priced to compete with the 328i rather than the significantly more upscale 335i. No wonder Lexus expects to sell 1600 convertibles a month.
Although Infiniti tries to channel BMW’s sporting heritage, Lexus favors the luxury end of the spectrum. The IS350C features the most sumptuous interior in its class….By all of the measures that matter most to prospective owners, the Lexus was very good, and it offers a winning compromise of style, performance, and utility.
With no clear winner, this could be considered a rather weak comparison, when in fact it’s a very clear overview of the differences between competitors. By all accounts, the IS-C had a very good showing, which is very nice to see in its first-ever comparison (to my knowledge).
(One other thing I noticed is how much better the IS convertible design looks when placed among its peers—it provides some much needed context.)
[Source: Automobile Magazine]