2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition Hits Dealers at the End of the Month

[OmarKareem]

With mostly a lineup of soft luxury cars, Lexus isn’t known for making vehicles that cater to enthusiasts. A bright spot, however, is the rear-wheel drive IS and its high-performance variant the IS F

The IS is a vehicle that definitely stands out in the Lexus lineup. In 2009, the iS Convertible went on sale. Following its introduction, the company introduced a lineup of F Sport accessories for those looking to turn up the performance quotient. Now Lexus is introducing the IS 350C F Sport Special Edition to show off some of those accessories

To set the Special Edition apart, Lexus included a host of changes, mostly cosmetic. The car is available in two exterior colors, Starfire Pearl or Obsidian. The exterior changes start with a nice-looking set of 19-inch forged alloy wheels with a dark graphite finish

They are paired with Michelin Pilot Sport tires. Up front Xenon high intensity discharge lamps with LED daytime running lights are added, and elsewhere the car gets special badging. To complete the more aggressive look, the suspension has been lowered by about one inch. Underneath, a set of sway bars do their duty to improve handling, as well as a new set of shock absorbers developed with Bilstein

Other changes are typical special edition fare, with black and red semi-aniline leather seating and with red stitching. The car comes loaded, including equipment like heated and ventilated front seats, Lexus Navigation, Lexus Enform, Bluetooth, a backup camera, Voice Command system, XM NavTraffic, XM Nav Weather and XM Sports and Stocks. For the car’s steep price – $55,120 – it better

The F Sport Special Edition builds on the IS 350C and takes the fun of the convertible up another notch,” says Mark Templin, Lexus vice president and general manager. “The racing inspired F Sport accessories on this car were precision engineered specifically for this vehicle, allowing us to provide performance without compromise.” The IS 350C F Sport Special Edition goes on sale at the end of the month, and just 175 units will be available