LEXUS PROMISES DEALERS SPICY NEW TRIO.(Brief Article)

LOS ANGELES - Lexus has told dealers that it will sell a coupe with a retractable hardtop roof in January 2001. The convertible most likely will replace the SC 400 coupe.

It is expected to be a 2+2. Given the growing competition in luxury specialty cars, dealers want the Lexus entry to be marked by high performance.

``Dealers have requested it be a rocket ship,'' said A.J. D'Amato, general manager of Tustin (Calif.) Lexus and chairman of the Lexus dealer council.

Dealers also said that Lexus will stretch the wheelbase of its flagship LS 400 and bore out the V-8 engine to 4.3 liters. The car, likely to be renamed the LS 430, will arrive next …