Lexus IS 350C

2014 Lexus IS 350C: Day 4 driving the USA Pro Challenge

The third stage of the USA Pro Challenge, my fourth day driving a 2014 Lexus IS 350C, took me from Mt. Crested Butte to Monarch, Colo. What a day for a drive. After a few-mile descent from Mt. Crest Butte (Elevation, 9,898 feet), Hwy. 135 South progressed through long stretches of rolling terrain. A canvas of large rock formations, broken down ranch buildings, and a bright blue ski dotted with pillow-like clouds took me 27 mile to Gunnison, the start of stage 3. The 96-mile stage, the race’s only mountaintop finish, began at 7,793 feet. From Gunnison, it was 50 miles to Monarch Ski Resort, elevation 10,790 feet. The 2014 Lexus IS 350C has 306 horsepower, at it was apparent

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2014 Lexus IS 350C: Day 3 driving the USA Pro Challenge

The navigation system in the 2014 Lexus IS 350C, my test vehicle during the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado, offered three options for driving from Aspen to Mt. Crested Butte during stage 2 of the weeklong pro bike race. The shortest route, about four hours, first took me about eight miles to Aspen, the start of stage 2 and the location of the finish of stage 1. Navigation system quality varies greatly, but the main priorities are intuitive, accurate directions, a crisp viewing screen, easy of getting instructions and prompt re-routing directions. Bike races often require closed roads in starting and finishing cities, and that’s what occurred approaching Aspen. The downtown section was blocked off in a multiple-block radius. The

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2014 Lexus IS 350C: Day 2, Driving the USA Pro Challenge

Retractable hardtop convertibles are the answer for car owners who like driving convertibles but who live in areas where ragtops can wear quickly or prove otherwise troublesome (like leaking or freezing) in inclement weather. The 2014 Lexus IS 350C hardtop convertible joined the increasing supply of retractable hardtops in 2010. The current 2014 edition is my vehicle for the weeklong USA Pro Challenge, a pro bike race from Aspen to Denver, Colorado. The mountain drive from Snowmass Resort to Aspen is only about 7.5 miles, but it was warm and sunny Monday morning, so after a nearly a five-hour ride yesterday from Denver with the top up, a top-down ride seemed only right. The Lexus IS 350C hardtop retracts electronically

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2014 Lexus IS 350C: Day 1 driving the USA Pro Challenge

The 2014 Lexus IS 350C, via the manufacturer’s description, is an entry level retractable hardtop offered by Toyota‘s upscale line. It’s hard to think of a $55,000 car as an entry level machine, but I’m not here to squabble. The two-seat V6, 306 horsepower automatic is The Weekly Driver’s test vehicle during the USA Pro Challenge, the weeklong professional bike race in Colorado. I’ve just finished a nearly five-hour stint in the car from the Denver International Airport to Snowmass Resort. The navigation system detailed a 203-mile route with a 3-hour, 38-minute journey involved. But my trek included a few quick small-city diversions along the way for restroom, stretching and coffee breaks. (OK, I checked email, too.) The day’s adventure,

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