Obsidian Gem of an SC400 as Timeless as Ever
Across two states and four owners, Black Onyx 1995 Lexus SC400 would not look out of place next to the current crop of Nagoya’s finest.
A couple of years after establishing itself in the United States, Lexus decided it needed a flagship coupe to go with its entry-level and flagship sedans. Thus, the brand tapped its California studio to design their desired masterpiece: the SC. By 1991, the SC400 was ready to battle all flagship coupes from the likes of Cadillac, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz. It didn’t miss.
Neither does this 1995 SC400 we found on Bring a Trailer recently. In fact, it looks good enough to have come out today.
This Black Onyx SC400 spent most of its life in Washington state before its current owner, the fourth overall, brought it all the way over to Pennsylvania last February. All four owners have gone to great lengths to take care of this now-vintage coupe. A few blemishes aside, this Lexus still looks like it did on the showroom floor 27 years ago.
Part of the magic of the SC400 is its engine: the flagship-ready 1UZ-FE 4.0-liter V8. The same engine used on the LS400, the 1995 model year brought more power to the stable, in the form of 261 horses and 269 lb-ft of torque. A four-speed automatic guided that power to the back, allowing the powertrain to accumulate some 138,000 miles over its life.
Inside, the black leather seats are stunning. Not a scratch or tear, though the driver seat bolster is a bit worn. The time-machine vibes continue with the OEM AM/FM/cassette stereo system with a trunk-mounted CD changer; good thing both formats are still in play today. And of course, the wood veneer trim beautifully accent the sea of black inside this SC400.
The fact this SC400 (and all others like it) is old enough for vintage plates should make anyone pause. After all, a design like this has aged quite well over the past quarter-century. It certainly could stand with the likes of its successor, the LC. Unlike the latter, though, the SC has access to more car shows, especially ones themed around the last two decades of the 20th century.
Photos: Bring a Trailer
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