(first posted 3/1/2016) 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. 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. 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. 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.
Created primarily for the U.S. market, the design of the SC was carried out by Calty Design Research, Toyota’s design studio in Newport Beach, California. 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.
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.
Production of the V8-powered SC 400 began in Japan in early-1991, with U.S. sales beginning in June of that year as a 1992 model. 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. With the help of its slick .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.
The following year, in summer of 1992, the SC 400 was joined by the six-cylinder SC 300. 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. 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.
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.
All SC’s utilized a fully independent double wishbone suspension system with front and rear stabilizer bars and coil springs. Speed-sensitive power steering and four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes were standard, with traction control optional throughout the SC’s run.
(The JDM Toyota Soarer interior used the same basic interior design; albeit a few country-specific changes)
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. 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.
Featuring 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. 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.
Befitting of the SC’s positioning, a full suite of luxury features were standard. 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.
Changes over the first-generation SC’s run were fairly limited. 1995 was the first year of any major updates, with the SC receiving new taillight clusters and alloy wheel designs. Underneath the skin, the SC was given structural enhancements to comply with the impending 1997 federal side-impact standards. 1996 saw the SC 400’s V8 gain modest horsepower and pound-feet of torque increases by 10 each.
1997 brought a face-lifted front end, with redesigned lower air intakes and fog lights, and now a slim grille between the headlights. The biggest changes arrived under the hood for the 1998 model year. 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. Along with the SC 400’s new 5-speed automatic, zero-to-sixty times were down to 6.3 seconds.
For 1999, the SC coupe benefitted from new perforated leather upholstery, as new 3-spoke steering wheel also wrapped in perforated leather, and a standard 6-disc CD changer. With no major changes, the 2000 model year was ultimately the SC’s last in its original form.
Despite its voluptuous looks, sumptuous interior and copious performance, the Lexus SC 300/400 never achieved the same success as its four-door relatives and was largely forgotten in its later years. Although the SC was always a bargain compared to most competitors (with 1992 base prices for the SC 400 starting at $39,400 and the SC 300 starting at $32,700), prices steady rose over the car’s run, with the SC 400’s reaching $56,305 by 2000.
The real hurdle, which the SC could not overcome, was a rapidly shrinking consumer interest in coupes, mostly in favor of SUVs. Regarding Lexus, this shift in buyer demand was evidenced by the introduction of the LX 450 and trend-setting RX 300 crossover. Selling over 20,000 examples in the U.S. in 1992, SC sales dropped off rather consistently, with Lexus selling just over 5,000 by 1996, and only 631 SC coupes in the U.S. for the car’s final model year, 2000.
Lexus did move ahead with a second generation SC, although the now convertible-only SC was catered to a different demographic than the original. Decidedly more grand tourer than sport coupe, the new SC 430 was less of a “Lexus Supra” for the driving enthusiast, and more along the lines of a “super Solara” aimed at the Boca Raton crowd. Despite improved sales over the first generation’s later years, sales soon slipped to under 10,000 annually. The SC 430 received very little attention over its 10-year run (a factory cassette tape deck was left in the dash right through the end, becoming the last car sold in United States), and was quietly discontinued in 2010.
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I always liked these. Too bad this one is marred with that cheezy V8 emblem.
Noticed that too. Looks like the V6 emblems used on Ford Escapes. This badge could be an Explorer piece, now that I think of it. Or a Pep Boys accoutrement.
Great article – these were indeed ground-breaking coupes in both the US and Japanese markets. I remember a magazine article when they first came out that was astounded at the engineering that went in to the door hinges – such was the attention to detail.
I actually prefer the 6 cylinder 2JZ motor – the V8 is nice, but that turbine smooth straight six is one of the all time great sixes.
These have become popular with the Fast and Furious and Stance crowd, which is pretty much the last stop for any vehicle.
Nice car. But the awful headlight covering discoloration continues. Please make the yellowing stop.
