Lexus Pursuits Visa

Redeem your points your way - revel in the many options available. Subject to credit approval. Standard Variable Purchase APR of 25.24%, 20.24%, and 16.24% based on Prime Rate and your creditworthiness. 10 or 5% of the amount of the balance transfer. 10 or 5% of the amount of the cash advance. 10 or 5% of the amount of the convenience check. Foreign Transaction Fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. Bonus of 5,000 points will be awarded to new cardmembers accounts. 500 or more within the first 90 days of account opening. Qualifying transactions do not include using your account for Account Assure Pro, balance transfers, cash advances, or using any checks that access your account. To be eligible for this bonus offer, account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. This onetime bonus offer is valid only for first-time Lexus Pursuits Visa cardmembers with new accounts. The Lexus Pursuits Rewards Program is provided by Comenity Capital Bank which is solely responsible for the Program operation, including all rewards. Comenity Capital Bank may change the terms of the Program at any time. Please refer to Rewards Terms & Conditions for additional details. Each merchant is assigned a code by a third party that indicates the merchant's area of business. Bonus points will only be awarded if the merchant code for the purchase matches a category eligible for the offer. Comenity Capital Bank does not have the ability to control assignment of merchant codes.

But this system, which has been offered as an option for years, has been a mixed blessing, because the sensations it provides tend to feel unnatural in tight switchbacks, as the car stays flat. It鈥檚 a dynamic trick, but an incredibly effective one, and it makes the rather heavy SL not just feel more nimble in switchbacks and quick transitions, but more settled, also reducing head-toss and road-weariness on such roads. SL63 models really make the most of this, too鈥攏ot entirely because of the added horsepower and torque, but because of these models' limited-slip/locking rear differential. The new Curve Tilting ABC is available on every SL model, though, from the base SL450 and its twin-turbo V-6 to the twin-turbo V-8 SL550, as well as the SL63 AMG and SL65 AMG models. From a powertrain standpoint, it鈥檚 the twin-turbo V-8 in the SL550 that best seems to fit the relaxed yet strong touring character that鈥檚 a natural with this car. It now makes 449 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, and matches up quite well with the nine-speed automatic transmission (although we noticed some uncouth behavior at low speeds and gentle throttle in a few cases during our drive).

More than 50 percent of SL buyers have been choosing the V-6 version of the outgoing SL, and it鈥檚 easy to see why. Off in the opposite direction, there are the AMG versions. In a car that鈥檚 been designed with such inherent grace, the AMG SLs can feel a little forced. That said, the SL63 is the meticulously engineered, sharply-tuned brute of the lineup. It鈥檚 not quite the snarling, ebullient AMG GT, but it鈥檚 also a heck of a lot more livable. But there鈥檚 no need to even use the manual mode, as the electronic shift controls feel telepathic, blipping to a lower gear with just a dab of the brakes before a corner or to control speed on a steep downhill. All the models in the lineup now come with engine stop/start; and it's the SL63 AMG, surprisingly, that has the most subtlety to that system's operation, masterfully quelling the momentary shake you feel slightly in the non-AMG models. The styling tweaks for 2017, on the outside, are a relatively minor point in all but the full-frontal view of the SL.

Comfort in the SL models, no matter which one you choose, is better than what you鈥檒l find in most prestige luxury cars costing quite a bit more. Highlights include strong cooled seats, massage seat features, and, of course, Airscarf, which blows warmed air onto your neck on cool mornings. The top will raise or lower at up to 25 mph, and through some folding wizardry it leaves enough trunk space for two airline carry-on suitcases, plus a backpack or two. It鈥檚 a shallow space, but a usable one鈥攁nd behind each of the front seats there鈥檚 a deep, lidded-and-hinged storage bin. Top down, you can power up an air deflector that, with the side windows up simultaneously, is one of the most effective in any convertible made, creating a zone that lets you be relatively soft-spoken at 70 mph. Power up the top, and the SL truly turns into a tight, vaultlike coupe; a passenger might have no idea that this moonlights as a convertible.

About the only feature we鈥檙e not convinced about on the SL is what鈥檚 front and center鈥攊ts COMAND interface. Compared to the rival high-end versions of iDrive or MMI, it feels limited and too dependent on remembering text-based menus. SL 63, otherwise a tour de force of technology and engineering, underscores that point. At the base SL450 level, these models include Keyless Go with Hands-Free Access, Parktronic Parking Assist, a Harmon Kardon surround-sound system, and a Collision Prevention Assist Plus feature with active brake assist. Other key options on the SL include softer Nappa leather upholstery, ambient lighting, and the Active Body Control with Curve Tilting function. And there鈥檚 Magic Sky Control, which makes much of the roof glass, with the capability to adjust light transmission with the touch of a button. Additionally, on the AMG models you can get a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen BeoSound system. Taking a step back, the SL is peerless. The Maserati GranTurismo Convertible, Aston Martin V8 Vantage Convertible, and Porsche 911 Cabriolet all sacrifice just a bit more quiet, long-legged road-trip comfort, while, perhaps, delivering a little more edginess at those times when you're pushing the limits. Collectively, the revised SL lineup goes farther, employing some technological tricks, as well as some serious engineering, for more seat-of-the-pants thrills, all to full advantage鈥攑ushing the limits between what defines a racy roadster and a downright luxurious convertible.