THE HONG KONG Observatory has just raised the No3 signal for the first typhoon of the year. So, kudos for the representative from Lexus dealer Crown Motors, who braved the storm to deliver its new IS 250 to my doorstep.
The saloon is a lean, muscular looker, with a new nose and shoulders drawn back over the rear axle on fat, 17-inch Bridgestone tyres.
Lexus has added plenty of glass in a saloon that seems more energetic and mature than previous IS models. And the sculpted wing mirrors, BMW-like swooped C-pillars and distinctive rear-lamp clusters are all fine touches.
But it's too wet to gawp, and I hop inside the Lexus IS 250. I'm surprised by the front door's weight and solidity as I slam it shut with a reassuring 'thunk' you might expect from an old Mercedes-Benz. Indeed, the silence inside the cabin shows how well Lexus can insulate its passengers from the outside world.
When you start the car with the trendy ignition button, there's only a tiny flicker of the spookily hi-tech rev counter to remind you that the brand-new V6 engine is ticking over. I adjust my seat in similar silence and learn that the steering isn't close enough, and I must adopt a slightly more laid-back seating position than I'm used to.
I'm not expecting to let rip in this weather because the bamboo scaffolding above is beginning to creak more audibly in the gusts from typhoon Chanchu. I release the annoying, American-style, foot-down, foot-up parking brake and point the Lexus into the wind.