These were nice and darn competent in the Toyota/Lexus 90s way. The BMW 8 series captured the 90s look better but was just too expensive. Lexus came out of the box with extreme value pricing and so took most of the remaining big coupe import market. I wish BMW could have packaged a 830 inline 6 manual at something close to what Lexus charged. I think a head to head would have pointed out the key Lexus failing, a certain lack of soul. This lack of soul is what prevents the SC from being better remembered.
I’ve always loved the looks of these Lexus coupes, though this is the somewhat less-desirable post-facelift version with the slotted grille opening. The Lexus V8 is sooo quiet and silky – it should be up there as one of the all time great engines. Did the US Lexus ever get a digital dash like in the JDM Soarer? I don’t recall so.
The U.S. cars all had an electroluminescent dash that mimics analog gauges, never the straight digital panel that the Soarer did. (Most previous Soarers had digital instruments as well, although some lower-end Z10s had a nice analog layout with full gauges.)
I remember when the Lexus SC400 first debuted here in the U.S.A. market. I remember saying to myself “finally, an upscale Toyota.” I prefer this version over the SC430 convertible. While I was glad that Lexus finally introduced a convertible, I found it very un-attractive overall. By that time, sadly, Lexus cars have become less attractive and more hideous looking.
Superb car and nice write up I have very warm feelings about this car, as a close friend in CA bought one when they first came out. She lived in Palo Alto at the time, and she let me take it for a ride, with son Ted along. I headed up into the Santa Cruz mountains and…let’s just say that the memory of that very brisk ride through the tight winding roads has taken on somewhat epic proportions in his memory.
This was a phenomenal car at the time, especially so for the money. The engine was literally as smooth as the proverbial turbine, and everything felt so solid and tight. Lexus had done it again: built a better Mercedes/BMW.
And the SC undoubtedly played a very major role in the failure of the BMW 8 Series coupe, at least in the American market. The BMW cost almost twice as much, yet its V12 was no smoother than the Lexus’ V8, and not all that faster either. For 99% of the drivers, the Lexus was all the fast coupe the needed, and of course with the lack of all of the BMW’s issues.
My friend was actually seriously considering one of those 8 Series coupes, when I told her to take a look at the SC400. She never looked back.
She loved that car; it was her favorite car ever. She put some 140k miles on it, and then a friend bought it and drove it for a number of years afterwards. It took everything stride, and needed almost nothing.
Just like the LS revolutionized the luxury sedan market, so did the SC with the luxury coupe market. One would have to have been nuts to spend a huge amount more for a German coupe.
I love these cars and the happy memories of flinging one up Page Mill Road.
My favorite Lexus ever. Beautiful car. Had I been in the market for this type of car in the early 1990s there’s no question what I would have bought. It’s hard to imagine today, but the Lexus brand was white hot back then, with the SC as yet another example of how Toyota was going for the jugular of American and European luxury brands.
Along with my most favorite Lexus, your write-up also captured my least favorite: the SC 430 was such a sad letdown and an inappropriate end to the SC badge.
+1.
Long time fan of these cars, nice write up, thank you.
This is a car that really caught my interest when it was introduced. I have a thing for luxury coupes. I felt that the interior was a little too plain, though I thought the concept and proportions of the car were good. For some reason the Acura Legend coupe, both generations appealed to me more. It’s not that the Acura was less expensive, it wasn’t like I was going to buy a new one. I would just let the wonders of depreciation do their thing. In the end it was the Cadillac El Dorado that really did it for me. I have thought about these cars lately but finding a nice original one is pretty tough. I’ve see lots of beat up examples but they are cheap!
There’s not a bad line on that car–its shape might not raise one’s pulse, but it does exemplify great beauty and elegance, at least to my eyes. On a personal note: Brendan, you’ve become one of the site’s most skilled and prolific contributors. I always enjoy your posts.
Thank you for your kind words Tony, they mean a lot coming from someone with you career expertise in this area.
I have never gotten over the coupe mindset. Since retirement, I have almost always had a two door car. I guess I am truly an old dinosaur, as it appears only me and maybe 100 acquaintances would buy a new one. The SC I owned briefly was a great car, very under-rated in my opinion, as there was nothing vanilla about it when thrashed. Small improvements yielded substantial performance and the underpinnings handled it without complaint. That hardtop convertible wasn’t in the same ballpark.
