Lexus RC Convertible to be Released in 2016?
Motoring Australia has a new timeline for the Lexus RC convertible.
Kevin · July 7th, 2015
Latest News
Lexus IS C Convertible Returns for 2015 Model Year
While the Lexus IS F has just ended its production run, the IS C will live to see another year — Lexus will continue to build the six-year-old convertible despite being based on the previous generation IS sedan. (This decision can be easily explained — while the RC F will succeed the IS F in …
Kevin · August 6th, 2014
Imagining a 2014 Lexus IS Convertible
The RM Design Blog has created a rendering of the next-generation Lexus IS convertible.
Kevin · June 24th, 2013
2013 Lexus IS Convertible F SPORT
For the 2013 model year, the Lexus IS convertible will be available with a full F SPORT package — for the first images of the new package, let’s take a visit to Lexus Japan.
Kevin · September 19th, 2012
Lexus IS-C Body Kit from Aimgain
Japanese tuner Aimgain has a Lexus IS-C body kit that really changes the look of the convertible.
Kevin · September 6th, 2012
2013 Lexus IS Lineup Announced
The 2013 Lexus IS lineup has been announced -- here's a breakdown of the model changes.
Kevin · August 20th, 2012
Two More Lexus IS Fs Spotted at Nürburgring
This may be the third day in a row for photos of the next-generation Lexus IS F development mule currently running around Nürburgring, but Motor Trend has some new information worth sharing.
Kevin · July 19th, 2012
More Photos of the 2014 Lexus IS F Convertible Test Mule
There’s more spy photos of the next-generation Lexus IS F convertible development mule.
Kevin · July 17th, 2012
2014 Lexus IS Mule Spotted at Nürburgring!
A next-generation Lexus IS mule has been spotted at the Nürburgring, and Edmunds Inside Line has some photos.
Kevin · July 16th, 2012
Fox Marketing Lexus IS F & IS-C Get Crushed
The last few days have not been kind to Lexus automobiles — first it was the Belgian hacksaw attack on a LS 400, and now we have two SEMA show cars built by Fox Marketing being destroyed due to federal regulations.
Kevin · May 28th, 2012
Next-Generation Lexus IS Photochops from Japan
Shamiz, our source for Japanese magazine rumors, can come through again with these Best Car renderings of four possible next-generation IS variants.
Kevin · November 22nd, 2011
SEMA 2011: Lexus Mega Photo Gallery
After a weekend of recuperating, I'm ready to share a selection of photos from last week's trip to SEMA in Las Vegas, where Lexus debuted the all-new 2013 GS 350 F Sport and a host of tuned vehicles.
Kevin · November 7th, 2011
SEMA 2011: Lexus IS 350C by VIP Auto Salon
Also on display at the Lexus SEMA exhibit will be the VIP Auto Salon IS 350C, a super-modified convertible fully equipped with a Rotex Supercharger kit by Apexi & a Joe-Z exhaust that bumps up the power to 386 hp & 372lb-ft of torque.
Kevin · October 26th, 2011
The Lexus IS 350C Heli-Cop-Car
To counteract the travesty of the last video, here’s something from the opposite end of the emotional spectrum — a Lexus IS 350C with cartoon robot arms and a remote-control helicopter mounted to the roof.
Kevin · October 17th, 2011
Lexus UK Releases IS 250C Limited Edition
Lexus UK had two product announcements this week. First up is the special edition IS 250C with two-tone black & red leather interior, which will be limited to only 50 units.
Kevin · June 30th, 2011
Next-Generation Lexus IS & IS-F Poll Results
The results are in from last week's poll question: Would you rather have a next-generation Lexus IS coupe, sedan, hybrid sedan, convertible or wagon?
Kevin · June 2nd, 2011
Lexus IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition
Lexus USA has announced that a special edition IS 350C F Sport will be arriving in dealerships this month. Limited to just 175 units, this F-Sport equipped convertible will be available in either Obsidian or Starfire Pearl, and includes these modifications above and beyond the usual IS-C: 19-inch forged alloy wheels with dark graphite finish …
Kevin · February 21st, 2011
Lexus Dominates Intellichoice’s 2011 Best Value Awards
Intellichoice have announced their 2011 Best Overall Value of the Year Awards, and Lexus absolutely dominated the luxury segment, taking four of the nine categories — here are the winners: Premium Compact Passenger Car: 2011 Lexus IS 250 Premium Convertible: 2011 Lexus IS 250C Premium Crossover/Wagon: 2011 Lexus RX 350 Premium Full-Size SUV: 2011 Lexus …
