Lexus SC430: A Design Thats Time Has Come And Gone?
03-05-07, 05:52 PM
#61
Well, if you guys don't think an SC350 would sell, then why did the original SC300 sell so well? I don't have any hard sales figures, but in my area I've seen more original first-gen 300's still on the road than first-gen 400's.....even back when they were still on the market. In fact, they even made some manual-tranny versions of it.
Last edited by Gojirra99; 03-05-07 at 06:42 PM.
03-05-07, 11:05 PM
#62
Lexus Champion
I guess there is a lot of people who agree that the SC430 fell short of the mark. The original SC sold itself on looks alone. Hence the SC300 and SC400. I wouldn't even consider the SC300 a "lowly" model by any means.
Lexus certainly needs a more impressive coupe in its lineup. Why did they have the French design something for the American market?
Sounds like a broken record.....I know.
Lexus certainly needs a more impressive coupe in its lineup. Why did they have the French design something for the American market?
Sounds like a broken record.....I know.
03-05-07, 11:16 PM
#63
I guess there is a lot of people who agree that the SC430 fell short of the mark. The original SC sold itself on looks alone. Hence the SC300 and SC400. I wouldn't even consider the SC300 a "lowly" model by any means.
Lexus certainly needs a more impressive coupe in its lineup. Why did they have the French design something for the American market?
Sounds like a broken record.....I know.
Lexus certainly needs a more impressive coupe in its lineup. Why did they have the French design something for the American market?
Sounds like a broken record.....I know.
03-06-07, 04:19 AM
#64
Lexus Fanatic
03-06-07, 09:19 AM
#65
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
The 645/650 is a lot more expensive than an SC430 so not surprising the SC outsells it, plus, like the SC, the 6 series has, er, 'polarizing' looks.
03-06-07, 10:43 AM
#67
Super Moderator
I actually didn't like it first impression, but it grew on me pretty quick after seeing it in person a couple times. It's the interior, folding hardtop & the overall build quality(I wasn't looking for a sports car), & yes the unique styling(I think it looks great at some angles & weird at others) that sold me. . . . . & yes, those pie plates had to go. . . . .
03-06-07, 10:49 AM
#68
I actually didn't like it first impression, but it grew on me pretty quick after seeing it in person a couple times. It's the interior, folding hardtop & the overall build quality(I wasn't looking for a sports car), & yes the unique styling(I think it looks great at some angles & weird at others) that sold me. . . . . & yes, those pie plates had to go. . . . .
03-06-07, 12:59 PM
#69
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
I've never liked the SC430's styling, stock or modded, but there are very few cars of any marque whose styling appeals to me (I've still never seen anything as hot as the Ferrari F-40.) As far as getting comments/compliments, I'd wager my Supra does just fine next to the SC430, even though its appearance is quite stock. I also bought my Supra for its performance numbers and mod-ability, not because it looked good to me (and I'm not really a big fan of the MkIV's styling, I've always liked the MkIII more.)
I've always wondered what market Lexus was trying to attract with the SC430 because it appears to be a sports car (2+2 seater), but it weighs far too much to be considered sporting, and again, the performance numbers don't tell the story of a driver's machine. All I could figure is they wanted to compete with the Mercedes SLK or the old SL500 by making a car that looks sporty, but doesn't actually compete with the real sports vehicles in the class.
I did laugh out loud at the review though. Many of the analogies were straight comic relief.
I've always wondered what market Lexus was trying to attract with the SC430 because it appears to be a sports car (2+2 seater), but it weighs far too much to be considered sporting, and again, the performance numbers don't tell the story of a driver's machine. All I could figure is they wanted to compete with the Mercedes SLK or the old SL500 by making a car that looks sporty, but doesn't actually compete with the real sports vehicles in the class.
I did laugh out loud at the review though. Many of the analogies were straight comic relief.
03-06-07, 01:56 PM
#70
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Its my turn y'all, lol. First off hilarious review. Comical and served its purpose.....That said I must stand up as a fellow SC 430 owner!!!
While I totally agree that its styling is polarized and that to me is the mark of great design. No offense to the Camry/Accords out there, but that is the idea. While some despise its "feminine" curves most love it. I say that not just as my own opinion as a biased owner but as observation while and before owning one. If I wanted a design that pleased everyone by blending in I would have truly bought something else. I don't enjoy sitting at an intersection and looking like every other car at the 4 way. Not saying I want the Pink Elephant, but I do enjoy standing out as an individual.
