3

THE EARLY DAYS

“The only parallel we can draw is with the XJ6 22 years ago. That had the same sensory impact as the Lexus does, so quiet in comparison to its contemporaries that you know you’re witnessing a new set of world standards.” - Paul Skilleter, Jaguar World, summer 1991 issue.

A few months before the launch of the Lexus brand, 160 journalists had been invited to Shibetsu to try the new LS400, while another group went testing on the German autobahns and surrounding countryside.

Writing for Car & Driver, Patrick Bedard described the top Lexus as “a high speed cloud. The serenity within is remarkable. The usual noises - from the air rush, the road, and the drivetrain - are amazingly hushed. The ride is plush without sacrificing control. The interior is in good taste. And the engine is as tempting as sin. It’ll push you through the wind with an ease normally reserved for things with wings.”

An early LS400 at speed in America. The new Lexus gained almost universal praise from motoring journalists.

“When your foot goes down, the 32 valve V8 makes a sound like ripping silk and the glowing needle on the speedometer calmly swings past the number 150. It’s easy. Too easy.”

In the hands of Road & Track testers, the LS achieved 0.78g on the skidpan, a similar figure to the BMW 7-series and, more surprisingly, the Honda CRX as well. It was mentioned that the $1500 air suspension package was only worthwhile if one regularly pulled a trailer or had heavy loads to carry, as otherwise the “exceptional standard suspension was a hard act to follow.

Perhaps the most telling comment came a few years later, when Car & Driver looked back over highlights for each year in the past. For its 1990 entry, it noted: “The last living soul who does not take the Japanese seriously (a Mercedes employee, we are told) changes his mind.”

In addition, the Motoring Press Association named the LS400 ‘Best Imported Car of the Year’. This was actually quite an achievement, as there had been a deluge of new and worthy cars introduced at this time, including the Q45, MX-5 Miata, the Mercedes-Benz 500SL, 300ZX Turbo (the 300ZX won the Motor Trend title), the latest Toyota Celica GT-Four, and so on. In fact, more than ten cars could easily have taken the spoils.

Not long after, in mid-1990, Car & Driver conducted a new car buyers survey comparing 17 different models from America, Europe and Japan. The results were a landslide in favour of the LS400: “The 9.7 overall average (on a scale of one to ten) is the highest ever recorded since we started doing studies back in the mid-70s,” said Donald M. Hufford, Vice-President and publisher of Car & Driver. “The LS400 also set new all-time highs for workmanship (9.8) and value (9.4) ratings.”

American advertising from 1990 full of Press comment. Perhaps the most telling came from Automobile Magazine: “Another masterstroke from the land of the perfect machine.” A similar approach was adopted in Britain after the European launch.

The LS was outselling its main competitors on a regular basis, but sales of the smaller ES250, which was pitched against the likes of the BMW 3-series and Mercedes-Benz 190, were also starting to pick up. “The ES250 is really starting to come on,” noted Dave Illingworth, Lexus’ VP, after consistent increases in sales during April and May. “Buyers are discovering the ES250 is an outstanding automobile in its own right.”

In its road test of the baby Lexus, Motor Trend wrote: “The ES250 is more like a Camry that went to finishing school. The well finished interior displays a high degree of user-friendliness. The ES250 is a solid alternative for buyers in the market for a luxury car that’s both small of price and mass.”

The Americans had fallen head over heels in love with the Lexus. Even when 8000 LS400s were recalled four months after the launch to deal with a minor problem, customers were impressed with the way each was contacted individually and with the service they received. In effect, a potential disaster was turned into a public relations triumph.

At the end of 1990, the Lexus marque accounted for 63,534 sales in the US. This was a staggering figure for the year, and only 112 short of those posted by BMW. Given its much broader product range, Mercedes-Benz jumped to the conclusion that Toyota were selling cars cheaper in order to get them seen. However, competitive pricing, reliability, and ultimately value-for-money, were the only reasons for this immense success.

Another American advert from the period, inviting drivers to unwind after a hard day at the office.

The ES250 was starting to establish itself as a true Lexus, and sales picked up during the early part of 1990. At first, many people had tended to dismiss the ES, as it looked far too similar to the Camry.

Although Cadillac sold over 250,000 units in the same period, it is interesting to note that the exchange rate was around 160 Yen to the Dollar at this time, compared with 220 Yen when the Lexus brand was being planned. This makes the achievement all the more creditable.

