Lexus blows its lid

LEXUS has announced it will introduce its first convertible, the SC 430, late next year.

The new drop-top is based on the Lexus Sport Coupe Concept car unveiled at the 1999 Tokyo motor show.

The SC 430 will replace the current SC 400, which is aimed primarily at the US market, although a number of grey imports can be seen on Australian roads.

It is not yet clear whether Lexus Australia will offer the SC 430 here.

The newcomer's retractable roof works along similar lines to that of the Mercedes-Benz SLK. It transforms from a 2+2 coupe into a convertible with the push of a button.

The production model will be powered by Lexus's new 4.3-litre V8 engine that will make its first appearance in the imminent LS 430 sedan.

The quad-cam engine is equipped with Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i) and generates 224kW.

Power is relayed to the rear wheels by a five-speed automatic transmission.

Lexus says the SC 430 was designed as a convertible from the start, enabling its structure to provide excellent rigidity whether the retractable hardtop is raised or lowered.

The SC 430 was penned by Sotiris Kovos, who has already won acclaim for styling the Toyota Echo, the current European Car of Year.

For the SC 430, Kovos sought design inspiration in a location renowned for affluence and luxury - the French Riviera.

Among the sights along the Riviera that inspired Kovos were the many high-performance luxury yachts.

The SC 430 will share an essential trait with those yachts, all-season pleasure.

A long wheelbase and short overhangs will endow the SC 430 with a muscular stance, highlighted by 18-inch wheels.

While the exterior was being perfected in Europe, Satoru Kuno was working in Japan to match the purpose and elegance of the exterior lines with an equally emotive interior.

Kuno and his team chose to emphasise the natural beauty of leather and wood, rather than creating unnatural forms from plastic mouldings.

It will offer a multitude of convenience features including easy-to-read analog gauges, a navigation system, premium audio system, advanced climate control and sporty leather seats with memory functions for driver and passenger.

At its inception, Lexus introduced new standards for factory-installed audio systems.

Nine strategically located speakers will turn the interior into a personal listening room that makes every seat in the car "the best seat in the house".

The SC 430 will feature an advanced climate control system that will allow this coupe to experience more top-down driving time than conventional convertibles.

The system will adjust airflow and temperature automatically, differentiating between top-up and top-down driving needs.

On hot days, the climate control system will take into account the exterior temperature to ensure occupants stay cool when driving at slower speeds, without overriding the cooling effect of the wind during top-down freeway cruising.

When driving in cooler weather with the top down, the system will target the foot area, where it forms pockets of heat, and the lap area, which immediately warms the upper legs.