Lexus is all about premium luxury, but models like the IS F, RC F, and LFA show that performance matters.
Since being introduced to the United States in the late 1980s, the Lexus brand has become one of the most popular names in luxury cars and SUVs. The brand began with just two models in the United States, the ES and the LS, and since then, Lexus has expanded to offer a competitive vehicle in every luxury sub-segment. While Lexus has always focused on luxury first, the brand has introduced an array of popular performance models over the years, allowing them to compete with the likes of BMW and Mercedes Benz.
Today, we bring you a look at what we consider to be the six best Lexus performance models of all time, including a few super sedans, a few quick coupes, and one legendary supercar.
1992 SC400
When the Lexus brand was first introduced in the United States, the LS and ES sedans were the first two models. The third was the SC400, which was Toyota’s first premium luxury coupe. While the SC400 wasn’t marketed as a performance model, this coupe with a front-mounted V8 and rear-wheel-drive would serve as the earliest predecessor to the modern Lexus coupes.
The heart of the 1992 Lexus SC400 was the 4.0-liter 1UZ-FE V8, offering 250 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. That power was channeled towards the rear wheels by means of a 4-speed automatic transmission, helping the curvy coupe to sprint from a stop to 60 miles per hour in the 6-second range while reaching an electronically-governed top speed of 150 miles per hour.
More importantly, in addition to offering the smooth lines of a coupe and the performance of a V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive machine, the SC400 featured the type of premium luxury that early Lexus owners expected. This might be the lowest-performance car on this list, but the SC400 set the stage for the high-performance Lexus models to follow.
The white SC400 shown here was shared to the forum by its owner, “CoOL21“.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
Where do you go for answers when you have a Lexus with a gorgeous leather interior but are not sure about how to maintain that luxurious look? The "Club Lexus" forums, of course.
