It's a testament to its timeless design that this 1992 vintage Lexus SC 300 doesn't look as old as it is. What makes it appear "old" in the figurative sense is what it is - a form over function, 2+2 luxury grand touring car. You don't see many two-door cars today in general and certainly, if a new automobile brand was being launched today, Hyundai's bizarre debut of their Genesis brand notwithstanding, a big GT would not be part of the initial rollout; if they ever rolled one out at all.
As part of their game-changing roll-out of Lexus, Toyota introduced the SC 400, a 4.0 liter, V-8 powered smoothie in 1991 to compliment the 1989 launch of the LS400 sedan in 1989. Offering the refinement and style of a Mercedes Benz or BMW coupe at more than a third less the cost, it knocked critics and fans of big GT's like me on our ears. Styled by "Calty", Toyota's Southern California design studio, the styling of the car was up to par with its performance capability and built quality like few Japanese cars had ever before. The SC400, incidentally, save for its luscious 4 cam, 32 valve V-8, shared little with the LS.
In 1992, the SC300 debuted powered by the same 3.0 liter in line six found in the Toyota Supra. Making twenty-five horsepower less than the V-8 in the SC400, the 300 did have a manual transmission available; the SC400 came only as an automatic. A less powerful car that is more fun to drive and is less expensive? Where do I sign? Sadly, in the grand touring scheme of things, not many people did.
Stylish and fashion conscious first and foremost, sales of two-door coupes and sedans have always languished behind sales of far more practical four-door cars. What didn't help sales of cars like the SC in the 1990's was the surge in popularity then in sport utility vehicles. When luxury marques, Lexus included, started coming out with them, the sexy stunners in the front of the showroom got pegged for exactly what they were - a frivolous playthings. Fantastic performing, solidly built, wonderfully styled playthings but impractical toys nonetheless.
No comments:
Post a Comment