Kevin · February 7th, 2011
2014 Lexus IS?
Road & Track is reporting that the next-generation Lexus IS will debut in 2013 as a 2014 model: The reason, according to our sources, is that work has started on a new 4-door sedan based on the FT-86 platform. …this car will be built atop a stretched version of the FT-86 chassis. Toyota boss Akio …
Kevin · November 29th, 2010
Hilarious Lexus IS Commercial from China
There’s just no way to describe this Lexus IS commercial from China — you’ll simply have to watch for yourself: I suppose if I went crazy and had to describe driving an IS convertible, I’d probably equate it to pulling the tabs of fifty shaken pop cans strapped to my back.
Kevin · October 8th, 2010
Lexus IS Coupe for 2012?
Speaking of the next-generation Lexus IS, Autoblog ran a rumor last week that suggests a IS coupe is in the works: …Lexus could finally add an IS coupe to its lineup. Lexus recognizes that it hasn’t had a credible player in that market for far too long, and with the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe around …
Kevin · October 6th, 2010
Sleek New IS Website from Lexus Canada
Last month, we saw behind-the-scenes footage for a new Lexus commercial featuring all versions of the IS — now here’s the finished product as part of a new IS section on the Lexus Canada website: Lots of energy to the site, and definitely worth clicking through — the video quality is just fantastic. Very sleek, …
Kevin · May 28th, 2010
Lexus USA F-Sport Promotion in June
Lexus USA has announced there will be a special F-Sport promotion during the month of June — three new option levels have been made available on the IS, IS-C, & GS 350(RWD only): The F-Sport suspension kit will be offered for $1,450, a savings of $549, and will include lowering springs and rear chassis member …
Kevin · May 10th, 2010
Lexus IS 250C Review from Autoweek
AutoWeek has posted a editor driver log of the 2010 Lexus IS 250C, and while they gave the convertible marks for its smoothness and features, when it came to styling and and other aspects, they were not as forgiving—first off, senior editor Bob Gritzinger noted the design challenges faced by all hardtop convertibles, and concluded …
Kevin · April 8th, 2010
Lexus IS 350C F-Sport Photos from Auto Guide
Auto Guide has posted up some photos of the Lexus IS 350C F-Sport special edition announced last month, which means we can get a good look at the new grille & wheels: My guesses were fifty-fifty—the wheel design is the same one from the TRD IS-C from SEMA, but the grille isn’t a direct pull …
Kevin · April 6th, 2010
Lexus IS 250C Consumer Reports Convertible Test
Consumer Reports has published a comparison test of five convertibles: the Audi A5, Infiniti G37c, Lexus IS 250C, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and Mini Cooper S. The Lexus IS and Infiniti G convertibles tied for first place, with an overall score of 77, followed by the A5 at 74—previous tests of the BMW 328i and Volkswagen …
Kevin · April 6th, 2010
Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus IS 350C vs. BMW 335i vs. Audi A5 vs. Infiniti G37
Motor Trend has joined the recent spate of luxury convertible comparisons, pitting Audi, BMW, Lexus and Infiniti against one another in this March 2010 drop-top test. From their IS 350C review: If you’re in search of a hardtop cabrio as unfailingly civilized as high tea at Claridge’s Mayfair, stop right now. The Lexus IS 350 …
Kevin · March 24th, 2010
Lexus IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition Heading to USA
A Lexus IS 350C F-Sport special edition is on its way to the USA later this month, and will feature the following upgrades over the standard IS 350C: Newly designed 19-inch forged alloy wheels with a wheel lock set and Michelin Pilot Sport 225/35ZR19 tires in the front and 255/35ZR19 tires in the rear Front …
Kevin · March 8th, 2010
TRD-Tuned Lexus IS & GS from SEMA
We saw the official photos of the cars in Lexus’ SEMA showcase, and now Autoblog has posted a few photos of the TRD F-Sport GS & IS: I’m more impressed with these two cars by the day—- especially when I see new details like the matte tailights, which works well contrasting with the vibrant orange …
Kevin · November 8th, 2009
Fox Marketing Prepares Lexus IS 350c for SEMA
We first saw a rendering of the Fox Marketing Lexus IS 350c back in May—and it looks like that computer image was in very close proximity to the real thing: There’s also a buildlog photo set on Flickr, and for good measure, a video closeup: The IS-F front bumper and side vents look nicely done—I …
Kevin · September 28th, 2009
Great Lexus IS Convertible Billboard in Toronto
Check out this cool Lexus IS-C digital billboard in downtown Toronto: What’s interesting is that the position of the IS-C roof changes depending on the current weather, which is also displayed underneath the car. Very nicely executed! (Hopefully this is still in place the top is down when I’m in Toronto next week…) [Source: DSE]
Kevin · September 21st, 2009
NY Times Comparison: 2010 Lexus IS 350C vs. Infiniti G37 convertible
The New York Times has published a comparison between the Lexus IS 350C and the Infiniti G37 convertible: While the Infiniti manages to look reasonably pert from behind, the Lexus has a wicked case of Solara butt. But if the Lexus is no swan, dropping the roof does make it less of a waddling goose. …
Kevin · August 24th, 2009
Lexus IS Family Commercial
This Lexus IS convertible commercial from Australia is pure fantastic: Each transition is breathtaking, and the IS-F roof popping off to make the IS-C is sensational. Loved it. (Thanks Charles!)