Incidentally, the Nissan Infiniti Q45 and M30 models had gone on sale in the States a couple of months after the LS400 and ES250, on the 8th November 1989, the larger Q45 starting at $38,000. Their sales for calendar year 1990 amounted to 23,960 units.

The LS400 in Japan

In Japan, the LS400 was marketed as the Toyota Celsior. Nissan had effectively blocked the use of the Lexus badge, as it was considered too close to that of the Nissan Laurel. However, this didn’t present any real problems, since the Toyota marque was just as readily associated with luxury vehicles in Japan as it was with economy cars and trucks. Besides, it saved having to establish yet another sales channel.

The Celsior was announced in Japan during the first week of August 1989, and went on sale there from the 9th October. Given the chassis designation UCF11, a rush of orders for the Celsior (remember, this was at the height of Japan’s boom) led to a massive waiting list, further adding to the mystique of the vehicle.

There were three main models in Japan, Types A, B and C, with an upgrade, known as the F-Package, available on the latter. The grades reflected the various levels of trim and, although they all came with the same four litre V8 engine and ECT-i gearbox as their counterparts across the Pacific, there were one or two differences in mechanical specification.

As well as gaining a foothold in the US luxury car market, Toyota was extremely active, and successful, in the field of motorsport. The marque was a force to be reckoned with on America’s race tracks, thanks to Dan Gurney, whilst TTE would deliver the WRC crown to their Japanese masters.

The Type A was the basic model, with air-conditioning, a seven speaker radio/cassette, eight way power seats, tilt-away steering, alloy wheels and a conventional suspension. ABS was listed as an option, but the traction control system was not available with this grade.

With the Type B and C, ABS braking and traction control came as standard. However, the suspension was completely different. The Type B was fitted with the new, sportier Piezo TEMS (Toyota Electronic Modulated Suspension) set-up, which employed a piezo actuator in each shock absorber to independently instruct them, with lightning speed, to give a harder or softer suspension to maintain stability and ride quality. Piezo TEMS works in the opposite way to normal TEMS in that the ride is normally quite firm, then goes softer when required.

In line with the luxury specification of the Type C, that model featured the air suspension with TEMS (not Piezo TEMS), as listed as an option on the US-spec. cars. As implied above, the TEMS element meant that the suspension was usually quite soft, then firmed up as necessary.

As for trim, building on the Type A’s specifications, the Type B came with a better quality cloth trim, remote entry, heated power mirrors and a CD player, while the Type C had a ten way power seat (leather was an option on the B and C grades). The F-Package, for the Type C only, added power rear seat adjustment (including headrests), and separate audio and air-conditioning controls for the rear.

Prices at the time of the launch were as follows: the Type A was 4,550,000 Yen, the Type B was 5,300,000 Yen, while the Type C was 5,500,000. The luxury F-Package added 700,000 to the latter. Sales were expected to be in the region of 1500 units a month.

Celsior, incidentally, comes from the Latin word ‘Celsus’ meaning supreme. It will by now have become apparent that many Toyota names start with the letter ‘C’; this is because it is believed to be a lucky letter. Whether that’s true or not, the Celsior was nonetheless voted Japanese ‘Car of the Year’ despite strong competition from Nissan’s latest incarnations of the Skyline and 300ZX, the same manufacturer’s Infiniti Q45, the Toyota MR2 and the Mazda MX-5 sports cars.

As for the Vista, the car on which the ES250 was based, it’s interesting to note that at the time of the Celsior’s launch, a special version of the Vista, with more luxurious features and the option of four wheel drive, was announced. A two litre 10th Anniversary Special Edition followed in the opening days of 1990 but, in July, the Vista and Camry received a full model change.

These latest models retained their positions as the biggest front engined front wheel drive (FF) vehicles in the Toyota range, but their arrival was to signify the imminent end of the Lexus ES250.

The home market equivalent of the LS400 was the Toyota Celsior. This is the top-of-the-range Type C model of October 1989 vintage.

The LS400 Arrives in Britain

Unless one shut out the outside world completely, it was impossible not to know of the existence of Lexus. With reports in the Press heaping praise on the LS400, it was awaited in Britain amid great expectation. The official launch was set for the 5th June 1990.