Though I've only owned a hand full of cars, I've been fortunate enough to have driven or rode in a wide array or cars. That said, The only cars that have garnered more attention from my experience has been my uncle's Bentleys and now Phantom. And for $300-400K they damn well should. I even recall pushing the CL some 6 years ago or so and people losing their minds. That's about it. I have never recieved more looks and drooling stares in any other car than the aforementioned. And as any other SC430 owner will attest this is on the daily. Just check our thread in our SC430 forum on people's reaction. They go dumb. BTW I currently have pie plates and the boy still gets looks. Couples crossing intersections stumble over each other. Homeless dudes temporarily forget their "worries" and give the head nod like, "I may be broke, hungry and sexless but I know what's up". It's that serious.
Young, old, male or female they all turn their heads. I could have sworn one day a blind man told me the car was a good look...alright I'm kidding. But seriously. The one negative reaction that I ever received was from 2 young guys riding the last generation failure Jag XK8. It was pure hating as I dropped the steel roof. They were pointing and giggling like 9 yr old school girls but I understood why. While some here may have wanted another SC300, I was never one of them. It would have cheapened the brand. I don't care if you can now buy them @ $25K 6 years later. Thats still a great look and guess what?? They're still somewhat exclusive on the road. I may be wrong here but I think Lexus may have pumped out only 12,000 a year. I have no problem with that. Now obviously there are various shortcomings with this car (like all others) that have all been discussed or I'm reminded of whenever I hop in mine. But at the end of the day I still love it.
As for the nostalgic view of the classic 1st Gen SC. While that car's design was amazing for its day while not being as polarizing as the current SC, that car is truely dated. I constantly get SC300/400 owners rolling up at lights with a realistic view of what our cars are. I appreciate the 1st gens as being groundbreaking for Lexus while remaining a classic. I was never a fan of their design even 15 years ago but beauty is beauty. And I show respect and salute whenever I see them. Now let's all look forward to Lexus's next 2-door cars. Whatever they decide to call them.
While I totally agree that its styling is polarized and that to me is the mark of great design. No offense to the Camry/Accords out there, but that is the idea. While some despise its "feminine" curves most love it. I say that not just as my own opinion as a biased owner but as observation while and before owning one. If I wanted a design that pleased everyone by blending in I would have truly bought something else. I don't enjoy sitting at an intersection and looking like every other car at the 4 way. Not saying I want the Pink Elephant, but I do enjoy standing out as an individual.
Though I've only owned a hand full of cars, I've been fortunate enough to have driven or rode in a wide array or cars. That said, The only cars that have garnered more attention from my experience has been my uncle's Bentleys and now Phantom. And for $300-400K they damn well should. I even recall pushing the CL some 6 years ago or so and people losing their minds. That's about it. I have never recieved more looks and drooling stares in any other car than the aforementioned. And as any other SC430 owner will attest this is on the daily. Just check our thread in our SC430 forum on people's reaction. They go dumb. BTW I currently have pie plates and the boy still gets looks. Couples crossing intersections stumble over each other. Homeless dudes temporarily forget their "worries" and give the head nod like, "I may be broke, hungry and sexless but I know what's up". It's that serious.
Young, old, male or female they all turn their heads. I could have sworn one day a blind man told me the car was a good look...alright I'm kidding. But seriously. The one negative reaction that I ever received was from 2 young guys riding the last generation failure Jag XK8. It was pure hating as I dropped the steel roof. They were pointing and giggling like 9 yr old school girls but I understood why. While some here may have wanted another SC300, I was never one of them. It would have cheapened the brand. I don't care if you can now buy them @ $25K 6 years later. Thats still a great look and guess what?? They're still somewhat exclusive on the road. I may be wrong here but I think Lexus may have pumped out only 12,000 a year. I have no problem with that. Now obviously there are various shortcomings with this car (like all others) that have all been discussed or I'm reminded of whenever I hop in mine. But at the end of the day I still love it.
As for the nostalgic view of the classic 1st Gen SC. While that car's design was amazing for its day while not being as polarizing as the current SC, that car is truely dated. I constantly get SC300/400 owners rolling up at lights with a realistic view of what our cars are. I appreciate the 1st gens as being groundbreaking for Lexus while remaining a classic. I was never a fan of their design even 15 years ago but beauty is beauty. And I show respect and salute whenever I see them. Now let's all look forward to Lexus's next 2-door cars. Whatever they decide to call them.
Last edited by LexLaw; 03-06-07 at 02:05 PM.
03-11-07, 06:50 AM
#71
The article was hilarious. There are actually a few comments I agree with, but I'm still on my second SC430. In fact, I just bought an '06 SC430 w/ 4,500 miles a few weeks ago. I love it. I traded in an '06 Miata MX-5 for it.
The MX-5 was a great car, but only on sunny, perfect days with the top down. Driving it with the top up was not so nice. It would have been nice to only drive it only on "perfect occasions", but here in Dallas the weather can change on a dime. The MX-5 was a thrilling car to drive because of the involvement of the driving experience. The SC430 is a thrilling car to drive because of the detachment of the driving experience. My life is stressful and complicated enough. There is something to be said for quiet cruising with a great sound system. There is also something to be said for fewer moving violations.
