New Lexus model aims to impress

WHEN Lexus had announced that it would be making a convertible hardtop to rival BMW's 3 series, many saw it as another attempt for the Lexus IS300 to rake in more new customers. Especially those without any real brand loyalty or preconceptions about the car that they are buying.

"The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection" is the Lexus motto and they set about it in their own way, by trying to make even the most mundane detail about their car interesting or better in some way or another.

When it arrived on the scene, Lexus was Toyota's answer to the luxury car market. It would take on a different branding, stand for different things than your normal run of the mill Toyota.

It is something that the more traditional luxury carmakers used to do at one point, and in some cases still do, with others trying to reclaim their place in the pantheon of greats.

This line of thinking had spawned the IS200 and surprising many with Lexus first foray into the junior executive segment where Mercedes, BMW and Audi traditionally spar amongst each other.

To begin with the Lexus IS300 is a car which is practical, and it has an engine which does not strain to do the mundane and while never really pushing one towards the heights and excitement with its capability it can reach highway speeds adequately enough that you could travel cross country quite quickly.

Except you will somewhat miss the point of how the whole car came about in the first place. The IS and IS300 are quite a leap from the IS200, in such a way that while the first car commanded a premium and showed its worth with a strong build quality, the newer versions have backed it up with a very polished interior finish.

The driver and passengers are cosseted in the environment that they sit in, and if the base trim isn't enough, there is even more luxury to be had if you whip out the list of options at the Lexus showroom in town.

So how does a removable roof add to the Lexus IS300? Quite a lot actually, the best thing about the car is the new convertible is that they have decided to run with a folding hard top. With the roof in place this maintains an extremely high level of in car comfort and the outside noise intrusion into the cabin is not discernible from the normal saloon car until you notice it only has two doors instead of four.

The other way of noticing whether the car is the IS300C is when the roof is down.

Which in truth brings its own veritable charm into the equation. Having a car with a folding roof, whether fabric or metal, really does change the face of driving. Trust me when I say this, the minute the weather allows for it and the roof gets put away, a smile will creep on your face.

At some form of basic level it all just clicks and fits into place, the wind blowing over head, the sun shining down and the car becomes more than just a tool that takes you from one place to another. It brings on a level of enjoyment. This is what the drivers of any convertible will tell you.

While not being able to comment whether the drive is any different from the IS300, having not driven it, I've been told no. Which brings some good points and points which are not necessarily bad. The IS300 is easy to drive, and making its Convertible Hardtop version identical will mean that it too will be smooth and quiet on the road.

What this means is that some drivers will feel it to be bland, or not adventurous enough for what is essentially a product that is supposed to excite its buyers.

The only other aspect of the car, which irks me, is the proportion of the rear when the roof is stowed away. Without the roof, the high waistline is clearly visible and gives the car a less than flattering demeanour at certain angles. Of course this does not really take away from when you are in the car, but some will be conscious of it.

There will be easy fixes, several car enthusiasts have been trying to find out whether aftermarket body kits will fit and help enhance the look of the car. Clearly this will be another hit for those who enjoy dressing up their cars.

For those looking at something practical at the same time, the niche that Lexus has carved for itself by being a premium brand that is competitive with its rivals allows it to position itself cleverly. It will not be as expensive as the Mercedes Benz or BMW equivalent, but rather asks its buyers whether they get any less.

The answer of course is that you get a whole lot, and something, which is not Benz or Beemer, but essentially what they wanted to begin with. The price of just a few thousand shy of $90,000 is by no means cheap. Then again the alternative is usually even more expensive.

With the arrival of the Lexus IS300C , Lexus will succeed in what it had always set out to do, win their own fans through their pursuit of perfection.

While they may not have gotten it right, they are getting close at it and in the mean time are building some very good cars.

The Brunei Times