Lexus SC430: A Design Thats Time Has Come And Gone?

From the front the SC looks like a bug.

The first SC was an awesome car, looks, performance, and reliablity. The new one has no direction, and totally abandoned what the original stood for.

I am a huge Lexus fan. But, even I must aknowledge two things: the current SC is heavily showing its age, and the first generation SC was far more attractive.

I'm not a Lexus fan - but I loved the original SC300/400 coupe. Those were sweet - but this thing is absolutely ugly. If it didn't have a Lexus badge it would have been discontinued after a year or two.

I agree, the 1st SC was a nice looking car, this one however, is Aztek ugly.

Lexus does a terrible job with its coupes. The first SC (the SC400 and SC300) was a great vehicle when initially introduced, but it received nothing but minor visual changes in its long life. By the time it was discontinued it had become a bloated vehicle.

When the SC430 was introduced it was a breath of fresh air and was easily more appealing that the old angular Mercedes SL500 and the Jaguar XK, it was a 2+2 with a folding metal roof. However Lexus failed to add any power, address the poor handling or even add the technology that's available in all the other Lexus vehicles (like reversing cameras).

Despite its age it still has surprising good resale values, and new vehicles can sell for up to $10,000 of MSRP - which makes it a competitor now for the Merc SLK rather than the SL. Seen in this light its not such a bad vehicle, but we expect better. Frankly Lexus would be wise to drop the embarrassment from its US line-up.

I liked the SC-430 enough to buy one for my wife in 01. It still runs well and except for the Bridgestone runflat tires, we have had no issues. It is time for the LF-A though.

"Lexus does a terrible job with its coupes" To which coupes (pl) are you referring? Did I miss something? I believe they only have one, and its in its second generation. Everyone seems to agree that the first gen was attractive, so they made a mistake on this one. I dont see how you can generalize much beyond that.

i love this car, it feels like the look never gets old. but i think its time lexus made a new one and i think that they should use the lf-a and call it sc500, since it has over 500hp.

disgusting from the first day i saw this thing.

Well said

It looks like a gigantic jelly bean when the top is up.

Hey, its the "Japanese Taurus" ... what do you expect?
They claim the design came from filling a balloon with plaster and dropping it, then waiting for it to harden.
It looks like a bag of fat that was dropped too!

The SC 430 is a bloated approximation of a grand touring coupe and a poor successor to the almost iconic SC 300/400. The luxurious execution of the cabin design is perhaps this Lexus' one saving grace.

Whatever it is.It looks better than the Newly revealed Audi A5 coupe.

JUGNU

troll,troll,troll

The A5 coupe looks 10x times better then this, and it should, the A5 is new!

"Will" & "JUGNU" where's you're sense of style, wheres you're sense of Beauty? Lexus actually admits the inspiration for this car's design was a boat!

All it has going for it is it's interior & electric folding hardtop, but I'd rather be seen driving the cheaper Volvo XC hardtop over this ladybug.

"Will" however can go on & on about how bad the new S-class looks but never a Lexus model. Even myself as a die-hard Bimmer fan has to acknowledge the ugliness of a 5-series or Z4 roadster. Come on 'Will' you can do it too.

A gorgeous interior, a class leading hardtop and solid engine (especially competitive when it debuted), plus all the benefits of being a Lexus. This typical TTAC anti-Toyota/Lexus rant is judging it against 2007 technology and sports car credentials. The current SL and 6 series were not out when this car debuted. Of course it doesnt meet those standards. But TTAC hates Toylex so much that they post this irrational review. (As Ive pointed out before, I dont know who TTAC does like.) Shouldnt they be in Geneva reviewing the new Audi Elantra/Solara/Awhatever instead of bashing six year old cars?

From a design aesthetic, I personally do not like the bulging hood and headlights and the huge curvy trunk, which looks even worse when the top is down. This car actually looks better with the top up. But tens of thousands of people obviously do like it. And that is what Lexus is best at-making cars that its audience likes.

The next SC is a year or two away. It had better be stunning, but based on current Lexus design language and engine capabilities, I have no doubt that it will be.