Kevin · August 12th, 2009
Edmunds Reviews the Lexus IS 350C F-Sport Accessories
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 …
Kevin · August 4th, 2009
Automobile Comparison: Lexus IS 350c vs. BMW 328i vs. Volvo C70 vs. Infiniti G37 Convertible
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 …
Kevin · July 23rd, 2009
Lexus IS-C Demand Outpacing Production
The Lexus IS-C is off to a booming start in the US, with dealerships selling the new convertible faster than Lexus’s Kyushu plant in Japan can make them. Wards has the story: The facility is ramping up to produce at least 225 IS-C models a month just for the Northeast region of the U.S., Scott …
Kevin · July 8th, 2009
20% Off Lexus F-Sport Accessories
If you’re in the continental USA and been holding off on purchasing F-Sport accessories for your IS or GS, the waiting looks to have paid off. For the entire month of July, Lexus is offering a 20% off coupon for all F-Sport purchases—redeemable at any dealership in the 49 states. Click to get the full …
Kevin · June 29th, 2009
Details on the Fox Marketing Lexus IS-F Convertible
In May, I posted a computer render of Fox Marketing’s next Lexus SEMA project, which looked the part of an IS-F convertible. Beyond that, there wasn’t much in the way of details, until My.IS editor Joaquin went straight to the source to find out more: First off, in spite of the obvious IS F-style front …
Kevin · June 26th, 2009
CAR Magazine First Drive of the Lexus IS 250C
CAR Magazine’s first drive report on the Lexus IS 250C may be short, but it does have some information on European availability: 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 …
Kevin · June 25th, 2009
Jalopnik Reviews the Lexus IS Convertible
Jalopnik had a chance to drive the Lexus IS Convertible, and their biggest complaint was the lack of rigidity in the body: The ‘vert gets beefed up in nearly every way, with side sills 50% taller, cross-vehicle beams under the rear seats and behind the rear seatbacks, a heftier A-pillar and substantial cross bracing underneath…Despite …
Kevin · June 24th, 2009
Lexus IS Convertible Wallpapers: Up and Down
While I didn’t take too many photos at the Lexus event last week, I did manage to find a great location for a couple IS 350C shots, and thought it would be something to put up wallpapers with the both the top-down and top-up: 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 1680×1050 | …
Kevin · June 23rd, 2009
Will there be a Lexus IS Coupe or IS-F Convertible?
With the Lexus IS convertible arriving in dealerships, two questions have started to come up—Will there be an IS coupe? And what about an IS-F version of the convertible? The first question was posed to Lexus USA General Manager Mark Templin by Jalopnik, here was his reply: “Since all the hard work of getting a …
Kevin · June 15th, 2009
My.IS Reviews the Lexus IS Convertible
It’s unlikely that we’ll see a more thorough review of the Lexus IS-C than the one by Joaquin from My.IS, who dives into every conceivable feature of the new convertible: We left the top down, intrigued to see if Lexus’ efforts to ensure that top-down motoring was a quiet, relaxing and unruffled experience were successful. …
Kevin · June 5th, 2009
Lexus IS Convertible F-Sport Photo Gallery
To promote the fact that the existing F-Sport performance accessories for the Lexus IS are fully compatible with the IS Convertible, Lexus has released some images with an IS-C decked out to the nines: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1157”} The convertible is still too junky in the trunky for my tastes, but the 19” forged alloy wheels suit …
Kevin · May 22nd, 2009
New Lexus IS Convertible Mini-Site
As part of their IS convertible advertising campaign, Lexus USA has put together a mini-site that’s just as much fun as their new commercials: The website first demonstrates the new features of the IS-C, then asks how you would use each highlighted point—then rates your answer on the Live a Little scale. It’s easy to …
Kevin · May 20th, 2009
Lexus IS-C Commercials
Lexus USA’s advertising campaign for the IS convertible has hit Youtube, with three short, interconnected videos: Live a little, a lot looks to be the IS-C’s tagline—I wonder if there will be more episodes to this series. Neat idea.
