Toyota, you need to stop sending me mixed signals. Either you’re the purveyor of the world’s most vanilla consumer transportation appliance in the history of things with wheels, or the manufacturer of luxury items like the Lexus IS350 C, the most enjoyable run I’ve had in a V6 in quite awhile.
What I find interesting is how people, myself included, are able to qualify cars with the companies to which they are attributed. When someone compliments a Lexus, for whatever reason, like the performance, comfort, etc., one will often hear something to the effect of: “Well, of course, it’s a Lexus.” (And in these examples, we’re doing away with common humility for the sake of the point I’m making.) When it fails to perform, however, the prevailing comments are: “Well, what did you expect? It’s basically a Toyota.”
It’s a beguiling generalization, much like prejudice. I, again, am guilty of thoughts like this, often when I’m in a hurry and a Camry hovers uselessly in the left lane, trundling toward who-knows-where in seemingly no hurry to get there. I see the badge and roll my eyes, sighing “of course,” while I curse the lifeless husk occupying the driver’s seat. Indeed, when the whole “sudden acceleration scandal” emerged, I concluded that it was simply Toyotas across the country revolting against their zombie masters.
On the other hand, mention a Lexus, and the “oohs “and “ahs” start. “Ooh, he has a LX; he owns a 2-story home,” or “Ah, he has an IS, so he must play tennis.” Suddenly, Toyota strays from being a producer of carcass haulers to the panderers of degree-holding sophisticates.
So how do they do it? How does one of the, if not the, biggest auto manufacturers in the planet amass such divergent stigmas? Maybe that’s it, maybe it’s because they’re so big that they can accommodate prince and pauper. After all, a supermarket can supply junk food as well as filet mignon. However they accomplish this, the IS 350 C, for all its odd relations, is a car that changes you.
A variant of the IS series, Lexus’ entry-level model of luxury cars, the Lexus IS 350 C is RWD with a 3.5 liter V6 engine that puts out an impressive 306 hp. Married to a 6-speed automatic transmission, the 350 C sports 17’’ aluminum alloy wheels and has ventilated front and rear disk brakes.
You can’t deny that driving around in a red convertible will get you noticed. In fact, just making the choice to get a drop top implies a certain level of vanity. Your appearance and your vehicle become one, and going for a drive now requires preparation: What should I wear? How do I look? Who might see me?
Then, once you’ve gotten into the car, all that goes out the window (no pun intended), and the exposure suddenly becomes apparent. Now even the music you’re playing is under scrutiny, so you might turn the radio down or choose a more popular station. What? You’re wearing a sweater? Then why do you have the top down? Just for show? Don’t dare pick your nose, check your teeth, or fix your hair – the entire driving world is watching you.
Same goes for your driving style. I personally drive pretty aggressively. Try to hide your shock. I will, as mentioned before, lambast those who surround me if they deviate from common sense or drive unacceptably according to my views. But in a convertible, I’m strangely quiet. Quiet because now, they can see me, the real me, uncovered by a metal roof and surrounded by nothing but air, and my thrashing and spouting vitriol is much more noticeable to everyone. Or, in a compensatory manner, I notice my subdued reaction and express myself more animatedly because, hey, they can see me now.
But when you’re by yourself, away from the crowds, you start to really appreciate the new perspective a ride in a convertible lends to your surroundings. I can confidently assume that every one of us has taken a drive down a particular road to take in the scenery, or indeed, even if you haven’t done so purposefully, you must have noticed a certain loveliness in an area you happen to find yourself in…for whatever reason. A convertible like the IS 350 C exposes you so much more to places like these. You are very much there, just as if you had stopped the car and actually walked around, not just admired the area from your climate-controlled metal box. The smells are richer, the sun (if it’s out) warms you, and all the sounds are penetrating. At night, the stars are above, and you resist the urge to look up while on the move, but manage to sneak a peek or two at red lights. And when it all goes a bit more gray? Pull over and raise the hard top. In a few seconds, you are once again in a sporty coupe, shutting out all the unpleasantness.
