There’s an undying appeal to the convertible. Even in the dark grips on winter, we can still visualize hitting the open road with the top down, the wind brushing our hair back and causing us to reflect on the road trips of our youth.
If only we’d had the IS 350 C when we were kids. Our younger versions would have appreciated the 306 horses in that 3.5 liter V6 engine, but as conscientious adults we respect the fact that it’s classified an Ultra-Low Emisson Vehicle by the EPA. Both young and old can appreciate the IS’s hardtop retracting in just 20 seconds, faster than any other convertible in its class.
But that’s just scratching the surface of this stunner. The IS isn’t just a convertible, it’s a Lexus convertible, which means available features include:
- An Adaptive Front Lighting System, causing the headlights to pivot towards upcoming turns.
- Wipers that activate when they sense rain on the glass.
- Roof clearance sonar that lets you know when an object might interfere with the transformation of the IS to a convertible and back.
- Hill start assist which helps keep the IS from rolling back down a steep hill—eliminating parking brake dependence.
- Backup camera which relays images to the LCD center console.
- Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, a feature which maintains a preset difference between your IS and the car in front of you.
These are all amazing features, but there is one added bonus in particular that really appealed to us: the sound system. We’ve always found it ironic that, while there seems to be no better time to blare out your favorite tunes then when the top is down on a beautiful summer’s day, it’s with convertibles that the acoustics are the weakest.
No more. The Mark Levinson audio system was specifically designed to deal with these issues, automatically adjusting the volume and equalizer curve to compensate for road and wind noise. This includes the bass, usually the first thing to go in open air environments. The result is a distraction-free listening experience. It’s just you, the car, your tunes and the open road. Man, we can’t wait for summer.
The 2011 Lexus LFA has come to save us all, or at least a select few discerning car lovers. Recently, Lexus announced that only 500 (20 a month for 25 months) LFA models will be produced worldwide, with a price tag ranging from $350,000- $375,000. The drivers for these individually customized supercars will be handpicked by Lexus (your local dealer is accepting applications up until mid-March) and won’t even be allowed to own their vehicles; Lexus keeps the titles during a two year lease and will allow them to purchase the car at the end of that time. It seems like a lot of effort just for a sports car, even one touted as “super”, making one wonder: what’s so great about the LFA?
Well, pretty much everything. Much like the man of steel, the LFA is created from special stuff: its cabin is composed of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP), allowing it to weigh over 220 lbs less than if it had an equivalent aluminum design. It sports a V-10, 552 horsepower engine that allows it to travel from 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds—the engine spools up so quickly that only a digitally simulated analog tachometer can keep up. 354 lb-ft of torque is generated by this bad boy as it accelerates to a top speed of 202 mph. Which isn’t quite as fast as Superman, but I doubt most drivers will be able to tell the difference.
But as fast as you might want to go, you’ll have to slow down so others can soak in the glory. And they’ll be no keeping the LFA tucked away safely so you alone can ogle its curves. Although only 500 people can drive them, Lexus would appreciate if others at least have a chance to appreciate the beauty of this supercar.
Says Paul Williamson, the national manager at Lexus College, Toyota’s dealer training school: "We want people who will drive the car, who will be seen in the car. We want it to be seen on the right roads, in front of the right restaurants and not just being enjoyed by one individual in their private garage."
You hear that prospective LFA owners? Don’t be shy about your new supercar—it sure won’t be shy about the way it handles the road.
