Lexus SC

Lexus SC
2008 Lexus SC 430
Overview
Manufacturer	Toyota Motor Corporation Kanto Auto Works
Production	1991–2010
Body and chassis
Class	Grand tourer
Layout	FR layout
Chronology
Successor	Lexus LC

First generation (SC 300, SC 400)
1993 Lexus SC 400
Overview
Also called	Toyota Soarer (Z30)
Production	April 1991 – 7 July 2000
Assembly	Japan: Susono, Shizuoka (Higashi Fuji plant);Toyota, Aichi (Motomachi plant)
Designer	Erwin Lui, Denis Campbell (1988, 1989)
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupé
Related	Toyota Supra
Powertrain
Engine	3.0 L 2JZ-GE I6 (SC 300) 4.0 L 1UZ-FE V8 (SC 400)
Transmission	4-speed A340E (1992-00 SC 300, 1992-97 SC 400) / A341E (1992-99 SC 400 GT-L) automatic 5-speed A650E automatic (1998-00 SC 400) 5-speed W58 manual (1992–97 SC 300)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	105.9 in (2,690 mm)
Length	191.3 in (4,859 mm) (1992–97) 192.5 in (4,890 mm) (1998-00)
Width	70.5 in (1,791 mm) (1992–97) 70.9 in (1,801 mm) (1998-00)
Height	52.4 in (1,331 mm) (1992–94 SC 300) 52.6 in (1,336 mm) (1995–97 SC 300 & 1992–97 SC 400) 53.2 in (1,351 mm) (1998-00 SC 300/400)
Curb weight	3,485 lb (1,581 kg) (1992 SC 300 manual) 3,505 lb (1,590 kg) (1992 SC 300 automatic) 3,604 lb (1,635 kg) (1992 SC 400)

Second generation (SC 430)
2001–2005 Lexus SC 430 (US)
Overview
Manufacturer	Japan: Susono, Shizuoka (Higashi Fuji plant)
Also called	Toyota Soarer
Production	January 2001 – July 2010
Designer	Sotiris Kovos (1997, 1998)
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupé convertible
Related	Toyota Soarer (Z40)
Powertrain
Engine	4.3 L 3UZ-FE V8
Transmission	5-speed A650E automatic (2002–05) 6-speed A761E automatic (2006–10)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	103.1 in (2,619 mm)
Length	177.8 in (4,516 mm) (2002–05) 178.5 in (4,534 mm) (2006–10)
Width	72.0 in (1,829 mm)
Height	53.1 in (1,349 mm)
Curb weight	3,840 lb (1,742 kg)

The Lexus SC (Japanese: レクサス・SC, Rekusasu SC) was a grand tourer that was retailed by Lexus, and built from 1991 through 2010. It features a front engine, rear-wheel drive design and seating for up to four passengers. The first-generation SC debuted as the V8-powered SC 400 in 1991, and the I6-powered SC 300 was added in 1992. Both first-generation models were produced until 2000. The second-generation model, the SC 430, went into production in 2001. The SC 430 features a hardtop convertible design and a V8 engine. The first-generation SC was largely styled in California at Calty, and the second-generation SC was mainly conceived at design studios in Europe.

In Japan, the related third-generation Toyota Soarer, with which the first-generation SC originally shared body design and multiple components, featured a separate line-up of vehicle configurations and different powertrains. The fourth-generation Soarer sport coupe, largely identical to the SC 430, was superseded by its Lexus counterpart in Japan when the Lexus marque débuted there in 2005. The SC was the sole coupé in the Lexus lineup until the arrival of the IS C. According to Lexus, the SC designation stands for Sport Coupe.

In the early 1990s, following the début of Lexus, automotive press reports indicated a forthcoming mid-size Lexus coupé to compete with the luxury coupés of other marques like Mercedes-Benz SL, Acura Legend coupe and Infiniti M30 coupe. At that point, Toyota had no genuine luxury coupés in its model range. A coupe would complement the successful Lexus flagship model, the V8-powered, rear-wheel drive LS 400 sedan. The coupé was going to be targeted towards the American market, and the development effort for its exterior design was handed over to the Calty Design Research center in California in 1987.