Nothing ‘dinosaur’ about that. Coupes are the purest expression of the automobile, IMHO. If the goal is to make a gorgeous car and/or the best platform for high performance then that’s what you do. Everything else is a compromise for some other parameter.
Ive never gotten ‘personal luxury’, however. That idea is completely lost on me.
Though I currently drive a sedan, I’m all for buying a coupe for my next car. There’s definitely something more elegant about 1 long door per side and a more sloping roofline than 2 equalish-legnth doors and a somewhat more upright roofline. For me, a coupe would be fine as I don’t frequently have many passengers, but for many a coupe just doesn’t make practical sense.
I learned at a young age Dinosaurs are cool. I’d rather be a Dinosaur than a Sheep
The drag coefficient does not do much for zero to sixty times, but does have a big impact on fuel consumption. At normal cruising speeds (say 60 to 70 or so) power requirements are about 25 to 30 HP, drag being about half or perhaps more. So reducing total drag by 50% will reduce fuel consumption a lot. Reduced drag will probably help the quarter mile results noticeably.
The 1995 Aurora had an engine rated at 250 HP and 260 lb-ft of torque, exactly the same as the LS400, but a sedan, not a coupe. Large coupes were fading in the market place during the 90’s. Buick’s Riviera came to an end. The Eldorado continued into the next millennium before going away. Your last picture is the same car that the old couple on Last Tango in Halifax bought. He is also in Vicious.
Just saw an SC300 today with a manual transmission no less, outside a Barnes&Noble. I’ve seen it there before, so I’m guessing it belongs to an employee.
When these first came out, I thought they looked like dumplings with wheels. But it is a near classic design that won me over years ago. BTW, I read somewhere in an interview with the stylist responsible for the SCs that they labored over the design for quite awhile. The eventual “inspiration” came from dipping inflated balloons in …perhaps liquid vinyl (?), or something like that.
Sharp looking cars. A bit more refined than the Supra that underpinned it but the look is still unique and the V8 rwd setup in a coupe from Toyota of all companies was definitely a jaw dropper in the day. I like that new RC-F also, spindle grille be damned. RWD, 2 doors, and 8 cylinders FOREVER!
I always thought the original SC300/400 was a very attractive car. Was disappointed that the V8 was never available with a manual transmission; I was similarly disappointed in the Lincoln LS, I think Ford and Toyota both missed a chance at an attention-grabbing luxury performer (a market Cadillac later captured with the CTS-V). Also the Lexus SCs tended to be heavy, I recall about 3600+ lbs for the SC400 and then 3800+lbs for the ugly SC430 that replaced it.
They could have hooked the V-8 to the five-speed (or the six-speed from the A80 Supra) — since the 2.5GT-T, which was available with manual shift, had more power and torque than the V-8, I assume the transmission had the torque capacity — but they would have had to pay for emissions certification for a powertrain almost nobody would have bought. The Japanese market was less interested in manual transmissions than the U.S. was and even five-speed SC300s were really uncommon.
It’s too bad they didn’t certify the 1JZ-GTE turbo six for the SC or for that matter the Lexus GS. (The JDM Aristo on which the GS was based offered that engine as well.) I can sort of see why they didn’t — it would have been a little confusing from a marketing perspective and the audience just wasn’t there in the mid-90s, but it’s sad nonetheless.
Aristo’s actually got the larger 2JZ-GTE (easy mind slip).
My mistake — thanks!
This model will achieve true classic status (i.e., become collectible) long before any other Lexus, except maybe the LX450.
These were everywhere in Australia about 10 years ago, but they were never sold here new – and none came in with Lexus badges. The examples we got here were used Toyota Soarers and boy-racers tended to buy them for the V8. Many applied Lexus badges to them, others kept the Toyota name.bthey all seem to have disappeared and as usual, our strong sun really -and literally – took the shine from the metallic painted versions. Rare now.
Same in NZ ex JDM used cars the engines go to the speedway after the boy racer wraps it round a tree great engines and lovely cars.
