Confirmed: Lexus IS convertible will debut at Paris Motor Show

After nearly two years of speculation over a rumored IS convertible, Lexus confirmed today that the production version will make its press debut at the Paris Motor Show on October 2nd.

The 204-horsepower IS250 convertible will be the first model to hit US dealer showrooms, to be followed closely by the more fleet-footed, 306-horsepower IS350 convertible.

The engines and drivetrains carry over unchanged from their sedan counterparts with one notable exception — the IS250 convertible will not be offered with the IS250 sedan's optional all-wheel-drive system.

Lexus has yet to say whether the fire-breathing, 400-horsepower V-8- powered IS-F sedan will sire a convertible version.

Early predictions suggested that a cloth top would be used partly in an effort to keep costs down. Yet as the latest spy shots from AutoTelegraaf show, the new IS convertible will feature a retracting hardtop similar to the current BMW 3-series convertibles.

Stay tuned; as the reveal date draws near, official pictures will be forthcoming.

[Photo Credit: AutoTelegraaf via TPP]