Tom LaPointe's Exotic Car Lifestyle Notebook

Ramblings on exotic cars, the car market, and things with wheels overall. We especially love Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche, and all the events where you find them.

About Me

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Location: Dunedin, Florida, United States

I currently publish iParent Magazine in the Tampa Bay area and work as a freelance writer for Affluent Page Index, in NYC. I grew up in Michigan near the Motor City and finished high school in Fernley NV. After attending the University of Nevada as a music major, I joined the Marine Corps as a combat correspondent. As a writer and editor, I won many publishing awards for photography, writing and editing. What led me to the auto industry is simply this: I love cars. I have raced stock cars and sports cars and competed in Land Rover off-road competitions in Vermont and Colorado. I have been a pit official for the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, and a pit crewman for Indy and a Hooters Pro Cup races. I've served as a manager of both sales and service for one the largest luxury car groups in the world. I'm still active as an off-road instructor for Land Rover and HUMMER dealers and owners. I enjoy crawling an off-road vehicle through the most severe obstacles as much as heel-toeing sports cars into hairpin turns! I am also a freelance writer for several automotive publications.

March 13, 2009

Lexus IS Convertible to battle Germans

Taking a page out of the BMW product portfolio, Lexus is planning to build a hardtop convertible version of the spunky IS sedan. Initially available in 2.5- and 3.5-liter V6 versions, it will be available with their six-speed automatic with paddle shifters or a six-speed manual.

Enhancements to make the car user-friendly in al fresco mode include glass in front of the guages that reduces glare, more power from the air conditioning system and adjustments to the sound system to compensate for the open top. All the standard Lexus safety systems are included, along with structural enhancements to offset rigidity losses from removing the top.

The two questions this car brings to mind for me are: 1) is there a coupe version in the pipeline? and 2) how soon before the V8 IS-F hits the road?

Smart buyers will take the bigger engine and put down their deposit for the IS-F Convertible, as it can't be far behind.

posted by Tom LaPointe | 8:06 AM