Hypothetical: would things be different if the SC had come with a 1JZ-GTE in the US?
04-22-13, 11:20 AM
#16
It would have been priced as high as a Supra so the quantity sold would have decreased and the amount of people owning them now would have decreased too. Since it would have been more rare the resale value would have been better like the Supra. The main thing, I wouldn't have one right now if it did come with the 1jz because I can't afford a Supra yet meaning I wouldn't have been able to afford a 1jz SC.
05-16-13, 04:21 PM
#22
Man we in the US always get the shaft. Same scenario with the S chassis IE: 240's we got KA's when the rest of the work got SR's. We never got to use any of the RB's built and forget about a 20B lol. Then came the VQ a decent motor with a great transmission but no boost and weak when taken past the 400HP mark and or easily broken if improperly tuned or rebuilt... Sorry for the rant... It would have been cool. Just glad i can try and make it better and more powerful then new now 
05-16-13, 05:02 PM
#23
Man we in the US always get the shaft. Same scenario with the S chassis IE: 240's we got KA's when the rest of the work got SR's. We never got to use any of the RB's built and forget about a 20B lol. Then came the VQ a decent motor with a great transmission but no boost and weak when taken past the 400HP mark and or easily broken if improperly tuned or rebuilt... Sorry for the rant... It would have been cool. Just glad i can try and make it better and more powerful then new now
05-16-13, 08:42 PM
#24
in the mid to late 90s the tax on imported japanese cars would of killed the 1jz powered SC a long time before it would of really taken off.
supra was over 50 grand in 1998. the mr2 turbo was over 30 grand in 1995. both started out at 33 grand and 21 grand respectively.
one this for sure. more people would be into the SC car and probably would of sold even more units than before.
supra was over 50 grand in 1998. the mr2 turbo was over 30 grand in 1995. both started out at 33 grand and 21 grand respectively.
one this for sure. more people would be into the SC car and probably would of sold even more units than before.
05-16-13, 09:45 PM
#25
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They built like 12,000 mk4 supras and and like 100,000 1st gen sc's...I'm willing to venture the supras would still hold their value better than the 1jzgte sc's would have.
05-18-13, 08:32 PM
#26
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it probably would not have sold very well at first. toyota was going for more of a luxury sport cruiser with the sc while the supra is more of a raw sports car. also if you compare numbers the 1jz and 1uz are nearly identical in stock form, so americans will naturally go towards the v8. however the sc wouldve held its value more as the enthusiast wouldve been able to see it for its potential like the supra and it would be a popular car for modding and the aftermarket but numbers would not eclipse those of the supra since there would still be more sc's.
05-18-13, 08:43 PM
#27
^^ but jschru, the original 1UZ V8 only had 250hp while the 1JZGTE had 280hp. And most of those were automatics just the same as the V8. This would have made sense in 1998 when the 1UZ went to 290hp, though. In Japan the V8 wasn't available after 1994-95. Funny how their marketing went in different directions.
05-18-13, 11:19 PM
#28
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^^ but jschru, the original 1UZ V8 only had 250hp while the 1JZGTE had 280hp. And most of those were automatics just the same as the V8. This would have made sense in 1998 when the 1UZ went to 290hp, though. In Japan the V8 wasn't available after 1994-95. Funny how their marketing went in different directions.
1uz-fe ----> 256hp/260lbft
like i said nearly identical. lexus would not offer both of these engines on the same platform as theres not much difference. its like if chevy offered the corvette with 400hp and the z06 with 430hp, its not worth the effort for the minimal difference. and since americans love their v8's the clear choice for an american market is the 1uz.
05-18-13, 11:34 PM
#29
1jz-gte ---> 280hp/263lbft
1uz-fe ----> 256hp/260lbft
like i said nearly identical. lexus would not offer both of these engines on the same platform as theres not much difference. its like if chevy offered the corvette with 400hp and the z06 with 430hp, its not worth the effort for the minimal difference. and since americans love their v8's the clear choice for an american market is the 1uz.
1uz-fe ----> 256hp/260lbft
like i said nearly identical. lexus would not offer both of these engines on the same platform as theres not much difference. its like if chevy offered the corvette with 400hp and the z06 with 430hp, its not worth the effort for the minimal difference. and since americans love their v8's the clear choice for an american market is the 1uz.
But you're slightly incorrect- the SC400 produced 250 horsepower, not 256hp, in 1992. Later in 1996 this changed and again in 1998.
Still, regardless of whether it's 250, 256 or 260hp in th 1UZ I do not consider a 30 horsepower difference to be "identical". The Corvette comparison confuses me. The Vette always used performance oriented V8's. The SC was never compared to a Corvette-- the Supra was. People would be naturally more discerning about what V8 engine powers one of America's most famous sportscars.
Look, I'm not arguing with your logic about why Lexus felt they HAD to sell only the performance V8 to Americans and only sell an anemic I6 in the base model. I think the 90's logic is sad but obvious to us all.
But the 1JZGTE and 1UZFE are not "roughly identical" with their power or it's delivery.
05-19-13, 12:10 AM
#30
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Okay, I guess I agree with you that at the time a luxury automaker should only offer a semi-performance V8 in their new coupe for Americans (although no manual when BMW offers one never made sense to me).
But you're slightly incorrect- the SC400 produced 250 horsepower, not 256hp, in 1992. Later in 1996 this changed and again in 1998.
Still, regardless of whether it's 250, 256 or 260hp in th 1UZ I do not consider a 30 horsepower difference to be "identical". The Corvette comparison confuses me. The Vette always used performance oriented V8's. The SC was never compared to a Corvette-- the Supra was. People would be naturally more discerning about what V8 engine powers one of America's most famous sportscars.
Look, I'm not arguing with your logic about why Lexus felt they HAD to sell only the performance V8 to Americans and only sell an anemic I6 in the base model. I think the 90's logic is sad but obvious to us all.
But the 1JZGTE and 1UZFE are not "roughly identical" with their power or it's delivery.
But you're slightly incorrect- the SC400 produced 250 horsepower, not 256hp, in 1992. Later in 1996 this changed and again in 1998.
Still, regardless of whether it's 250, 256 or 260hp in th 1UZ I do not consider a 30 horsepower difference to be "identical". The Corvette comparison confuses me. The Vette always used performance oriented V8's. The SC was never compared to a Corvette-- the Supra was. People would be naturally more discerning about what V8 engine powers one of America's most famous sportscars.
Look, I'm not arguing with your logic about why Lexus felt they HAD to sell only the performance V8 to Americans and only sell an anemic I6 in the base model. I think the 90's logic is sad but obvious to us all.
But the 1JZGTE and 1UZFE are not "roughly identical" with their power or it's delivery.
and i agree the 1j and 1uz are totally different but thats probably why they chose the 1uz. both have ample power to give the car a sporty feel. but the v8 is more tame giving it more of a refined feel while the 1j would be better suited for making a true sports car which is not what the sc was designed as.