Fitment Industries Gives the Lowdown on Lexus SC 300/SC 400
Lexus SC 300/SC 400 is the slightly overweight but bulletproof luxury Supra you never knew you wanted.
In a recent video, Fitment Industries recognizes a true “Jack of all Trades” in the Lexus SC 300/SC 400. And they aren’t wrong. The oft-forgotten Lexus SC 300/SC 400 is a true masterpiece of Japanese ‘Bubble Era’ automotive scene. Good looks. Aftermarket support. Reliability. These cars have it all. “There’s cars out there that have attempted to do it all,” claims Fitment Industries “But this one actually kinda got it done.”
Whether you want the V8 SC 400 or the straight-six SC 300, you can’t go wrong. Both the 4.0 L 1UZ-FE and the 3.0 L 2JZ-GE are indestructible engines, even by today’s standards. Host Alex Martinex details everything you need to know about owning these stellar ’90s luxury sport coupes.
SC 300/SC 400 History
Fitment Industries first gives us a bit of history on the twin coupes. The 400 was first introduced in 1991, while the 300 came a year later in 1992. The 400 won Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Year for 1992 and the Ten Best list for Car and Driver magazine from 1992-1996. According to Martinez, Toyota spent nearly $400 million designing the 1UZ utilized by the 400. But, that was certainly money well spent.
When designing the SC, Toyota/Lexus found nailing down the styling to be a troublesome task. So they enlisted the help of Calty Design Research to produce a design that would be appealing to American buyers. The design was so well-liked by the SC’s project lead that it went to production with minimal changes.
SC 300/SC 400 Tuning
When it comes to modding the Lexus SC 300/SC 400 is a dream platform. Many parts are interchangeable with the IS 300, Toyota Soarer, and Toyota Supra. Fitment Industries also shares that the aftermarket support is alive and vibrant. Most 300/400 owners run a BC or Tein coilover setup on Work wheels. Most mods within the community are done tastefully and tend to stay true to the period. But, there’s still a fair share of “riced out” 300s around.
If you happen to own a Lexus SC 300/SC 400, you’ll find that you simply can’t kill it. Seriously, good luck trying. According to Fitment Industries, the 400 is a tank that simply refuses to die. With a Lexus SC 300/SC 400. you get a reliable daily and sleek drift missile all in the same shiny package.
Where’s the love?
‘So why aren’t they more popular?’ asks Fitment Industries. Well, they chalk it up to several reasons. The design, for one, never really aged. “The car can be tough for people to love because of how it’s designed,” adds Fitment Industries. Simply put, it’s just not everyone’s cup of tea.
Another fault is the overall lack of manuals. The 400s had none, while the SC 300 had very few. The car is also very heavy, due to all of the luxury features, and can be expensive to repair.
Conclusion
“The Lexus SC300 and SC400 are a diamond of a car in the right hands,” says Fitment Industries “If you can find a way to find one that hasn’t been drug through a few rough decades you’ll have one hell of a car.” If you can land one do it. This ugly duckling of the Lexus lineup is worth every penny.