They would like it if Lexus took an RX300 and chopped the roof off and called it the SC4,000,000. It's still a Lexus, and it's still a "cute" convertible.

The interior, when it came out, was quite nice. However, I sat in one at the dealer late last year and wasn't impressed at all. The wood was clearly fake in some places, and it has 100% useless rear seats. It's an unsuccessful copy of the last-gen Jaguar XK interior; you have to admit that.

Class-leading hardtop? What makes it any more class-leading than the Volvo C70's, BMW 335i's, Mercedes SLK/SL's, or Cadillac XLR's?

And the engine is so pitiful compared to the SL550 that you shouldn't even try. They need the 4.6L in there.

S4, you're missing my point completely by doing what TTAC did, comparing it to current cars. There were no luxury hard top coupe/convertibles when it came out. (SLK-different class completely) The engine was great for its era. And you know full well that Lexus does not use fake wood.

Obviously it needs an update, indeed a complete makeover. It is 6 years old and clearly withering on the vine. 1-2 years from now, we will be blown away, no doubt.

Blown away by what, exactly? The lackluster designers who brought us the LS460? I hope you're kidding. If they want to compete with the SL, they need a new designer.

I love reading the comments from toyotamarc.
EVERYTHING Toyota/Lexus is just the best. He is compelled to defend them no matter what the reason. Its uninformed people like toyotamarc that create an environment where we are turning into a service economy rather than an manufacturing might. His beloved Toyota employs 33,000 people in the US. Ford is laying off 38,000, Chrysler has let go 42,000 and who knows how many people have lost their job at GM . This is not including lost jobs from the auto industry suppliers. Lets ask Toyota why they sold cars with engine problems, front suspensions that fall off and never said a word until they were forced to. And no, I am not an disgruntled UAW member with an axe to grind but rather a business owner that is proud to be American and believes we should support both our country and fellow Americans.

oh god, bashing Toyota for making better vehicles than US companies? 99% of the time Toyota voluntarily recalls before anyone gets hurt or dies unlike Ford!!! BTW - I have a Pontiac Vibe with a Toyota engine (THANK GOD). You're bashing Toyota for creating jobs here??? Hummmmm I wonder what would happen if detroit actually increased quality & MPG or their cars...nah nevermind, it'll never happen.

Yeah I must admit that the SC430 is not very attractive as the other Lexus model. Hopefully they will change that image with the new model coming out soon.

The SC430 has never looked great at all.

In my opinion, the SC looks like it's got an old design from pictures, but when you see it in real life, it's pretty awesome-looking.

Your planet must have different light than mine, because passing on the street its an overweight, over-sized cartoon jelly-bean on wheels ... probably the ugliest thing to come out of Toyota in decades.
Sorry, that's the Echo ... make that 2nd ugliest!

Its an attractive car that still gathers a lot of stares. I think its far more elegant then some of its competetion. Is it getting old ? he fact that they can sell all they can produce should be your answer.


IMHO a lot of posters here blindly parrot Agent009 (or whatever lame crudola nickname, this author purports to have)

The only thing that I like about the SC430 is it's interior. That's all I ever liked about the car. The exterior was nice when it first came out and it looked classy. Now compared to all it's competitors it's beginning to look very dull. I hope the L-Finesse will inspire the next generation of the SC430. I know Lexus is capable of creating a car much much better looking than the current SC. Perhaps the GS/IS/LS all combined to make a slick new coupe/convertible would be a nice idea.

-Agent63

They sold 302 SC430 in january, not bad.

I mean they need to come out with a much more sporty and aggressive Lexus SC class to compete directly with BMW650i squarely.

The design has never come, let along come and gone. It was awful from the start and only got worse. This is one of the worst designs from any modern manufacturer, and by far the weakest design in the Lexus lineup. I'd almost rather see something like an IS coupe than this.

Hold on, how in anyway has BMW copied the Lexus SC "huu76"?

BMW did not "copy" Lexus. In the mainstream luxury car industry, Lexus is the only maker that intentionally copied another brand. It's what they started out as.

I see no resemblance between the SC and the 7. Take the ugly spoiler off, and they look completely different.