I wanted a versatile, hardtop convertible. I considered everything. Volvo... too slow and so/so interior, SLK... just as polarizing as the SC430 without the great interior, used SL500... reliability issues, XK... beautiful but still a ragtop, MX-5 PRHT... still buzzy engine and road noise, 335i... try getting a dealer to talk to you, plus pretty boring looking IMO. For me, it all came back to the SC430. This time around, I went in knowing that I would not be wringing it out and carving corners. I'm not the least bit disappointed. In fact, I'm thrilled because the few changes they've made have improved smoothness and handling since my '03. Even the runflats are tolerable now. I don't think the driving experience is quite as bad as the article said, but then I'm not taking it to the track.
Yes, it's weird-looking from certain angles, but it's damn sexy from others. The interior is a great place to be, and that's what I see when I'm driving. There are very few really beautiful designs (i.e. SC300/400) these days because it seems to take more and more to grab the public's attention. Even M-B has caved with the new S-Class and those weird fender flares. This whole thread is a testament to that. Lexus comes out with truly beautiful cars (i.e. LS, GS) and people say they are boring and look too much like everything else. BMW comes out with Bangle-ized styling and everyone hates it but their sales go up. The buying public wants "different".
I think Lexus knew what they were doing when they redesigned the SC. There was a long waiting list when it first came out and used ones were going for more than new ones because you could take delivery right then and there instead of waiting 6 months. That says something. Yes, sales have dropped off, but there are very few coupes (maybe the G35?) that keep the public's interest for very long. I am still amazed at the attention this car gets after all these years. (My SC was pulled up in front of the dealership for delivery and even some nimrod who was walking around totally absorbed in his cell phone conversation walked around it and gave it the once over.) I'm sure Lexus will let this car die on the vine with very few changes, just like the SC300/400, but then they will replace it with something incredible. I will be on the waiting list.
The MX-5 was a great car, but only on sunny, perfect days with the top down. Driving it with the top up was not so nice. It would have been nice to only drive it only on "perfect occasions", but here in Dallas the weather can change on a dime. The MX-5 was a thrilling car to drive because of the involvement of the driving experience. The SC430 is a thrilling car to drive because of the detachment of the driving experience. My life is stressful and complicated enough. There is something to be said for quiet cruising with a great sound system. There is also something to be said for fewer moving violations.
I wanted a versatile, hardtop convertible. I considered everything. Volvo... too slow and so/so interior, SLK... just as polarizing as the SC430 without the great interior, used SL500... reliability issues, XK... beautiful but still a ragtop, MX-5 PRHT... still buzzy engine and road noise, 335i... try getting a dealer to talk to you, plus pretty boring looking IMO. For me, it all came back to the SC430. This time around, I went in knowing that I would not be wringing it out and carving corners. I'm not the least bit disappointed. In fact, I'm thrilled because the few changes they've made have improved smoothness and handling since my '03. Even the runflats are tolerable now. I don't think the driving experience is quite as bad as the article said, but then I'm not taking it to the track.
Yes, it's weird-looking from certain angles, but it's damn sexy from others. The interior is a great place to be, and that's what I see when I'm driving. There are very few really beautiful designs (i.e. SC300/400) these days because it seems to take more and more to grab the public's attention. Even M-B has caved with the new S-Class and those weird fender flares. This whole thread is a testament to that. Lexus comes out with truly beautiful cars (i.e. LS, GS) and people say they are boring and look too much like everything else. BMW comes out with Bangle-ized styling and everyone hates it but their sales go up. The buying public wants "different".
I think Lexus knew what they were doing when they redesigned the SC. There was a long waiting list when it first came out and used ones were going for more than new ones because you could take delivery right then and there instead of waiting 6 months. That says something. Yes, sales have dropped off, but there are very few coupes (maybe the G35?) that keep the public's interest for very long. I am still amazed at the attention this car gets after all these years. (My SC was pulled up in front of the dealership for delivery and even some nimrod who was walking around totally absorbed in his cell phone conversation walked around it and gave it the once over.) I'm sure Lexus will let this car die on the vine with very few changes, just like the SC300/400, but then they will replace it with something incredible. I will be on the waiting list.
Last edited by dseag2; 03-11-07 at 06:58 AM.
05-20-07, 06:12 AM
#72
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I'm hoping that Lexus takes a MB SL500 and copies the general size/style but adds in the Lexus quality/reliability/technology/value/precision/design cues. In other words, take the current SC and STRETCH it out and make it leaner and longer like the MB SL500. I also would like an All-Wheel Drive Option which would make the car more practical for those of us in winter snow country - thus increasing market potential.
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SC430 - 2nd Gen (2001-2010)
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09-16-21 08:42 AM