Like America, Toyota GB also established a new sales network for the Lexus marque, though on a much smaller scale, with Lexus facilities being separate but on the same site as existing Toyota dealerships - in effect, a franchise within a franchise. There were 41 dedicated dealers at the time of the launch, compared with more than 230 Toyota dealers.

Although the UK was allocated the biggest share of all of the European countries, sales were not expected to top 700 units per annum. Nonetheless, it has been reported that it took £6,000,000 worth of investment to satisfy the criteria demanded by the manufacturer, bringing the dealerships and their staff up to the standards required.

However, despite all this effort and an excellent nationwide advertising campaign, priced at £34,250, the LS400 would have to overcome a lot of prejudice. It was obvious, at least to the author, that the new car was going to find life harder in Britain than it had in the States and Japan, as this country has always been very slow in warming to the qualities of Japanese cars.

As I wrote in the second volume on the Nissan Z-cars (also published by Veloce): “At the end of the day, British buyers want a badge, and often pass judgement on a car before they’ve even seen it, let alone driven it. They also have an image of pricing relative to the marque. If it has the right badge, it’s brilliant and excellent value for money - the wrong badge, it’s an over priced heap of junk! In that respect, it is sad to reflect on how little things have changed since the early-1970s.”

The Lexus LS400 as it first appeared on British shores. Toyota GB chose a white car for the first Press pictures, and the earliest road tests featured the same vehicle. This may have been a mistake, as this colour scheme made the LS400 look quite bulky, compared with the darker shades that were available. The tinted glass of the sunroof matched the glass found in the windows.

The V8 engine was a paragon of refinement, and could easily hold its own against the Jaguar V12 unit. Since the author is a confirmed Big Cat addict, this is praise indeed!

British taxes on new and imported cars, which seem extortionate compared to America and Japan (and even some other parts of Europe), would kill much of the Lexus’ price advantage and, no matter what badge was on the front, the well informed would always consider it to be an expensive Toyota. To succeed in Britain, the LS400 would have to be very good indeed.

While conducting a test for Jaguar Quarterly, Paul Skilleter, in my opinion Britain’s foremost motoring author, wrote: “Dynamically, the Lexus is hard to fault and that Toyota have come from nowhere to virtually the head of the field with its very first luxury model is disturbingly impressive. But when we move on to aesthetics and the question of sheer class, the car’s superiority is questionable.

“The interior, for example: it could be almost any three litre-plus Euro-car, displaying relatively vast areas of plastic which good ergonomics do not compensate for. But most crucial of all is the car’s external appearance. It’s neither eye catching nor particularly beautiful. It can easily be confused with cars costing £10,000 less, and that’s not good enough in this market.”

A lot of it defies logic but, at the end of the day, buying a luxury car is much the same as buying a sports car - it is largely an emotional purchase based on customer perception. How else can one explain why Jaguars continued to sell even during the height of the troubled British Leyland era, for example.

Despite having labelled the LS400 ‘Best Luxury Saloon’ when it was launched in the States, Autocar & Motor also had mixed reactions following its first full road test of the UK-spec. model. It was very impressed by the engine, high speed ride and “unmatched” refinement. The price was also extremely attractive, but it was less than happy with the styling, steering, seats and “inelegant” interior.

Dashboard of the new Lexus. The steering wheel was perhaps the most disappointing element of the whole design.

A rear three quarter view of the LS400 for the British market. The large boot featured a low lip for making the loading of heavy items easier. UK-spec. models sported Dunlop D8 205/65 ZR15 tyres on 6.5J alloy wheels.

It said: “That it has the pace to overhaul every one of its opponents with ease is impressive, but the way it delivers its performance is little short of astounding. Quite simply, the Lexus has the smoothest, quietest engine we have ever encountered.”

Emphatic praise, but on the other hand, it stated: “Certainly, Toyota’s ambitious claim that its shifts are ‘imperceptible’ failed to convince us.” Moreover, it felt that the LS400 “has none of the elegance or character commanded by rival limousines and reinforces the impression that technical merit and artistic interpretation are, indeed, separate categories.”

While few could fault the LS on American freeways and autobahns, on British back roads, usually tackled at or above the US national speed limit, the suspension tuning (European models had conventional springing, incidentally) wasn’t as suitable. That said, few owners would ever drive anywhere near as hard as a magazine tester so, in reality, a lot of it is academic.