I'm a big fan of Lexus, but even I will admit it...this car sux! esp. the performance!

The other day I was at Trader Joes and in the parking lot was an SC430 and a smoking hot lady got out and I ran up and gave her my phone number, but it's been a few days since then.

Why hasn't she called??

Perhaps your obvious mental shortcomings were a turn-off?

"huu76" the 6-series was a clay model before the SC came out, and you said it yourself the SC came out after the Z9 concept.

When Adrian Van Hooydonk penned the 6-series design on paper, I have no doubt in my mind the the SC was the LAST thing on his mind.

In fact it wouldn't have been possible for it to be on his mind because he wouldn't have seen it...It wasn't out yet.

In 1999 BMW had the designs of the 7-series, 6-series, Z4, & possibly the 5-series underwraps, it takes at least 4-5 years to design, test, & release a brand new vehicle. Design comes first in the process being only altered slightly down the road.

why waste your breath explaining it, some people will try there best to make the awful lexus desighns look like anything so they can claim someone is copying lexus...the 7 series and sc came out the same year 02 how did bmw copy the sc bmw had been producing 7 and 6 series concept cars for years before that not just the z9 but a few others, the only thing the rear end of the sc looks like is a solara thats it....otherwise this whole desighn is awful it doesnt look sporty, it doesnt look good, there is a mix of desighn cues that dont match. the original sc was much better looking, it looked like a sports car long hood, low to the ground, i always thought they were good looking and they didnt look like anything else, but this car was awful

I agree with you guys,it's time to L-finess the SC,though I would never trade my SC300 TT for any new car!!

When I first saw the 2nd generation SC, I thought it looks nice. Not long after the SL came out and made this thing so dated. Like Agent63 stated earlier, the interior still top notch. Maybe Lexus should have the LF-A as the next SC.

The next SC will be based on the LF-C, a concept that could use refining itself.

Yuk!

Wow, huu76. What a sad excuse.

BMW "didn't want to make it obvious that they were 'COPYING' Lexus."

LOL.

Right now, Lexus is copying BMW, if you want to play that game. They started out with Mercedes- but check the LS and IS's rear light clusters/trunks. You can see more than a hint of BMW 5 Series.

hey decider_shrub, I hate people like you because you take assumptions, then pass it off as argument. First of all "I'm pretty sure BMW is trying to pull apart the new LS", this is your dumb personal opinion an doesn't mean anything. Secondly self-parking has been a technology long in the works, started in 1993 by Volkswagon, so I don't know how you have the nerve to pass it off as Lexus technology just beacuse you're some internet reading loser who thinks the LS is the first car to implement it. Secondly, BMW has been working on the same feature but unlike Lexus, doesn't want to release is until perfected, because as you're limited knowledgeprobably doesn't realize, the Lexus system has flaws coming out left right and center.

i'm pretty sure bmw engineers have now finished taking apart the new LS to try to copy all the luxury features. including the self park option. at least Lexus can pull it off succesfully!

MB,VW and BMW are developing their own self-parking assistant. I saw a TV report 2 or 3 years ago and also read about it.
Lexus released it earlier, that doesn´t mean that they invented it.

The Germans demonstrated cars parking themselves MANY years ago. But Europeans like driving. So they use technology to assist the driver, not replace the driver.
The Toyota parks itself, replacing the driver, because they design cars for people who don't really like driving, or cars.
They like reliable appliances, and they like brand names.
Toyotas are appliances, and a Lexus is an appliance with a snooty brand-name attached.

Did you know that you can cut and paste and put that basic comment in just about every story discussion here?

The First gen car was a great looking. I coudnt believe L would come out with this car to replace it. Now I can't believe its still on the market. The only people I ever see driving this car are little old ladys.. I never thought it would last 6 yrs on market and really it shouldn't have.

LOL! Yes, Toyota does attract the blue-haired crowd.
Totally off topic, but I haven't seen a Hummer in months that wasn't driven by a blonde talking on a cell-phone.
I really didn't know Hummers were chick cars!

