The SC 300’s I6 gained 10 additional pound-feet of torque, but more notably, variable valve timing boosted the V8’s output to 290 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. The biggest changes arrived under the hood for the 1998 model year. 1996 saw the SC 400’s V8 gain modest horsepower and pound-feet of torque increases by 10 each.ġ997 brought a face-lifted front end, with redesigned lower air intakes and fog lights, and now a slim grille between the headlights. Underneath the skin, the SC was given structural enhancements to comply with the impending 1997 federal side-impact standards. 1995 was the first year of any major updates, with the SC receiving new taillight clusters and alloy wheel designs. These included leather, 8-way power seats with power lumbar support and 2-position driver’s memory, power tilt-and-slide front passenger’s seat for easy rear seat access, power windows with one-touch down, automatic climate control, premium 7-speaker audio system, remote keyless entry, and front doors that swung forward as they swung out for easier entry, just to name a few.Ĭhanges over the first-generation SC’s run were fairly limited. Additional wood trim was added to the center console in 1998, along with the new step-pattern gear-shift for the new 5-speed automatic.īefitting of the SC’s positioning, a full suite of luxury features were standard. Featuring a sweeping dash that curved into the door panels, the literal centerpiece of the interior was a floating instrument panel and a large joystick-style shifter (in 1992-1997 automatics), conveying a modern aura.įeaturing soft leather buckets, neutral colors, and subtle wood trim, the overall theme favored minimalism over the opulence that was found in most European and American luxury coupes. Mimicking the car’s exterior, the cabin of the SC featured no sharp angles or abrupt edges in favor of soft curves and flowing lines. (The JDM Toyota Soarer interior used the same basic interior design albeit a few country-specific changes) Speed-sensitive power steering and four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes were standard, with traction control optional throughout the SC’s run. This car was also sold in Japan as the third generation Toyota Soarer. Sharing the SC’s sheetmetal and interior, the Soarer also offered a 2.5L turbo I6, as well as a digital gauge cluster, touchscreen radio, and one of the industry’s first CD-based GPS systems.Īll SC’s utilized a fully independent double wishbone suspension system with front and rear stabilizer bars and coil springs. Whereas the SC 400 was only sold with an automatic transmission, the SC 300 offered buyers the choice of a 5-speed manual from 1992-1997. Powered by the 2JZ-GE longitudinally-mounted 3.0L inline-6, the SC 300 was initially rated at 225 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. The following year, in summer of 1992, the SC 400 was joined by the six-cylinder SC 300. 31 coefficient of drag, the SC 400 was good for zero to sixty in the 6.9 seconds and the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds. Featuring the same 1UZ-FE 4.0L V8 which debuted in the LS 400, this advanced 32-valve DOHC engine produced an identical 250 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque in the SC 400. sales beginning in June of that year as a 1992 model. Production of the V8-powered SC 400 began in Japan in early-1991, with U.S. Lacking its relatives’ lower body cladding, two-tone paint schemes, and traditional grilles, the sleek SC stood out among other Lexus models as well as other more conservative looking personal luxury coupes including the Acura Legend, Cadillac Eldorado, Infiniti M30, Lincoln Mark VII, Mercedes 560 SEC, and Volvo 780. As opposed to the conservatively-styled LS, the SC exuded a far more fluid and organic shape, owing to its “in motion” appearance even while standing still. market, the design of the SC was carried out by Calty Design Research, Toyota’s design studio in Newport Beach, California. Rear-wheel drive, V8-powered, and exclusively 2-doors, the SC 400 was Lexus’ foray into the shrinking but still potentially profitable (due to high transaction prices) personal luxury coupe segment.Ĭreated primarily for the U.S. On the front burner was both the placeholder ES 250’s replacement and the mid-size GS sedan, but arriving before either of those vehicles was a coupe model, the SC 400. Following Lexus’ successful roll-out year and smash-hit flagship LS 400, Toyota’s newly created luxury division rapidly solidified its place in the market and continued moving forward with new product development. (first posted ) Negating Lexus’ current RC-F, a Japanese, V8-powered, rear-wheel drive, fixed roof coupe sold in North America pretty much means one car, the 1992-2000 Lexus SC 400.
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