Kevin · May 15th, 2009
Edmunds Reviews the Lexus IS 350C
If Edmunds’ initial review of the IS 350C is any indication, Lexus’ new convertible looks like it could be a real winner: When the top is down, sunlight floods the IS C’s cabin and you’re overcome with a sense of well-being, so different from the wretched life you lead locked away in the office during …
Kevin · May 15th, 2009
Lexus Wallpaper of the Week: IS-Convertible Action
With the Lexus IS-C arriving at dealerships this month, I thought it only fitting to put together a desktop wallpaper showing the convertible roof in action: 1680×1050 | 1440×900 | 1280×1024 | 1280×800 | 1024×768 Pretty amazing to consider that it only takes 20 seconds for the roof to retract.
Kevin · May 14th, 2009
Lexus Japan’s IS-C Interior Color Options
The Lexus IS 250 was released in Japan last week with some extremely unique interior color options (click for slightly larger images): No word if these options will be available in other markets outside of Japan, but it looks like the USA is getting a solid blue option the blue & white option if the …
Kevin · May 11th, 2009
Lexus IS-C Sales Expectations
Lexus has shared some of the sales expectations of the new IS convertible—according to Automotive News, the company is hoping for worldwide monthly sales of 1,600 units. Whether or not such numbers are possible will depend entirely on North America, where 70% of production will be sent. “This is meant to appeal as an entry-level …
Kevin · May 8th, 2009
Fox Marketing to Build Lexus IS-F/IS-C Mashup
Fresh off their electric orange twin-turbo Lexus IS-F at SEMA 2008, Fox Marketing & Artisan Performance have already started planning their entry for this year’s event—a lime-green IS-C done up in the IS-F style (click for a larger image): This may be a computer render, but I’m impressed at how a IS-F and IS-C look …
Kevin · May 1st, 2009
Lexus USA Announces RX 450h, IS 250C & IS 350C Pricing
The US pricing for the Lexus RX 450h, IS 250C & IS 350C was announced today, let’s break it down: The starting price for the Lexus 450h FWD is $41,660, which amounts to $420 less than the outgoing first-generation hybrid. The AWD version of the 450h will have a MSRP of $43,250, $230 less than …
Kevin · April 23rd, 2009
Lexus IS 250C Promotional Video
From Lexus Japan comes this new promotional video for the IS 250C: I know that the IS 250c is essentially killing two birds with one stone, as Lexus gets a new coupe and a new convertible in the lineup, but there’s some angles in this video that make me wish a coupe-only version was available. …
Kevin · April 23rd, 2009
Lexus IS Coupe Photochops
These Lexus IS coupe photochops from Top Speed might be almost two years old, but when I spotted the thumbnails on Flickr today, I thought it was the real deal: I have a feeling the coupe is going to be a looker, but this example lacks the hard edge that I’d like to see. One …
Kevin · July 29th, 2008
Lexus trademarks IS 250C, IS 300C & IS 350C
The IS Coupe is one step closer to reality, as a moderator over at my.IS discovered some trademark applications filed by Lexus in both the USA and Canada: IS 250C, IS 300C and IS 350C. These digits lead to some interesting speculation, particularly in the case of the IS 300C. The 102-hp gap between the …
Kevin · April 25th, 2008
Lexus IS Convertible Coupe Photochop
If you couldn’t tell from the watermarks, Leftlane News commissioned Brenda Priddy to put together a mockup of the previously
Kevin · March 28th, 2008
Lexus IS Convertible Spotted
A Lexus IS convertible coupe has been spotted out in the wild, and was photographed by an unnamed German magazine. Here’s a blown-up image, for a better look: As for the accompanying text, there’s some horsepower number ranging from 177 to 423, which translates right across the entire IS lineup, from the 220d to the …
Kevin · February 25th, 2008