1991–2000
In the early 1990s,[5] following the début of Lexus, automotive press reports indicated a forthcoming Full-size Lexus coupé to compete with other luxury GT coupés of other marques, including the Mercedes-Benz CL, Acura Legend coupe and later the Acura CL, Eunos Cosmo, Buick Riviera, Cadillac Eldorado, Lincoln Mark VIII, Jaguar XJS, Bentley Continental, Maserati Shamal/Ghibli, Ferrari 456 and BMW 8 Series coupe. At that point, Toyota's luxury coupé was the Soarer. A coupe would complement the successful Lexus flagship model, the V8-powered, rear-wheel drive LS 400 sedan.[5] The coupé would target the American market, and the development effort for its exterior design was given to the Calty Design Research center in California in 1987.[5]
The American Calty design team took an unusual approach to designing the car,[6] using plaster molding shapes to study body forms,[5] and working in three rather than two dimensions.[5] As described by design chiefs Denis Campbell and Erwin Lui,[5] the result was a car that was based on "emotion and feeling" rather than linear aesthetics. The resulting design possessed few straight edges and produced a drag coefficient of .[5][7] The production design concept by Lui was approved at the beginning of 1989, and Lui was sent back to Japan for four months to assist in completion of the production design.[8] According to automotive journalist Bill Russ, the SC design was considered influential among automotive designs of the time.[9]
Production of the Soarer started in April 1991 at the Motomachi plant in Toyota, Aichi,[2] with the Lexus SC produced alongside the Soarer at a second Higashi Fuji plant at Susono, Shizuoka.[3] Motomachi-sourced cars lasted until April 1997.[2] The Lexus SC platform was used to develop Toyota's next generation Supra, both vehicles were manufactured in the same plant.[10] From 1990-1996 the previously installed TEMS active suspension system was replaced with Toyota Active Control Suspension as an optional upgrade.
The SC 400 débuted on 1 June 1991 in the United States as a 1992 model. The SC 400's 4.0 L V8 1UZ-FE, the same engine as used in the LS 400, was reported to have cost over US$400,000,000 in research and development.[11] The engine sits behind the front axles, which makes it a front mid engine rear wheel drive vehicle. The SC 400 was honored as the Motor Trend Import Car of the Year for 1992. It also made Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list from 1992 through 1996.
In July 1992, the SC 300, a smaller-engined version of the SC 400, premiered in the United States. The SC 300 was equipped with a 3.0 L inline 6 2JZ-GE.[12] Lexus' traction control system, TRAC, was offered as an option.[12]
The first-generation SC lasted in production until 7 July 2000, over nine years,[13] with only minor exterior changes, including revised tail lighting and a modified spoiler as part of the mid-cycle refresh. A front grille was added in 1996, along with a redesigned front bumper, side skirts and rocker panels. The SC 400 produced 250 hp/260 lbft from 1991 to 1995.[14] The original 1991–1997 engines for the 2JZ-GE-powered SC 300 were rated at 225 hp/210 lbft. The output of the SC 300 was 5 horsepower more than the equivalent engine used in the Toyota Supra.[15]
In 1996, the SC 400's 1UZ-FE engine design was upgraded to 260 hp from 250 hp. These engines were coupled with a 4-speed automatic transmission on both the SC 300 and SC 400 models. A 5-speed manual transmission was only offered on the SC 300 from its debut until 1997.
By the end of the decade, North American SC sales began dwindling due to the lack of significant design updates since the car's introduction and marketplace changes that led to loss of interest in coupes.
In 1997 (1998 model year), both the SC 300 and 400 were upgraded with VVT-i and thus the ratings were raised to 290 hp/300 lbft of torque for the SC 400 and 225 hp/220 lbft of torque for the SC 300. Tests conducted on the new engines showed an acceleration for the SC 400 for years 1992–1995 of 0–60 mph in 6.9 seconds, years 1996–1997 in 6.7 seconds, and years 1998–2000 in 6.1 seconds. For the SC 300 an acceleration 0–60 mph in 6.8 seconds with the 5-speed manual and 7.2 seconds with the 4-speed automatic for all years.[16] This 1997 upgrade included the replacement of the four-speed automatic on the SC 400 to a five-speed unit. With the replacement of the five-speed unit those models also got a new differential with a final drive of 3.27 improving both fuel economy and top speed.
Sales of the automatic transmission SC 300 and SC 400 models formed the vast majority of models purchased.[17] The Lexus SC 400 was never officially sold in the British Isles, but many examples found their way across the Atlantic as personal imports.[18]