Rare and cheap. Buyers beware.
I saw a nice one last year. V8 sounded great!
Lovely vehicles. Many years ago, I was actively looking at used models that would serve as a potential daily driver. High insurance rates and so-so fuel consumption precluded me from making the leap then. If I could find a well preserved one today, I would seriously consider it again. The Japanese Soarer counterparts to these SC’s could be had with some amazing technological features for the time. As well as the GPS-based navigation mentioned in the article, the touchscreen unit had a built in TV tuner, and could be optioned with the world’s first rear-view backup camera. You could even step up to an adjustable air suspension, or go all out with a fully active hydralic setup paired with four-wheel steering (that said, a loaded 4.0GT with the active suspension was selling for the equivalent of about $86,000 in 1995). Peak years for Toyota in a lot of ways, in my opinion.
The TV tuner and some of the other toys (though not the backup camera) went back to 1985 on the Soarer, remarkably. (It was called “Electro Multivision” and later became optional on various other high-end Toyotas.)
The V8 4.0GT actually didn’t survive till the end of the line in Japan and was dropped in 1997. (JDM cars consequently didn’t get the bigger 3UZ-FE engine.) The single-turbo 2.5GT was a bunch faster and lots cheaper to own.
Indeed regarding the TV tuner, although I figured most people here aren’t very well versed with Soarers in general, so I just left it be 😉 Did it debut along with the introduction of the second generation, or was it available on the end of the line first generation cars? You may be able to answer me this also; I know the V8 was dropped in August 1997 for Japan, but did the facelift front end appear then, or was it slightly sooner like in the US SC’s? The gaps in my brochure collection skip from 5-95 to 8-97 during that window.
http://www.japanclassic.ru/booklets/toyota
Here’s the place for JDM brochures.
Electro Multivision was first available in 1985, the last of the Z10 line (MZ12, the first 3.0GT).
The facelift preceded the discontinuation of the V8, so there were a few facelifted 4.0GTs, just not very many.
(I covered the Soarer a while back, as you can probably tell.)
Very interesting. Thanks!
There’s twin turbo version of these, as I discovered at the local auction lots.
In Japan, the cheaper 2.5GT version had twin turbos until mid-1996 and then switched to a single-turbo version of the same engine. The single turbo is actually the stronger of the two because it was combined with variable valve timing, which really transformed the whole torque curve. (Its torque peak is more than 2,000 rpm lower than the V-8’s!)
VVT tends to do that. Actually, you can “move” the torque curve to wherever you want it.
The original Lexus tribe of ES/GS/LS/SC/LX/RX looked bland to my eyes when introduced but have matured into timeless designs. My realtor’s backup car is a 2002 GS400 with north of 230,000 miles that runs like a Swiss watch. Their primary ride is now a new ES. She says the build quality is noticeably lesser and likes driving the ’02 better. Perhaps Toyota’s best lineup ever.
That V8 sounds absolutely GLORIOUS with an uncorked exhaust. Have seen a couple of Soarers in the traffic with fart cans down here.
I already liked these but your article mentioned some facts on the SC I wasn’t aware of. Now I love it even more!
This and the Mark VIII are the definitive personal luxury coupes of the 1990s.
While the domestic and Japanese automakers gave up on this shrinking segment, it’s nice the Germans stuck around with the Mercedes CL and, much later, the BMW 6-Series. The Germans never abandoned the coupe format and also pioneered the “four-door coupe” style which remains popular over a decade later.
It is wonderful to see Lexus return to the coupe market though. I was never a massive fan of the brand although I respected them. But I absolutely love their new design language and I lust after the gorgeous RC! I saw a traffic cone orange RC F the other day… the only thing better than seeing it was hearing it!
Although I am an avowed Cadillac man and I can appreciate the ATS coupe handles and performs better than the rather heavy RC, it really does not compare in visual drama (although visually, it will probably age better)
The RC is striking, all muscular lines and aggressive details. But the new LC – the real spiritual successor to the SC – is just breathtakingly beautiful. I’ve never seen a concept car reach production with so few changes. I cannot wait to see one of these on the road. Only thing I don’t love are the taillights, but that front 3/4 angle view could make anything forgivable!
