Filed under: Convertibles, Paris Motor Show, Lexus
Paris 2008: 2009 Lexus IS250C
by Damon Lavrinc on Oct 2nd 2008 at 2:23AM 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Lexus IS250C
Lexus has chopped off two doors and the roof from the IS250 to create the IS250C, due to arrive in Europe in the summer of 2009, and the U.S. shortly thereafter.
The 2009 Lexus IS250C features a three-piece aluminum roof that retracts in a "world's fastest" 20 seconds, and features revised overhangs 15mm (front) and 55mm (rear) longer than the sedan, a new fog lamp design and a rising beltline that integrates into the revised haunches. The IS250C's rear end leaves a lot to be desired, with an odd assortment of angles terminating into a set of awkwardly placed LED taillights. With the top up, nothing seems to seamlessly blend together, looking like an ill-advised amalgamation of the outgoing SC430 and BMW 335i. Inside, thing get mildly better – in typical staid Lexus tradition – with a set of rollover hoops for the rear seat passengers, a 12-speaker Mark Levinson sound system and a speed sensitive climate control system that will boost the heat during open air jaunts. And naturally, you can fit a golf bag in the trunk with the top down.
Make the jump for Lexus' brief press release and check the galleries below for live and press photos from Paris.
Gallery: 2009 Lexus IS250C LIVE
Gallery: 2009 Lexus IS250C
PRESS RELEASE
IS 250C – World Premiere
Making its world debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, the new IS 250C combines the sporting elegance of the IS sedan with superlative engineering ingenuity to create a unique fusion of top-down driving pleasure and uncompromised closed-top dynamic performance in the premium sedan segment. Its lightweight, aluminium folding roof structure boasts the fastest three-part roof opening time of just 20 seconds. Through the remarkably compact packaging of its roof mechanism, the IS 250C offers a large boot space, generous rear seat access and spacious rear passenger accommodation.
Sharing the IS 250's 153kW/208DIN hp, 2.5 litre ultra-smooth V6 powerplant and 6-speed automatic transmission, the new Lexus convertible has been styled to offer minimal wind turbulence when driving with the hard top stowed. The enhanced torsional stiffness of the IS 250C design promotes ride comfort appropriate to the marque and, in coupe configuration, reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics on a par with those of the IS sedan.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Seminole 2:32AM (10/02/2008)
I just threw up in my mouth. I never thought Lexus could top the ugliness of the SC430, but somehow they found a way.
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Seminole 2:35AM (10/02/2008)
The more I look at it the worse it gets. The side profile looks like they grafted the front of an IS onto a Pontiac G6 vert. The lines of this are terrible.
dachshundtooateez 2:40AM (10/02/2008)
No, the G6 thing looks much more like a Camry Solara.
I sorta like the clean, flat/angled look of this IS though. It looks much lighter and cleaner than the sedan.
Franz 2:42AM (10/02/2008)
It's not pretty, but it makes more sense than the SC430 ever did.
tekd 7:07AM (10/02/2008)
Now I'm really sad that they're doing away with the SC...if they had done this right it would have made sense to drop the SC but this seems like Lexus decided to save some money and just chopped the car in the cheapest way possible to shove a convertible top on. WTF?
Tool 11:46AM (10/02/2008)
Wow. This thing is really, really ugly.
Completely out of proportion. Can't believe this thing did well in consumer clinics.
Kotse 11:56AM (10/02/2008)
Reminds me of the 3rd Gen 1994-96 Camry Coupe...ugly (and was poorly sold). I see history would repeat itself...
Quan 12:20PM (10/02/2008)
I've never liked the current design of the IS, but even that design puts this one to shame. The lines are horrible, the top looks like it was fitted on as cheaply as possibly. The longer rear deck is disproportionate to the rest of the car. How the hell does Lexus expect this to compete with a 3 series convertible? They need to scrap it and start by making the regular IS attractive again first.
Darrell 8:47PM (10/02/2008)
if you cover the face, it looks like a mini-Challenger
larry a 2:28PM (10/02/2008)
glad everyone else agrees, infiniti and bmw have nothing to worry about
JAZ 3:02PM (10/02/2008)
It's so ugly and weird shaped. i'd rather hav the
IS-F
T 1:21AM (10/03/2008)
I'm seeing Camry Solara in the front fascia.
dachshundtooateez 2:33AM (10/02/2008)
...I'm not someone who's ever looked at a car and thought, "damn, that would be better as a convertible".
Two door though, maybe.
The lines on that thing are a bit dodgy though not horrible, but at least it looks nice and airy, plenty of glass for good visibility, cruise it like an old fashioned hardtop.
...Wait, so no IS350C?
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dhan 7:45PM (10/02/2008)
Europe didn't get IS350 sedan either, only IS250 and IS-F
tech9 2:34AM (10/02/2008)
a perfectly good concept ruined by the actual product...
hideous
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Torrent 2:57AM (10/02/2008)
It HAS to be a bad photoshop. right?
Lexus. you can't just chop off 2 doors and call it a coupe. horrendous.....
Myk 5:32PM (10/02/2008)
@Torrent.
Chrysler did it with the Sebring. I held off getting an IS because i wanted to see the coupe. Even as a Lexus fan, this is FUGLY!
Infra 3:54PM (10/03/2008)
I have an IS250 and I am now actually upset that this thing will eventually be rolling around being compared to my car. The 4-door IS is not a perfect design, the side profile looks a little nose heavy, but the rear end of the car is beautiful. They completely destroyed the slim, unique tail lights on the current IS and threw in the fat, chunky lights from an ES or GS.
The whole thing looks reminds me of what it looks like when someone's face is swollen from an allergic reaction.
Mirko 2:35AM (10/02/2008)
That looks horrible.
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HC 2:37AM (10/02/2008)
somehow the back reminds me of a sebring.
damn its weird.
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