Different Language; The Lexus roadster speaks loudly.(Brief Article)

The Lexus SC 430 was introduced to America with a TV commercial entirely in French. The point was as much to emphasize the new language of this Lexus as it was to try to cast a faux-Riviera sensibility-la voiture fastueuse. Try as it might, Toyota has had a difficult time establishing a clear identity for its chameleon-like line of vehicles. Yet with this new roadster, it seems to have found a vernacular. In more American terms, call it ``bling-bling.''

After cross-shopping it against the Porsche Boxster S(!), Jaguar XK8 Convertible and Mercedes-Benz SL500, prospective SC 430 owners were nearly unanimous in their appreciation for the aesthetic merits of the Lexus, both inside and out. With a look like nothing else on the market, a trick retractable hardtop and enough flashy bits to be at home in a hip-hop video-the pop-up navigation system and Mark Levinson sound system being the most obvious-it's clear that style is the No. 1 reason behind ownership.

Some are less than impressed with the useless back seat, explaining that the space might be better used to make up for the trunk room lost to the folding hardtop, but that's one of the few complaints. The others seem to be focused on lesser issues: The lack of a shift-it-yourself automatic transmission like the one found in other Lexus models, and a general skepticism regarding the economics of run-flat tires.

We enjoyed driving our Lexus test car; one staffer remarked, ``This is the kind of car ...