What Car? surmised that “in one deadly blow, the Japanese have come up with a car that is better, dynamically, than anything we’ve ever driven in the top luxury car market.” The Independent added: “Its smoothness and quietness impress most. No Rolls-Royce I know can match it for mechanical refinement.”

The elegant lines of the original LS400.

A conventional look at the interior of the European-spec. LS400. The ‘Optitron’ gauges are clearly visible in this shot.

However, a lack of steering feel was cited in a number of enthusiast publications. Autocar & Motor noted: “The steering so often foils attempts to indulge in such a well balanced, forgiving chassis. The brake pedal is too light as well, (but) few cars can dismiss our fade test with the ease of the Lexus, fewer still with a laden weight of nearly two tonnes.”

As for the interior, the same magazine said that the adjustable steering enabled the driver to find the perfect driving position, but the unsupportive front seats did “not do the car justice. Oddly enough, the rear seats are better shaped and always maintain a proper hold on their occupants.”

It went on: “The expanses of leather and the tastefully restrained wood cappings clash with the cheap looking plastic mouldings; the ventilation outlets are particularly unsightly. Otherwise, few would fault the finish Toyota has given the Lexus.”

The Observer said: “The Lexus is indeed a very fine car, beautifully appointed, crammed with executive gadgetry, uncannily quiet, refined and smooth.” What Car? added: “It looks right too, which is the one area where you might have expected the Japanese to trip up.”

An alternative view of the interior via Yoshihiro. (Courtesy Yoshihiro Inomoto)

Sales were surprisingly brisk. The value-for-money element undoubtedly had a lot to do with it. In the UK, leather trim, air-conditioning, ten way electric seat adjustment with the Lexus Memory System, cruise control, a CD player (in addition to the usual radio/cassette deck), remote control central locking, and electric windows and sunroof were all standard. Metallic paint was the only option, and that could be specified free of charge.

Competitors included the Daimler 4.0, Jaguar’s top six cylinder model, at £36,500, and the BMW 735i, which was actually almost £1000 cheaper than the Lexus in standard form; the Mercedes 420SE was listed at £37,430 but, in reality, as with the BMW, one would have to spend a lot of money on optional equipment before having a similar level of luxury to the Lexus or Daimler.

The Financial Times said: “If you take into account value for money as well as standards of refinement and luxury, the Lexus has no rival.”

The European-spec. LS400 weighed in at 3888lb (1765kg), but was still capable of covering the standing quarter in 16.3 seconds before going on to a top speed of 148mph (the final drive ratio of 3.62:1 was the same as the one used in US-spec. cars, by the way). At the same time, Government tests stated that the four litre machine could return 34mpg at a steady 56mph.

The three year or 60,000 mile full warranty and six year guarantee against corrosion illustrated Toyota’s confidence in the vehicle. Aping the American deal on new cars, automatic Club Lexus membership included the top European breakdown coverage with the RAC.

Lexus appeared on Stand 130 at the 1990 Motor Show, which opened on the 22nd September. The ES250 was never sold in Europe (nor was Nissan’s Infiniti marque, as it happens), so naturally the 148mph LS400 was the only model on display. The price had already gone up by £245, but the percentage increase was much lower than inflation.

Standard coachwork colours in Britain were initially Basel Grey, Astral Black, Washington Cherry, Deauville Blue, Boston Green, Riviera White and Zermatt Silver.

From January 1991, the UK-spec. Lexus cost £36,306. What Car?, however, had no hesitation in giving the LS400 the accolade of ‘Best Luxury Car’ for that year.

US 1991 Model Year News

Following the news that the LS400 was officially the most theft-proof car in America (not a bad thing in a country where car crime was rising at an average of 11% a year), on 31st August 1990, the pricing for the 1991 Model Year was announced.

Prices were increased by about 3.3%, but the 1991 LS400 now included remote entry as standard (formerly an option), new twin-piston calipers for the front brakes, key-off accessory power, and a 50-State emissions package. Given the underlying rate of inflation, a $38,000 sticker price was not unreasonable. The five speed ES250 was now listed at $21,300, while the cost of options remained the same on both models.

All-season tyres (available at no extra cost) were now sourced from Dunlop instead of Goodyear and, from January, the LS400 was produced with side door beams and seatbelt warning lights as standard. Phil Hill, America’s first F1 World Champion, was obviously impressed, and joined the long list of LS owners that year.

