The 2011 Lexus IS 350C: A Luxury Convertible with a Balance of Sportiness and Comfort

As I sit here with Johnny Lawo, we're about to take a closer look at the 2011 Lexus IS 350C, a luxury hardtop convertible that's competing in a crowded market against other popular models like the BMW 3 Series convertible and the Infiniti G37 Convertible. But what sets this car apart from its competitors? For starters, let's talk about its sleek and sensuous design.

The Lexus IS 350C is certainly a head-turner, but it's not just about looks - performance is where things really matter. And when it comes to that, the IS 350C delivers with a 300-plus horsepower engine that's sure to get your heart racing. But what's even more impressive is its ability to go topless in just 20 seconds faster than any of its competitors.

Now, we all know that hardtop convertibles come with some trade-offs - like lost trunk space. But for the IS 350C, we believe this small price to pay is well worth it for the sheer amount of fun you'll have driving this car. Plus, when the cold wind blows, this hard top will give you peace of mind.

One thing that really stood out to me during our test drive was the clean and efficient interior. The controls are right at your fingertips, making it easy to get in and out of the car. And with 10-way power front seats that are both firm and supportive - yet still comfortable enough for long road trips - you'll be well taken care of.

Of course, no luxury convertible would be complete without a list of standard luxury equipment. The IS 350C delivers on this front as well, coming with leather seating, Dual Zone climate control, a 195-watt 8-speaker stereo system, XM radio, and Bluetooth. But if you want to take things up a notch, there's one recommended option package that really stands out - the navigation and Mark Levinson sound system package for just over $44,000.

For this price, you'll get a 12-speaker 300W stereo system, a backup camera, and the XM navigation of traffic and weather built into an IND Dash navigation system. It's clear that Lexus has put a lot of thought into creating a car that will keep you entertained on the road.

But what about performance? The IS 350C 3.5L V6 engine is quiet but feels plenty powerful at 306 horsepower, thanks in part to steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters that change six gears in a heartbeat. When it comes to acceleration, this car will get you from 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds - and with good fuel economy, too: 20 miles per gallon in the city and 27 miles per gallon on the freeway.

Safety features are also top-notch, with popup roll bars, a full array of airbags, stability and traction control, and Safety Connect Lexus's onboard safety and security system. And when it comes to price, the IS 350C starts off at $45,340 - but if you opt for all the bells and whistles, that can quickly add up to over $50,000.

So what does this all mean? In short, the Lexus IS 350C is a car that's been designed with both luxury and sportiness in mind. With its sleek design, powerful engine, and top-notch features like navigation and sound systems, it's clear that Lexus has created an automobile that can handle anything life throws at it - whether you're cruising down the highway or out on the road for a spin.

Overall, we're big fans of the 2011 Lexus IS 350C. Its balance of sportiness and comfort makes it an ideal choice for anyone looking for a luxury convertible that's both fun to drive and practical to own. And with its impressive list of features and safety features, there's no reason why you can't trust this car to keep you safe on the road.

Thanks for joining us on this review of the 2011 Lexus IS 350C - we hope you've learned a bit more about what makes this luxury convertible tick!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhi I'm Amanda Salis and I'm Johnny lawo and you're watching auto traders new car review of the 2011 Lexus is 350c the Lexus is- 350c is Sleek and sensuous but this luxury hardtop convertible has to be because it's competing against the BMW 3 Series convertible and the Infiniti G37 Convertible but it takes more than good looks to win my heart performance is what matters and like its competitors the is 350c has a 300 plus horsepower engine and what's very important is that it can go topess in just 20 seconds faster than any of the others now of course with a hard top convertible you're going to lose trunk space but that is a small price to pay for how much fun you're going to have in this car and also when the cold wind blows this hard toop will give you peace of mind I like the clean efficient interior and how the controls are right at my fingertips yeah and these 10-way power front seats are firm and supportive but still really comfortable the smaller back seats not so much hey Johnny I want to see if this is 350c is more than just a pretty face absolutely with the is- 350c you get a long list of standard luxury equipment like leather seating Dual Zone climate control 195 wat 8 speaker stereo system XM radio and bluet Bluetooth but one recommended option package is the navigation and Mark levenson sound system package for just over $44,000 you'll get a 12 speaker 300 W stereo system a backup camera and the XM navigation of traffic and weather built into an IND Dash navigation system the is- 350c 3.5 L V6 engine is quiet but feels plenty powerful at 306 horsepower and these steering wheel mounted paddle shifters change six gears in a heartbeat when you talk about power this car will get you from 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds and if you behave yourself you'll get 20 m to the gallon driving in the city and 27 m to the gallon driving on the freeway and with a luxury car like this there are many standard safety features including popup roll bars a full array of airbags stability and traction control and safety connect lexus's onboard Safety and Security system so what does this all cost the Lexus is- 350c starts off at $453 40 but if you get all those options we're talking 50 ,000 pretty quick with the is- 350c Lexus has found a nice balance of luxury sportiness and comfort an automobile in which you can ride out any storm or sit back and soak up the sun if the is- 350c makes your heartbeat a little faster and you want to take one home with you you'll be getting a sporty fun to drive Coupe and convertible I'm Johnny lawo and I'm Amanda Salis thanks for joining us for AutoTrader new car review of the 2011 Lexus is 350c right here on AutoTrader the ultimate Automotive Marketplacehi I'm Amanda Salis and I'm Johnny lawo and you're watching auto traders new car review of the 2011 Lexus is 350c the Lexus is- 350c is Sleek and sensuous but this luxury hardtop convertible has to be because it's competing against the BMW 3 Series convertible and the Infiniti G37 Convertible but it takes more than good looks to win my heart performance is what matters and like its competitors the is 350c has a 300 plus horsepower engine and what's very important is that it can go topess in just 20 seconds faster than any of the others now of course with a hard top convertible you're going to lose trunk space but that is a small price to pay for how much fun you're going to have in this car and also when the cold wind blows this hard toop will give you peace of mind I like the clean efficient interior and how the controls are right at my fingertips yeah and these 10-way power front seats are firm and supportive but still really comfortable the smaller back seats not so much hey Johnny I want to see if this is 350c is more than just a pretty face absolutely with the is- 350c you get a long list of standard luxury equipment like leather seating Dual Zone climate control 195 wat 8 speaker stereo system XM radio and bluet Bluetooth but one recommended option package is the navigation and Mark levenson sound system package for just over $44,000 you'll get a 12 speaker 300 W stereo system a backup camera and the XM navigation of traffic and weather built into an IND Dash navigation system the is- 350c 3.5 L V6 engine is quiet but feels plenty powerful at 306 horsepower and these steering wheel mounted paddle shifters change six gears in a heartbeat when you talk about power this car will get you from 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds and if you behave yourself you'll get 20 m to the gallon driving in the city and 27 m to the gallon driving on the freeway and with a luxury car like this there are many standard safety features including popup roll bars a full array of airbags stability and traction control and safety connect lexus's onboard Safety and Security system so what does this all cost the Lexus is- 350c starts off at $453 40 but if you get all those options we're talking 50 ,000 pretty quick with the is- 350c Lexus has found a nice balance of luxury sportiness and comfort an automobile in which you can ride out any storm or sit back and soak up the sun if the is- 350c makes your heartbeat a little faster and you want to take one home with you you'll be getting a sporty fun to drive Coupe and convertible I'm Johnny lawo and I'm Amanda Salis thanks for joining us for AutoTrader new car review of the 2011 Lexus is 350c right here on AutoTrader the ultimate Automotive Marketplace\n"