I always thought these cars were very attractive in a very subtle classy way. I see them on CL all the time cheap and beat up. The SC430 was named the worst car in the world by the crazies in Top Gear, fun episode.
I remember seeing this car at the auto show when it was coming out, and then saw what they were charging for it. My thoughts at the time were, a bargain priced Mercedes competitor with high Japanese quality. Mercedes must have been quite unhappy at the time.
I just bought a ’95 SC 300 as a daily driver: it was a 1-owner, 91K on the clock & was dealership maintained by an engineer -all the paperwork (and a Thul bike rack to boot). I probably paid a little more ($6K), but *everything* had been done, including brand new tires.
The 2JZ 6-cyl returns a reliable 19-23 mpg, 20 years after leaving the assembly line.
[ Money-no-object, I agree with others: I’d want a BMW 840, but this SC has been a real pleasant surprise. ]
It’s my way of driving a classic every day -but a dependable, economic one.
+1 on the new LC -now I just have to wait 20 years to own one.
I’ll be upfront and honest, I never cared for the SC400 myself. I understand that these are well built cars that appealed to a lot of people, and I will also admit that it proved that Lexus could do more than just build comfortable sedans, but these cars don’t do anything for me or elicit any response other than “meh”. I’ll also admit, I’m not the biggest fan of the styling, I like certain elements and I will concede the basic shape looks alright, but some of the details just don’t look right. Particularly the headlights, the four headlights shape and position near each other was always a sore spot for me, it made it look like an insect from some alien planet. Still, while these cars are not to my tastes, at the very least I can certainly respect their capabilities, and can easily see why other people are appealed to this car.
The SC430 on the other hand, is something I will never understand the appeal of. It’s an ugly looking mess of a car.
I quite like these, always have since they came out. I looked at one in 2004 when car shopping; red ’97 SC400 with a tan leather interior. Lovely car but I couldn’t get over three things: 1, the fact that they were asking almost $10k for a car with almost 100K miles on the clock, 2, some paint damage to the nose, and 3, a back seat so small as to be unusable by anyone who was not a child.
I ended up buying my Mark VIII a few days later, so no regrets. But if things had gone differently, one of these could have been mine. Very, very nice cars.
I bought a white SC400 almost 3 years ago with 66K on it. Today it has about 89K. Other than new tires a couple months ago and some routine maintenance, here’s a list of all the things that have gone wrong with it: Ummmmmm…let’s see…….hummmmm…. oh, that would be NOTHING! The car is immaculate inside and out with original paint; no dents/dings. Love it!
It seemed common around this time for luxury cars that offered both 6 and 8 cylinder engines in the same car to only allow stick shifts into the 6-cylinder versions. Was this because the manual transmissions couldn’t withstand the additional power or torque of the V8s? In this segment, buyers drove a manual because they enjoyed shifting for themselves, not because they were trying to save money by not opting for an automatic.
I used to be friends with a guy who had an 850i with a 6-speed. He pulled the engine and transmission and swapped them into an E34 525i Touring. The 850i wasn’t wrecked, but I think it was simply too complex to keep on the road as it aged. They also may have been the heaviest BMWs of their day. I’d like to think that he wouldn’t have parted out a complete and undamaged 850CSi. Now he seems to have an E28 with a V12, although I don’t know if it is the same engine from fifteen years ago. The only six-cylinder engines that would have been up to shifting an E31 at an acceptable rate were the S38 and the S50. They each probably cost about as much as a V12, and the resulting car would have been more expensive and slower than the M5s and M3s that used those engines. A woman I knew had an 840Ci, and even the V8 E31 was slower than a much cheaper US E36 M3.
In my opinion, the LC500 is the best-looking car on the market. I’m sad because the kid who lived two doors down and drove one went off to college.
Not generally a fan of Asian marques, especially Toyota, but they pulled this one off pretty well. It’s a good looking car, even somewhat sporty to my eyes, completely unlike the Toyota Solara which, again to me, had no sporting appearance at all. Just a 2 door sedan, visually. But the SC does have a certain visual panache to it, and punch too with the V8. Another plus for it is the 6 with a manual option, very un Toyota like.