"huu76" are you kidding me? You sound like a wacko conspiracy theorist with your bizzare claims of BMW spying on Lexus.

You're so one sided saying BMW clearly copied the Lexus SC's trunk, but in no way has Lexus copied or at least been influenced by BMW's current design direction.

You my friend are way to blinded by a brand logo.

Pot calling the kettle.

Yeah & I said the 5-series & Z4 were ugly, but that's not the point. The point is Lexus's current designs look the most like BMW, after BMW.

For you to try & deny that & flip the script by saying BMW's copying Lexus's current design scheme is complete ludacris. Chris Bangle & his team are evidently leaders & not followers when it comes to automobile design.

You can say all you want about the 6 using the SC tailight design, but even that is a serious strech of the imagination as the two cars look completely different.

I think the biggest BMW design lifting was with the current S Class interior.

Quit the fighting.
Its an ugly update to an ugly car.
Agreed.
But people who need a convertible to be better seen cruising in their Lexus will buy it no matter how ugly it is.
And Toyota keeps laughing all the way to the bank!
They don't care what we think.

I think you'll find most, besides Lexus, don't care what you think.

Ha. That's funny ... because its true!

Yeah probbably because it was inspired by a boat...I'm not even kidding.

As it is said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Many people would dislike this car, many would hate it, but many more like it, and many love it. One just need to recall that when this SC 430 came out the waiting lists were months-long, I used to live in Miami back then, and some people have to wait almost a year to get their drives... That situation lasted for the first years. Yeah, the car is now looking outdated, but still, it turns heads... my wifey desperately wants one! Note: one thing I never swallowed of this car were those (IMO) hideous rims ; )

BTW, those who think their german marquees are perfect and so unique, get this reality check:
The (in)famous Bangle butts, they claim was so much copied by everyone else, actually made out first in two Korean cars in 2000, the 2001 Kia Rio (vs '05 BMW 5-series) and the '01 Hyundai XG300 (vs '02 BMW 7-series). Don't think so? Check this pix I put together:

Kia Rio vs BMW 5-series: http://www.goartis.com/media/uglybutts.jpg

Hyundai XG300 vs BMW 7-series: http://www.goartis.com/media/uglybutts2.jpg

Isn't it funny?

Thank you, exactly. People read recent news and don't even realize the history behind it. Only fake auto enthusiasts read on the internet al lthe hype about the new LS (which is actually a very nice car don't get me wrong), and think aelf-parking is some brand new Lexus technology. And secondly, automotive technology is always something that's taken and improved upon in different companies, until it is made mainstream and common. Look at BMW's idrive, highly flawed, but led the way to Audi and MB's new systems which have improved upon it.

haha the rio vs. 5 series is funny. I don't see the 7 series vs. xg300 though.

I was leaving LAX on 101 the other day following a SC430. Trafic was heavy and moving between 20 & 45 MPH. The driver decided to put the top down at about 20 MPH. The top sticks about half way down and the driver stops on the freeway trying to figure out what to do. I told my wife as I pulled around the SC430, "What the heck do you expect out of anyone that would buy that car?" These posts brought that to my mind. I really like Lexus but not this car. I don't like the Audi TT any better. That look is OK for a VW Bug, but not for an upscale car.

I wouldn't buy one, its too ugly and overpriced

lexus really need to look at there 1st gen n remodel this crap, the only thing this car have is interior

most people that see the ls 460 on paper/web say it looks like a 7
in the real world the 460 looks like a over grown camry

Congratulations if you are still reading comments this far down on the list. To the two people who get this far let me add that when this car came out it had the best factory installed sound system on the planet. Although the rear seats were abominable for humans, they allowed for a sound box to enhance the Mark Levinson. I was on the list for the first one in my state, but when I learned a human being could not fit in the rear seats I had to cancel as the idea of a 4-seater was the original draw given my needs at the time. I always felt (and still do) that if the wheelbase was stretched to allow for use of the rear seats this car could be a real winner. If the replacement at least matches the current folding hardtop offerings from Volvo, VW, and BMW with similar rear seat legroom the car will do well even with the now added competition. IMHO stretching the car will also improve its visual profile.