Has the Lexus SC430 Aged Well?

Club Lexus forum member asks a very good question, and fellow auto enthusiasts have the answers.

The question popped up in the Club Lexus forum recently and it got everybody thinking. The Lexus SC430 is a unique car and has always had mixed reviews that often revealed how misunderstood it is. A Car and Driver’s comparison review didn’t understand exactly what a grand tourer in its purest form is and faulted it for its performance on the track. Club Lexus forum user Jabberwock sums that issue up by pointing out that Lexus’s first GT, “In its day had supporters and detractors who were disappointed it was not a luxury 911.”

Reviews have always been a mixed bag when it comes to the SC430 looks as well. However, it’s starting to become apparent the aesthetic was actually ahead of its time. Forum user jonas’s RX has likely hit the nail on the head with his prediction of the SC430 actually becoming a true icon, and has anecdotal evidence to show the looks and reliability are still being celebrated by Lexus enthusiasts and dealers:

“On the subject of Lexus/Toyota legendary quality, I was at the dealer today and when I approached the
service bay, the Valet guy said, ‘Wow, an SC 430, these cars are the best Lexus made with the 430 engine and I think you are going to be happy to see what we just put on display on my main lobby.’ When I walked in, I see the SC430 right smack in the main lobby on display.”

A more numbers based sign of how a car is aging is the current market value. VVTiBob noticed that, “… The values of the car has leveled out and lower mileage ones have even ticked up ever so slightly.” While that’s not an indication Lexus’s SC430 will become a collectors car, it shows that it has a definite and current market.

Despite being misunderstood or not directly appealing to masses at the time, Lexus’s first soft-top has a current market that understands and appreciates it. If anything, the SC430 was ahead of its time and maybe, just maybe, it’s ready to be appreciated a bit more for what it is: A powerful and reliable car designed to be enjoyed whether for daily driving around town or going on a road trip in fast-paced luxury and style. Our forum members definitely understand that.

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Ian Wright

Ian Wright has been a professional automotive writer for over two years and is a regular contributor to Corvette Forum, Jaguar Forums, and 6SpeedOnline, among other popular auto sites.

Ian's obsession with cars started young and has left him stranded miles off-road in Land Rovers, being lost far from home in hot hatches, going sideways in rallycross cars, being propelled forward in supercars and, more sensibly, standing in fields staring at classic cars. His first job was as a mechanic, then he trained as a driving instructor before going into media production.

The automotive itch never left though, and he realized writing about cars is his true calling. However, that doesn’t stop Wright from also hosting the Both Hand Drive podcast.

Ian can be reached at bothhanddrive@gmail.com