BMDUB

Anyone know why lexus never made an sc400 with a 5spd and did for the sc300? Also, has anyone seen/heard of a 5spd conversion for an sc400?

FormosaSC

5-speed because they had this in the supra, or at least i think that's the reason.

And yes there are a few manual sc400 around.

scENFORCER

I always assumed cuz it was an Old Man car.. mid-life crisis type of car haha

There are conversions. Search it. LOTS of info. My tranny looks like its close to done so I'm researching the conversion, and am a bit overwhelmed with all the info..

Slow_Sc3

iTrader: (1)

lexus never produced a factory 5 speed sc400!

captainsc

iTrader: (1)

Yeah those are all conversions. The reason for the auto is because of the image for Lexus. Look at todays SC drivers and look at the market when they were new. Plus a manual in any Lexus is rare and barely available even on the IS today. Lexus is for old people that drive to slow but have too much power.

DasBach

iTrader: (7)

Kinda self explanatory.

I think not putting a 5 speed in the 400 was a good thing, because its always been said that the SC wasn't taken as a sports car, instead a sporty luxury car.

It seems like a good marketing idea, they had a more refined, luxurious version of the Supra and a plain-jane luxury SC400.

Now, adding a 5/6 speed to the 400 takes work and gives car enthusiasts something to do that sets their cars apart from the rest.

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

Because they didn't introduce Lexus for ricers and drag racers.

This is a Luxo auto, and you better consider yourselves lucky as hell Toyota already had a platform to use for the SC3 manual or you wouldn't have gotten that either.

FormosaSC

I know that thank you.... i was referring to him asking whether anyone heard of a sc400 with manual conversion

aka paco

iTrader: (15)

I actually kinda wish i would have picked up a 400 this time around.. a 400 with a manual swap would probably cost less then doing a quality gte swap like i'm doing... ah well boost is so fun..



I prefer to look at the supra as a sportier less luxury version of the SC, since the SC's platform came first, then the supra followed, the chasis was originally designed for the Soarer though..

Ryeno

iTrader: (3)

I'll answer your question with another question. Why do all(or most) higher level cars come in auto only while the lower models come in manual/auto? Their are a couple of different reasons for this.

The most obvious is power. The lower model cars have weaker engines thus they NEED to manual tranny to achieve as much as the more powerful auto. On very week cars (like hondas) an auto tranny would make the cars undriveable.

The next factor is cost. If someone is actually considering a cheaper model car then odds are they would want to save as much money as possible. So they would get the manual tranny since its cheaper. The inverse of this if someone is willing to spend extra money on a car then odds are they can afford a auto tranny. Also its assumed that if someone wants to spend more money on a car then they want an auto tranny as well.

The sc was made and built for people who wanted a sporty luxury car (with emphisis on the luxury) Thats why most sc300s are auto. The fact is the manual tranny was only offered because lexus needed a car that they could market as sporty. Once the is300 came, the sc no longer filled that role.
Your almost right; the soarer was a suped up sc. Lexus was styled after the tastes of the affluent people in laguna beach(yuk). The sc was actually designed as an AMERICAN grand touring car here in the city of newport beach. Thats why it looks so nice. They just rebadged it as a soarer in japan to continue the japanese mustang family. Plus they didnt have lexus in japan back then.

pogoism9

iTrader: (1)

It could also be said that R&D on a clutch system + trans wasn't worth it, and it would directly translate into a higher price tag for the $58,000 SC400. The SC300 used a 2JZ, which already had a useable flywheel, clutch and trans based on the 90+ JZA70 and carrying over to the JZA80. No 1UZ was ever offered with a manual gearbox. It just wasn't worth it.

Also of note, alot of luxury cars that offer a manual these days offer them at an upcharge. I have a buddy that has a Volvo S60R, and when the car was new in 04, the 6 speed manual was 6K more than the auto.

aka paco

iTrader: (15)

yeah i know it was designed in california, i didn't say anything about that stuff..

i was just stating MK4 was built off the SC/Soarer or whatever you want to refer to it as

RedPhoenix

iTrader: (10)

Like it was said before. I am glad it did not come with a manual. Makes my next mod even more rare... pair it with my FI project.... going to be snazzy.

Ryeno

iTrader: (3)

Let me rephrase myself. The chassis was built for the sc since it the basis for the soarer.

If someone with a rhd driver soarer can chine in. I thought that its obvious the car was meant to be a lhd driver because the leg room on the right side is less then that of the left side, even on soarers.

Slow_Sc3

iTrader: (1)

nope auto's are becoming rare and hard to find!!!! keep it auto.