Lexus is test drive since 2009 sedan

Hardtop

It is believed that convertibles in Russian expanses nonsense
The impractical seasonal transport is akin to a motorcycle that should be carried out for at least six months in the garage. And ardent critics of such cars now and then about dust, diesel exhaust and city stench. As if, sitting behind the wheel of his a priori closed budget foreign car, they breathe other air. Alpine, not otherwise ... Does the ventilation system filter out?

However, which of the critics will refuse to visit the skin of a convertible, well, at worst, a convertible? Even a temporary immersion in the salon of such a car is the opportunity to break out of ordinary grayness. A convertible like a new paint in a palette or a parachute jump. It is not necessary then to do this professionally, just want to. And banal show -offs, believe me, nothing to do with it. This applies to all convertibles, including the new Lexus IS 250C for us.

Naturally, like all such cars, it belongs to the family of those very wools that they do not earn, but who give. And although the single -pharmonic two -door SC looks much more enchanting, IS also has the right to exist. Firstly, this is also a compartment, albeit with a more traditional profile. At the same time, from the donor inherited, he got only hood, headlights, door handles and mirrors, everything else was somehow finalized. In general, the car is fresh, quite modern, pretty, finally. Someone will even find him sexy ... However, there are suspicions that the already established clientele will basically enter into close relationships with him: for the most part, the layman does not turn his head to the open IS, and they look at him from various Lexus. Moreover, they are completely not embarrassed by the fact that behind the car looks completely not as a way. It seems that at first the designers had the task of bringing the appearance of the convertible to the appearance of the flagship LS, but on some of the fork they turned in the wrong direction.

By the way, they slightly puffed up with the roof. Everything is fine with the look, it fit perfectly into the exterior, but the trunk in the car does not remain. The design, as usual, is cast from aluminum, consists of three sections and through 4 rods, 15 drives and 37 sensors are safely folded into a luggage compartment in the form of a sandwich. By the way, in just 20 seconds, there will be something to work on competitors. However, if at least a golf bag (210 and 200 liters, respectively) is placed in the same BMW 3r Cabriolet or Volvo C70, then a backpack with a cameras got into Lexus. A possible maximum of 165 liters, moreover, the volume is reduced to 136 liters, which are also divided into two independent parts: low and completely closed boxing (apparently, for the transportation of smuggling through transparent European boundaries) and the gap between the sandwich and the inner surface of the trunk cover . In other words, car voyage on vacation to the azure shore with a couple of suitcases will remain a pipe dream. The only exit to fasten belts on the rear seats, which, alas, is unsafe.

However, with the working capacity of the second row here (like all such machines), with a lowered roof, there are a lot of difficulties. The wind blows mercilessly, so that, having put back, say, a child, you risk bringing yourself a problem in the form of an extremely inappropriate summer bronchitis. Here are the colleagues, such care will most likely appreciate, but only at speeds not exceeding 100 km/h (after there it begins to blow out).

Another thing is that an adult in the second row IS will first have to be tamped. This row is not a special expanse in the sedan, but there is even less space in the convertible. In order to make friends with a removable roof, the engineers had to shorten the passenger capsule of 30 mm. They played part of the space due to the installation of thinner front seats, but did not reach the initial indicator.

About the first row to talk to no avail, this is tracing paper from the sedan. The difference is only in the instrument panel. The Japanese reduced the transparency of its glass from 30 to 20%, partially getting rid of glare and blind zones in the bright sun. They also faded the ventilation system, but for convertibles this is not news for a long time.

They did not touch the motor: a 2.5-liter V6 here, like on the sedan, gives out 209 hp. A traditional 6-speed machine operates with it. It would seem whether it is worth wishing more, especially since you won’t go faster in an open car? In principle, no. But, on the other hand, the lack of choice in the elite segment is already perceived as a monoton. The main competitors from BMW and Audi, for example, 4 and 3 engines, respectively. Moreover, both Germans offer customers both less powerful modifications and top versions with a capacity of 250 hp. Europeans, by the way, have at least one advantage of cost. Equally packed cars are approximately equal in price, but basic versions are much cheaper.

At the same time, IS is by no means incendiary. It feels like they made him, like the new RX, for housewives. They just do not live in the suburbs of San Francisco, but somewhere in the vicinity of Beverly Hills.

The dynamics is at the level, but no more. The Germans with similar motors will be even more interesting (A5 due to the turbine, and 325 due to the excellent KP). In Lexus, neither the other nor the other does not differ anything special. As a result, adrenaline is no more in the acceleration than in a fruit kefir. And so in all parameters. The chassis is quite comfortable, like Audi. The car is easily controlled, easily overcome our roads, moreover, both at low speeds and at high, perfectly holds the trajectory and arc ... But making it do something illegal very difficult.

This is where the question arises: why? On the one hand, why provoke? But on the other then, why pay 2.2 million? In 20 seconds? Well, BMW has 22 of them, and Audi has even less, however, her top is soft.



SPECIFICATIONS
Lexus is 250c

Dimensions (mm) 4635x1800x1415
Wheel base (mm) 2730
Road clearance (mm) 130
Mass (kg) 1805
Trunk volume (L) 136583
Engine operating (cm3) 2500
Max. Power (L.S.) 208
Max. Twisting the moment (Nm) 252
Max. Speed \u200b\u200b(km/h) 210
Acceleration 0100 km/h (c) 9
Cf. gasoline consumption (l/100 km) 9.3
Price (rub.) From 2 258 500
 

Source: MKOMBILA magazine [June/2010]