It’s funny how automakers sometimes catch lightning in a bottle, then try to follow it up and end up with noting but rocks. I’m referring of course to it’s successor the SC 430, ugly to me and many as I guess sales weren’t very good.
See also: second-gen Scion xB and tC
I owned the 98 SC400. Got it used with an employee discount from a large retailer. The best car I have driven between 75-110mph on an interstate. I appreciated the 98 due to the better transmission and better V8. It was pearl white and had the tan interior. The car had all original paint and interior and was roughly 35k on it. I wish I was able to hold onto it for 10 or 12 years because the prices took off shortly after I got rid of it. I had been in a few LS models that were older and never cared for the slow shifting transmission. I only had the car a few months and it was a total let down going to a 2004 350Z after it. The SC was worlds better in every way.
After years of lusting after the SC400, I owned a 1992 which I drove to about 230K with only minor mechanical issues. It was an excellent road car. However then California apparently retroactively outlawed the emission controls, so I had to let it go.
Toyota was really out for blood in the American luxury market and these were targeted at the Cadillac Eldorado & Lincoln Mark. One of the last and one of the greatest personal luxury coupes.
Say what? This doesn’t make sense. What do you mean?
Without going into to details, that’s what I was told, complete with gubermint rants. Some value went from 80 to 70 and I could only get a smog close but not under. It was old but in mostly great condition, so I hope it found it’s way into good hands.
When the real point is SC was a fantastic car in most respects, but especially out on the open road. And the ‘Lexus quality’ was very much true. Plus it even had a decent back seat. They don’t make personal luxury coupes like they used to. (they don’t make them at all)
I wish you would go into details, because I’m pretty sure California retroactively outlawed the emission controls didn’t actually happen. Manufacturers are legally responsible for certifying their cars as compliant with California’s emissions requirements, and if the cars don’t actually meet the requirements, what happens is the maker is responsible for fixing that situation; i.e., making the cars comply. The state doesn’t just up and declare that certain past-model cars aren’t legal any more and can’t be driven/registered/etc.
…right, which is a good fit with this claim about the cars being “retroactively outlawed” (I don’t doubt you, I doubt whoever ranted this rant at you).
Now, a particular car’s condition degrading to the point it would no longer pass a smog check, that’s much more believable.
Well whether the standards changed or not, I cannot confirm, although google finds some forum chatter. But it was true the car was not in great tune, and by the time that was fixed it was apparently too late for the cats, which are worth more than the car. Hopefully it ended up with someone resourceful out-of-state.
Wow..just got through posting on Tatra87’s latest post about Lexus models in the US being branded as Toyotas in Japan..and zing, this example comes up…Never saw one of these in Japan myself that I noticed, but I guess even their high-end Lexus models are still Toyota in Japan.
Guess I should be embarassed…actually had a business trip to Toyota City in ’98…flew into Nagoya, we were semi-escorted (meaning someone who spoke english got us off the plane and rode with us to Toyota City, but then we were pretty much on our own). Different than my prior trips around Tokyo where we could make do, there were no picture models of food out front of a restaurant, or any other aid, so had experience of being illiterate and having to work around logic to figure out things without being able to read. People though were very helpful…guess we must have stood out like a sore thumb…but we were able to figure out the problem we were sent over to address, so everyone we were there to see ended up satisfied with the visit.
My first SC400 (95) was totaled in ‘04, had 91K.
So.. being a woman I cried. Then raced out and
replaced it with a silver ‘98 at 110K. Still have it
Just rolled 278K, looks and runs like new.
So sad there are so few left. I love this car.
Bought a used 97 SC in 2008. Went through the ES’s with the family but always wanted an SC. Still going strong today at 162 k miles. Just found a door hinge and replaced on door. Latch mechanism and dashboard circuit are next. Any new parts are hard to find. Although I live in NE Ohio, only one small rust spot on body. Yea, I got the yellowing head lights.