Lexus convertibles have a bit of a checkered history. Fifteen or so years ago, the SC430 was unveiled and subsequently pitched against the Mercedes-Benz SL; it was a fast, smooth, and quiet machine, but its conservative styling and milquetoast handling characteristics haven’t aged well over the years. (It didn’t do so hot in period, either, losing one head-to-head comparison test and finishing fourth of five in another.) In 2009, the Japanese brand launched an open-top version of its second-generation IS compact sports sedan, but the conversion transformed the IS into a heavy and frumpy-looking thing. It failed to move any enthusiast needles, far preferring the boulevard to the open road. Today, the third-gen IS has spawned the RC coupe, and it’s that car on which Lexus's next convertible will be based. Well, Lexus won’t yet confirm that plan, but statements of intent don’t get much clearer than the LF-C2 concept, which appeared at the Los Angeles auto show. Both a "2+2 roadster" and a "luxury Grand Touring concept," it is clearly based on the handsome and engaging two-door RC. You can look to the RC350 coupe spec sheet and its 306-hp V-6 to get an idea of what the droptop version will be like, but the LF-C2 offers no hints as to whether Lexus will carry over its retractable-hardtop strategy or move to a lighter, more pure fabric top. "As a roadster concept, the LF-C2 concept does not have any kind of top covering the cabin," says the press release. Okay, so that’s the third option, we guess. Painted in a lustrous yellow, the LF-C2 concept showcases all current Lexus design cues, including a massive grille and aggressively styled lighting units. Twenty-inch wheels provide visual pop to the profile view, and the interior and exterior comingle in the form of a center console that originates on the rear decklid and runs all the way up to the dashboard. We suspect that the RC convertible will hit the road some time next year. If it uses a retractable hardtop, all we ask is that it be better integrated than the IS’s, which translated to a tall, awkward rear end; a mishmash of cut-lines; and a dearth of cargo space with it down. Well, we’ll ask for one more thing: an RC F convertible. We'd take that with either type of roof—or none at all.
Lexus LF-C2 - YouTube |
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| Cars & Vehicles | Upload TimePublished on 26 Oct 2018 |
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