The Weird & Awesome 2010 Lexus IS 350c F Sport a Rare Gem (Fridays are for F Presented by Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus)
The 2010 Lexus IS 350c F Sport was a rare special edition, only 100 were produced; but its design and power did cause among friction among the F Performance crowd.
When Lexus first introduced the IS 350c F Sport in 2010, there was some visible resistance. It is a convertible, not a coupe–how is that going to F Sport worthy? The 2010 Lexus IS 350c F Sport was heftier than its coupe counterpart. And some felt it was underpowered with a 3.5L V6. But, beware doubters, Lexus had a plan for the IS 350c F Sport.
As one of the more experimental ventures for F Performance, the 2010 Lexus IS 350c F Sport is the focus of this week’s Fridays Are For F. Is it an odd duck for Toyota and Lexus? Maybe. But it is a certified beauty. Plus, the IS 350c had the ability to turn its engine into a high-velocity king.
Lexus’ method for this very fine madness was to create a more evocative and thrilling performance. The special edition incorporated components from both the F Sport and F Performance. The company wanted to show what they were capable of to high-performance fans and all drivers. Doing with a convertible was a smart call, inherently a fun and stirring ride.
Redditor SDurkin75 purchased their 2010 IS 350c F Sport last year. And not only do we really like its lines, it is clear that this driver loves the car. After asking if anyone liked the 2010 Lexus 350c, they got a great response. And envy is definitely a fair reaction
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Lexus added performance and styling from the F Sport and F Performance. It only came in Tungsten Pearl or the slick Obsidian. It stood out from other Lexus IS rides with its quality and equipment.
Additions to the 2010 Lexus IS 360c F Sport include: the new F Sport grille, front and rear brakes tweak and upgraded to give a firmer pedal feel and enhance fade resistance. Bilstein worked with the Lexus team to develop an excellent shock set. Springs were lowered to reduce height by about one-inch in the front and rear. It had 19-inch forged alloy wheels and added a sway bar for the best corner carving.
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Inside and throughout, the model has special embroidered floor mats and F Sport badging. Also, the exterior badging includes an individually numbered badge on the center console to further accentuate its unique pedigree. It feels special. And SDurkin75 loves it.
“LOTS of fun …. Like most people, I’d never heard of this, and I actually learned of its existence by mistake while browsing [online],” they wrote. “Turned out to be perfect for me! I love that it’s a hardtop too, you never see those anymore,” they add.
This IS 350c looks very much like the make at its finest. But definitely drives with a loss of restraint. Which is exactly how Lexus keeps moving the F Performance forward.
For sale at GR Auto Gallery, this is a clean and gorgeous example of why a hi-po convertible worked.
The IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition also comes with black leather-trimmed seats, which looks very cool with blue contrast stitching. Other Special Edition standard features include heated and ventilated front seats, wood trim, HID headlamps with Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS), headlamp washers, and Lexus Navigation and driver assist features. But that is a 7-inch infotainment screen. Different times!
One of the biggest bones of contention among some was the 3.5L V6 engine. Capable of 306 horses, the RWD was mated to a 6-speed automatic. And it had a full-throttle performance in its F Performance-bred DNA. Enhancements were clear with the car’s F Sport and Performance tuning and added ride quality elements.
However, some critics found it was still underpowered. To be fair, Lexus 5.0 L V8 is incredible. Use it whenever you can, it is magnificent. But the 2010 Lexus IS 350c F Sport was no slouch.
It deserves to be in the company of Lexus F Sport/Performance. That V6 could unleash hell and scorch through a 0 to 60 run in only 5.2 seconds. While only 100 were made–this is #92–they are a great deal on a whole lotta performance. GR is selling this for $22,900 with only about 78k on the ticker.
The 2010 Lexus 350c F Sport proved that Lexus could design a serious track car and sporty convertible–and it was a brickhouse with the looks, the skills, and a lot of thrills.
Photos: Lexus; GR Auto Gallery; SDurkin75
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