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April 3, 2008 http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/lexus_sc-430_2002

  Marty Padgett
Executive EditorMarty Padgett

L.A. (LOWER ALABAMA) — After ten years of writing about cars, it’s still somewhat of a surprise when someone stops you and asks about the new vehicle you’re driving. First instinct: “How fast was I going?” Second instinct: “Was I really going that fast?”

Fortunately, not all encounters are graced by a light bar and a pair of mirrored sunglasses. Last week I drove the Lexus SC430 through Lower Alabama, and in every one of the five stops on the way, folks asked about my wheels — even in tiny Flomaton, Ala., a town seemingly possessed by pickup mania.

What relevance could a $60,000, effectively two-seat convertible have on a farm town snuggled like a tick on a bassett hound right on the border of the Florida panhandle?

“I saw it in a magazine,” said the young Ford LTD II driver who stopped me at the Shell station. “It’s about the nicest car I’ve ever seen.”

Some things are universal.

Proposition 320

The SC430 is a compelling proposition, even so if you were enamored by the last generation of SC300/SC400 coupes. Those vehicles, particularly the six-cylinder SC300, were balanced, handsome machines with a cabin one colleague thought “looked just like Orson Welles’ library.” Even when the coupe market collapsed around them, they retained their graceful composure.

The new coupe veers from the established formula, vectoring more toward runway style and a sunnier disposition. There’s a 300-hp V-8 under the hood — no downscale six-cylinder version, at least yet — and a hardtop convertible roof influenced, the designers say, by the balmy beaches of St. Tropez.

The difference between generations couldn’t be more profound. The introvert’s become an extrovert, giving up its fancy technical know-how for a tropical tan and some bespoke lines. How far has it strayed into the realm of shallow pleasure? An example: on the previous generation of SC coupes, an extremely complex articulated hinge lifted the heavy doors out and away for easy entry and exit. On this edition, the door hinge is a simple affair. The complex hinge now lives to lift the enormous decklid out of the way as the hardtop does a 25-second maneuver and stows itself out of sight.

You review the '02 Lexus SC430 L.A. (LOWER ALABAMA) — After ten years of writing about cars, it’s still somewhat of a surprise when someone stops you and asks about the new vehicle you’re driving. First instinct: “How fast was I going?” Second instinct: “Was I really going that fast?” Fortunately, not all encounters are graced by a light bar and a pair of mirrored sunglasses. Last week I drove the Lexus SC430 through Lower Alabama, and in every one of the five stops on the way, folks asked about my wheels — even in tiny Flomaton, Ala., a town seemingly possessed by pickup mania. What relevance could a $60,000, effectively two-seat convertible have on a farm town snuggled like a tick on a bassett hound right on the border of the Florida panhandle? “I saw it in a magazine,” said the young Ford LTD II driver who stopped me at the Shell station. “It’s about the nicest car I’ve ever seen.” Some things are universal.Proposition 320 The SC430 is a compelling proposition, even so if you were enamored by the last generation of SC300/SC400 coupes. Those vehicles, particularly the six-cylinder SC300, were balanced, handsome machines with a cabin one colleague thought “looked just like Orson Welles’ library.” Even when the coupe market collapsed around them, they retained their graceful composure. The new coupe veers from the established formula, vectoring more toward runway style and a sunnier disposition. There’s a 300-hp V-8 under the hood — no downscale six-cylinder version, at least yet — and a hardtop convertible roof influenced, the designers say, by the balmy beaches of St. Tropez. The difference between generations couldn’t be more profound. The introvert’s become an extrovert, giving up its fancy technical know-how for a tropical tan and some bespoke lines. How far has it strayed into the realm of shallow pleasure? An example: on the previous generation of SC coupes, an extremely complex articulated hinge lifted the heavy doors out and away for easy entry and exit. On this edition, the door hinge is a simple affair. The complex hinge now lives to lift the enormous decklid out of the way as the hardtop does a 25-second maneuver and stows itself out of sight. You review the '02 Lexus SC430 L.A. (LOWER ALABAMA) — After ten years of writing about cars, it’s still somewhat of a surprise when someone stops you and asks about the new vehicle you’re driving. First instinct: “How fast was I going?” Second instinct: “Was I really going ...