Top up or down, the Lexus, when met with a stretch of road, can perform very satisfactorily. Although comfort is clearly a main goal for the IS 350 C, it can still take a corner. It’s good to see that underneath all the clever toys and leather surfaces lies a car that’s actually enjoyable to drive, not just a nice place to sit. The double wishbone suspension in the front gives you confident performance while the multi-link suspension in the rear complements that ability without sacrificing ride quality when you wish to just cruise.
There are many things to play with in the interior, and that can take some getting used to when coming from a vehicle that may not have such options. For example, the one-touch auto front seat fold-and-slide function to access the back seat will spoil anyone who has had to let someone in the back of their car and then, afterward, had to spend time rediscovering how you originally had the driver’s seat positioned. Another option is adaptive headlamps that will angle themselves to face upcoming turns, a very useful safety feature that helped me notice another car that stopped on a local highway off-ramp. It almost goes without saying that the leather and wood interior creates sumptuous surroundings that almost make you feel out of place if you are wearing regular street clothes and not something dressier. But of course, most who can afford this car won’t be the type to travel in sweatpants.
While you get what you pay for, the IS 350 comes with a bit of a cost. With a starting MSRP of about $45,000, the Lexus will be an option for those who have money to burn; with the luxury package, a model like the one I tested will come out to roughly $52,000. This price is what I like to call “Shelby territory” since it’s what I’d personally lean towards if I had this kind of car budget. That’s just my personal style, but it does also lead me neatly to my next point.
I wish to address its appeal. Obviously, a Lexus that puts out 306 hp and handles as well as it does, with all the toys, is bound to have a broad audience, but it does occur to me that the IS 350 C can be viewed as a bit feminine. Women I’ve spoken to have expressed interest in owning one, as have men I know who are of a certain expressive disposition. It didn’t really cross my mind until after I spoke to these people that the car is very…pretty. A pretty little car that I sat in for some time. Again, the feeling of being exposed emerges. So, if you are sensitive to such things, this may not be the ride for you, but even after these observations were brought to my attention, I wasn’t very bothered. I enjoyed the Lexus IS 350 C. I liked the keyless entry and how the lights faded on as I approached it. I was pleased by the responsiveness of the engine and the stiffness of the steering. I liked the crème interior, the Matador Red paint, and the satellite radio. With the top up, I can be as serious as I want, and when I drop the top, I’m free to go with the breeze. I felt sophisticated, but fun, not stuffy and boorish. I had the best of both worlds, and this is exactly what the IS 350 C delivers.
Words By – Alex Kalogiannis
Photos By – Soraya Navia
I will start by saying that the new IS is a beautiful bit of automotive genius. The nature of convertible drivers in general is one of vanity, an understood norm of road. That being said, this might be the first Lexus IS convertible offering from the Toyota camp but it surely is not their first IS. The IS name has been associated with a sense of luxury rebellion. As counter-intuitive as this may sound, it is fully visible in the heavily after-market influenced styling of the original IS introduced into the US markets in 2000 and 1998 in Asian markets. This “rebellion” ideal was seen in all aspects of the vehicle and was marketed to an entire generation of auto-enthusiast who wanted their cars to directly reflect who they were as individuals. This was the defining sentiment was most prevalent in the street racing world where the IS was received quite warmly. To that effect, Toyota’s decision to place the Toyota 2JZ (inline six) engine in this small body sports vehicle was a surely targeted one. This was the same engine that was renowned when it roared to life in the Toyota Supra (Mk IV). This engine was the largest defining factor of this vehicle.
When you create an icon, if by choice or more likely by accident, you take on the responsibility to your faithful to continue to carry that party line. The inline six setup by Toyota created a following, one that was loyal to the idea of powerful yet gas efficient power source. Most importantly it was an image, it was different. It was surely a luxury car, but it just refused to act or look like one.
While this new car is truly beautiful, while it is a beautiful amalgam of power, tech and great sheet metal design, it just might not be an IS. A rose by any other name may smell just as sweet, but calling a jasmine a rose does not make it so. Where is the individuality? Where is the innate sense of rebellion that was so clear and intoxicating in the original incarnations of this brand?