By the end of 1990, predictions regarding the forthcoming Lexus coupé were becoming quite accurate (earlier renderings had tended to point towards much sharper lines, reminiscent of the Isuzu Piazza). Soon, the suspense would be over.

An LS400 for the US 1991 Model Year. In reality, having only just been introduced, it had hardly changed from the time it was launched. It was an impressive machine, though, and even Phil Hill, America’s first F1 World Champion, joined the long list of illustrious owners.

A beautiful studio shot of the ES250, also largely unchanged for 1991.

A New Soarer

At the time of the LS and ES launch, it was stated that a Sport Coupé would follow in 1991. This was to be based on the Toyota Soarer, a high performance luxury GT that had been sold with a great deal of success on the home market for a number of years. Its image lent itself perfectly to the Lexus marque but, with an all-new Third Generation imminent, it was felt prudent to wait until the introduction of the latest model before allowing it to join the line-up.

The first Soarer came off the line at the Tahara plant in February 1981. Based largely on Mark II mechanicals, it featured an elegant coupé body with a large glass area. Engines included straight sixes of either 2 or 2.8 litre capacity, with the two litre later coming in normally aspirated or turbocharged form. In 1985, the 2.8 was replaced by a 190bhp three litre unit confirming the Soarer’s unrivalled reputation for combining high performance and refinement.

The Second Generation model (the MZ20) received some fairly subtle restyling and the same engine options as its predecessor, but the Third Generation Soarer (UZZ31), which was announced in Japan in the first week of May 1991, was completely different.

As with the first two Soarers, Toshihiro Okada was the Chief Engineer but, following his promotion, Kiyohachi Takahashi took his place as the head man. However, on this occasion, after winning a three way competition, the responsibility for the body was handed over to Toyota’s people in the US.

Designed by the staff at Calty Design Research Inc. (led by Dennis Campbell and Erwin Lui), the new Soarer was the exact opposite of its predecessors in terms of styling. Whereas the first two Generations displayed very angular lines, the latest model featured smooth radius curves and flowing contours, plus a rather unique front end treatment employing independent high beam inner lights.

For the time - the project started in early-1987 - this was an extremely avant-garde piece of automotive sculpture. Interestingly, rather than start with a clean sheet of paper, the designers approached the project with balloons and plaster, developing shapes that were then photographed and projected at different angles. These natural images were then translated directly into one fifth scale clay models, a single full sized clay and, eventually, a series of glassfibre mock-ups.

Cutaway drawing of the Third Generation Soarer by Yoshihiro Inomoto (as it happens, Yoshi had drawn the First Generation model for Toyota’s catalogue). Careful inspection will reveal that his work really is in a class of its own. (Courtesy Yoshihiro Inomoto)

Initial proposals dictated that the heavy-looking B-pillar of the first two Soarers was carried over for the Third Generation model, but this was later ‘lost’ by the clever use of colour. Otherwise, even from the earliest stages, the Soarer’s lines were very evident. Although the design originated from Calty, it was finalized in Japan (Lui flew over from California to take an active part in the project), the final prototype being completed in July 1989. The interior was also tackled in Japan, the design team being led by Michikazu Masu, who’d also worked on the LS400 prototype during his tenure at Calty.

The advanced 2+2 body design was such that Toyota had to develop a new metal stamping system, but the shell was both lighter and stronger than before, incorporating crumple zones and side door beams for added safety. A tiny “clam shell” door was rejected at an early stage, but a unique feature that was carried through was the so-called ‘easy access’ four link door hinge that swung the door out and forward to aid entry and exit from the vehicle.

Two engines were available - the same 1UZ-FE V8 employed in the Celsior/LS400 or, for those wanting a sportier response, a 2.5 litre straight six with twin-turbos (the 1JZ-GTE). The four litre unit came with ECT-i automatic transmission, while the turbocharged six came with either a five speed manual or a four speed ECT gearbox. The FR layout was retained, although a zero degree driveline (as found on the LS) was adopted.

The double-wishbone suspension featured low-mount aluminium alloy upper arms and a lightweight aluminium suspension member up front. Allied with gas filled shocks, the geometry was fine tuned to give a sportier feel. At the rear, the double-wishbone set-up was again employed, with highly rigid body-mounting points to enhance cornering performance, while low-mounted shock absorbers reduced road noise. Spherical joint-type anti-roll bars were used front and rear, while braking was via discs all round.

