Lexus is test drive since 2009 sedan

Lexus IS250C Test drive: Tired of the Sun

Smot, dust and sunburn of the third degree here are your companions on Dolce Vita Paths. And the only weighty bonus when leaning the roof is electromagnetic views that are attracted to you and the car from all sides.

How long have you been riding a convertible? And did you even have such a happy ticket? If so, then most likely you will share my beliefs about cars with this type of body. And if not, then just believe and, if possible, feel all the charms of the operation of the machine without a roof.

The most common misconception about convertibles sounds like this: a clear vehicle that gives an unimaginable amount of pleasure from driving under the blue sky and affectionate sun.

Nonsense! Especially in the realities of the metropolitan region. Sow, the dust and sunburn of the third degree here are your companions on the Dolce Vita path. And the only weighty bonus when leaning the roof is electromagnetic views that are attracted to you and the car from all sides.

It follows that the convertible of 99 percent is a stylish accessory, endowing its owner with unusual attractiveness. Especially when it comes to Lexus convertible, which has long gained popularity among a wealthy Russian public.

Lexus IS250C debuted at a car dealership in Paris in October 2008 as a completely full -fledged car, ready to launch into a series. And already in May 2009, the inhabitants of Japan got the opportunity to become its happy owners. In Russia, sales started recently, on the eve of the summer season of 2010.

Armed with sunglasses, baseball cap and abnormal heat, we try to figure out the intricacies of Japanese engineering and design thought.

Seeing in the rear view mirror IS250C with a closed top, an unprepared motorist is unlikely to notice the difference between the convertible and the IS250 sedan, so recognizable and familiar on our roads. But in practice, these cars have practically no common body parts, with the exception of the hood, headlights and door handles. From a technical point of view, such a move deserves all sorts of praise. But if we consider the ideological component, it was not worth attracting an absolutely independent car to the appearance of the sedan.

In most cases, that convertible looks advantageous that was originally designed for the production as an open car or, at worst, as a compartment. When the variations of the convertible on the topic of the sedan, which have long been presented on the market and occupying its niche begin, are subconsciously drawn in parallels, and at the points of intersection, the convertible does not always look in the best light.

With IS250C, a similar story. You begin to find fault with the appearance with a closed roof: the back is heavy, it is so difficult to understand in the profile how all this abundance of details was technically successfully placed on the rear axle, and also the leading. The wheels of the 17th diameter shod in Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires 245/45 R17 are lost in the high rise of the rear wing. A tall window line and lonely gas tank hatch, sitting in the middle of the wing, completes the picture. Front and behind, it is not easy to find fault with something: concise-effective lighting technology, especially the rear, with two diode stripes looks very attractive.

And that's all, no more emotions to the best of a handsome compartment compartment.

But it is worth spending for some 20 seconds on the folding of a three-section metal roof and the car seemed to be replaced. A swift silhouette is visually facilitated by the absence of a small pressure roof, and the car is literally opened.

The opening of the roof is not accompanied by any difficulties. The mechanism is driven by a small intuitively understandable swinging torso: open, close up. The plus is also the graphic support of the converting process on the instrument display: it is always clear at what stage the roof is and how long it remains until the end.

The interior of the convertible got almost unchanged from the sedan. Should we talk about the quality of materials and assembly? All indicators are on top. As in the sedan, with a two-color combination of the salon (light-dark), a very pleasant arrangement of elements of various colors in contrasts. To help the driver, a multimedia system and climatic installation, having various premises for riding with an open top and vice versa, work.

An interesting solution of the interior is the places of the rear passengers installed slightly higher than the front seats. It looks very impressive, in profile and behind, as it were, repeating the silhouette of the body.

But this even more complicates the already difficult fate of the rear passengers when riding an open top. Even with fully raised side glasses, transport someone in an inhumanly on the gallery: it is worth overcoming a mark of 70 km/h, as the rear passengers begin to blow solidly, and at speeds above the air flow tries to take them with him completely.

Perhaps in resolving this issue a protective transverse curtain, attached somewhere behind the arches of the safety of the rear seat, could help. But, alas, for this car it is not even optionally provided.

The driver and the front passenger have more rainbow prospects. The angle of attack of windshield in tandem with a high side window line gives an amazing effect: the oncoming wind does not bother even at speeds for 100 km/h. And the lateral glass in a closed state is covered from the transverse wind streams. IS250C demonstrates excellent aerodynamic indicators in its class. By the way, ISC with a closed roof has a 0.29 CX aerodynamic resistance, while many European competitors cannot boast of less than 0.30-0.32 CX.

But all this is not enough to decide or, conversely, abandon the idea of \u200b\u200bbuying this car. It is important to understand what kind of driver you will pay for, in addition to the blue sky above your head.

The car is equipped with a 2.5 -liter with a well -known engine capable of developing a power of 208 horsepower. Sports ambitions with such a power unit cannot be comforted, and it is useless. Walking cars of this format do not have in any way to drive on the verge. But the silent engine, smooth accelerations, inconspicuous shifts of the checkpoint are guaranteed.

The suspension is significantly tougher than Sedanovskaya, but does not cause unpleasant sensations when driving on poor -quality roads. The only exception is the transverse joints, when storming which at an average speed, the artifact of the meager twisting of the body is manifested. It must be understood that the convertible is a car devoid of one of the main ribs of the stiffness of the roof. With a closed top, this effect is almost invisible.

Traditionally, for all Lexus and especially for such a model, designed to give a lot of pleasure driving, the ball is ruled by electronics. She is everywhere and insinuatingly corrects all the flaws of the driver. Safety systems and assisting technologies work at such a cosmic height that it is almost impossible for a person to an ignorant that the drive falls on the rear axle.

Yes, and what a sin to hide, the car is equipped with the latest technology. Here you have an adaptive bi-ksenon head light, and all kinds of electro-regulations with memory, multimedia, navigation, hi-end acoustics, and so on, and so on. And all this is here and immediately without adding options in the Luxury configuration for 2,480,000 rubles. If you want to enjoy all the blessings of the convertible, but pay less without receiving multi -dimensional lotions, aluminum pedals and other little things, then the Premium set is relevant for 2,258,500 rubles.

By paying the above amounts you will receive in your garage, a lovely and charismatic car. Fortunately, not perfect in some aspects, but this is what animates him among a small group of competitors. Choosing it with your heart, you will definitely make friends.


Dmitry Malygin




 

Source: Carclub.ru