ceboyd

That does it, I think I'm going to stop renewal of my Road and Track magazine..... Like that earlier brit article, these folks go and put the SC430 in last place.... OH, and that is against the following competitors:

Maserati Spyder GT $97K
Mercedes Benz SL500 $98K
Porsche 911 Cabrio $89K
Jaguar XK8 Convert $$75K
Cadillac XLR $76K


So the SC430 is being thrown against track worthy cars like the 911 and Maserati Spyder (which tied in last place with the Sc430 BTW - go figure)

It just burns me up with comments like:

"simply doesn't have the hair on fire to the extent that some of the others do" (huh, the Sc430 isn't about Viper GTS like fire in the first place... HELLO?!??!)

...and then there is:

"floats and wallows over dips and transitions with suspension on the soft side" --- (could be it was meant to be that way )

...and this one really gets me:

"on our rating sheets, it came out a distant last in driving excitment" (well sure, I guess if you are looking for Porsche like excitement driving, then obviously the SC430 doesn't compete.. which is why I also have a 911 for when I want sprited seat-of-the-pants pure-fast-fun driving instead of ultimate opulance and the best sound system I ever had in a factory stock car)

..and they say "lost points in styling" again, HUH????????

for drivers who want to "appear glamorous" ... Isn't that more for the Cadillac XLR owner ????

Although they do manage to sing praises on the SC430 stereo... whew!!!!

..and then this got to me.. their very last line:

"...it's also the cheapest car here--by about the cost of a good used C4 Corvette. Food for thought"


So now they are saying someone is better off with a used Corvette instead of an SC430?


At least they had the good sense to make the Porsche 911 Cabrio 1st place (based on their criteria anyway)

BUT the XLR is a close 2nd...

Is Road and Track owned by GM or what??????????

LexPro

About the C4 Vette I think they mean you can have the Lexus and a C4 Vette for the same as one of the other cars.

ceboyd

gotcha... guess my reading comprehention isn't always there.. I was just fuming mad... LOL

XeroK00L

But still it's not clear what the article was trying to imply with that sentence.
It could be saying that at that price SC430 is a bargain, if we take it positively, but with that "food for thought" phrase in the end, I'd strongly doubt it and agree with what you ceboyd were mad about--that the author did mean to say that SC430 is cheap because it is cheap, like a used Corvette.
Each car has its own design philosophy and targeted audience, and the author of that article clearly doesn't understand the ones for the SC430.

GLGTOY

I just received my September issue of Road&Track. There is a "Convertible GT Comparison Test":
Cadillac XLR, Jaguar XKR, Lexus SC430, Maserati Spyder GT, Mercedes Benz SL500, Porshe 911 Cabriolet.
I was very impressed with the title because of the word GT. I do not believe ever reading an article that mentioned our car as a GT. Overall it is a very good read.
The SC430 tied in 5th place with the Spyder. For what they refer to as "Utterly different reasons"
The Sc430 seems to lose a lot of points in the Handling, Driving Excitement, Exterior styling and luggage space. We win a lot of points in the Acceleration, Braking, Fuel Economy and they should have a category for interior noise. It seems that we have the quietest car in the whole group by a long shot. PLEASE NOTE THEY DID NOT HAVE RUN FLATS.
Overall it is a very fair comparison. Faults, that some of us have pointed out, and praise is given.
It is good to see that our car is listed in the same category as cars costing 20 and 30 thousand dollars more.

On a side note:
A computer illustration of a 2005 LEXUS V-10 GT is also in this issue. I will try to scan image and article. It seems that production of the 500bhp engine has been given the green light.

ceboyd

I guess it all depends on how someone reads it then after all???

GLGTOY

As per previous post. Attaching picture of possible future V-10 Lexus. I will also attach the write up on the vehicle.

GLGTOY

And the write up

dseag2

GLGTOY- thanks for reading into the positives in the article. You're absolutely right... the fact that our car costs $10K-$30K less than the others and is still included in the article is a great thing.

Ceboyd- I am also tired of reading the negative comments, but I don't think they will stop because the automotive press just doesn't understand this car or the audience. Lexus seems to have designed this car to fit a singular niche and it has paid off for them. I am very aware that there are much more exciting and better handling cars out there... for LESS money... but they will not provide the serene environment, the gorgeous interior, the great sound system, the smooth performance and the reliability that this car provides.

The styling may not be universally accepted from a "pure design" standpoint (like first-gen SC, SL500, Infiniti G35 Coupe) but it has a definitie presence and visual interest unlike any other car. Again, the auto writers don't get it. It takes a striking design... not just a pretty one... to keep the public's interest and sell cars these days. When the second-gen GS was introduced it was fairly controversial, but the design has aged well. That's what it takes.

As I've said before, the auto mags don't LIVE with the cars... we do.

LexFather

If they did, the SC would be first. Cause the others would have their road test done in the shop.

The FUNNY thing is, even though the other cars are sportier, outside of the 911, no one is going to drive it like they do. NO ONE. People buy these cars as GTs, GRAND TOURERS. The SC fits this prefectly.

Question, though the SC was 10k cheaper, did it miss out on any options? Was it stripped compared to the other cars?

Wow a LEXUS HALO car, 100k, I can dig it!

XeroK00L

Thanks for the heads-up GLGTOY. This is great news for Lexus' brand image.

I hope the final design can be better than the souped-up Celica in the picture though. Not digging it too much.

GLGTOY

XeroKool, Actually after looking at the picture for a little while, I see the resemblence to the celica.
Good Point.
We rarely here much about future Lexus plans. I especially was very excited because it shows that lexus engineering is not standing still in the midst of this new muscle car explosion. I think this new engine will be the starting point of future US models.

Richie

I hope you guys noticed the pic posted is a photoshopped Ferrari 360, look at the wheels and brake calipers.

GLGTOY

Richie,
It looks like the wheels are directly from BBS. I am unable to really see the brake calipers in any detail. This pic came directly from Road&track magazine Sept. issue. If you are correct we must all start to guestion the validity of any statements made by these car magazines.

Whom do they use for sources.

SC400-V8

iTrader: (1)

The new V10 lexus (SC500 I think it'll be called) is both a good thing and a bad thing for me. As a bad thing, it gives me a car I almost want more than the SC400 I have now, and as a good point, it gives me a car to strive for when I get older and am able to afford one.... It sounds like alot of fun.