As usual, Japan had a large selection of grades to choose from. The top-of-the-range model, the 4.0 GT Limited, was available with a number of goodies, such as the world’s first electronically-controlled air suspension combined with an active 4WS system. It could also be bought with a six inch colour TV screen linked to a GPS navigation option, which also doubled as a reversing monitor when the car was fitted with a rear spoiler. Of course, luxuries like the memory system for the front seats and heated door mirrors employing ultrasonic waves to keep them clear were standard items.

As for the sportier 2.5 litre machines, the Limited grade came with Piezo TEMS suspension, and both had the option of a Torsen limited slip differential. All Soarers came with an uprated brake servo, while ABS, traction control and an SRS airbag were either standard or available as an option. The manual cars were the only exceptions to this rule since they couldn’t be fitted with TRAC.

All models came with air-conditioning as standard, and all but the cheapest car in the line-up featured a power walk-in system which, as soon as the seat back was folded, moved the front passenger seat forwards to enable easy access to the rear seats, then automatically moved it back into its original position once the seat back was raised.

Prices ranged from 3,269,000 Yen for the basic 2.5 GT Twin-Turbo to a hefty 7,450,000 Yen for the 4.0 GT Limited equipped with the active suspension package. Home market sales, which started on the 18th May, were expected to be in the region of 3000 units a month.

The four litre Soarer would provide the basis for the new Lexus Sport Coupé.

The Soarer was introduced to the American market as the Lexus SC400 (seen here). At the time, the styling was extremely advanced, but few complained. A little while later, a three litre version was announced.

The SC Coupé

The American market was also introduced to the new model in May. The Press Release stated: “Building on the momentum of its highly successful LS400 model, Lexus has moved into the fast lane with one of the most exciting cars to debut in the luxury sport coupé market in years - the SC400. Its combination of beauty, brawn and comfort makes the SC400 one of the most appealing coupés on the market today, at any price.”

The SC400 was given its public launch at the Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, on the 1st June 1991. A very elegant affair, the image presented by the marque fitted in perfectly with the ‘Lifestyle Marketing’ that is almost certainly one of the key elements in the Lexus success story. A black coupé was uncovered, followed by a metallic red example, before the invited guests were allowed to inspect the new vehicle at close quarters.

The four litre engine, with the same specifications as the one employed in the LS400, and linked to a four speed ECT-i transmission, was powerful enough to endow the SC400 with some very impressive performance figures. The manufacturer quoted a top speed of 150mph and a 0-60 time of just 6.9 seconds (the final drive ratio was 3.92:1). In line with this sprinting ability, the exhaust system was tuned to give a rather sportier note than that of the LS400.

Standard features included a leather-trimmed interior ringed with Bird’s-Eye Maple; ten spoke 7J alloy wheels (fitted with 225/55 VR15 Goodyear Eagles); three channel ABS; driver’s-side airbag; speed-sensing power-assisted steering; a power tilt/telescopic steering wheel; automatic air-conditioning; cruise control; multi-adjustable front seats with the Lexus Memory System (which automatically adjusted the driver’s seat, steering wheel and door mirrors to one of two preferred settings); the power walk-in device; a high output seven speaker stereo radio/cassette; front and rear three point seatbelts, and remote entry.

Another view of the 1992 SC400 - Grand Touring defined.

At $37,500, only $1500 less than the current price for the LS400, options were few on this luxury-spec. model, but included traction control (when combined with heated seats the cost was $1600), an electric sunroof at $900, a colour-keyed rear spoiler (which actually reduced the car’s Cd from 0.32 to 0.31) for $300, a $1000 Nakamichi premium audio system, $900 12 disc CD autochanger, Bridgestone Potenza RE93 tyres, and a hands-free cellular phone.

Following its road test of the four litre coupé, Road & Track said: “For the time being, Lexus has this section of the market sewn up. Not only because of exclusivity - the SC400 is the sole resident of this [medium-priced luxury sports coupé] niche - but also because of ingenuity. It is very hard to imagine a finer $40,000 luxury sports coupé coming from anywhere.”

A couple of months later, in August, the SC300 sport coupé joined the Lexus line-up. Basically the same as its bigger brother, the 300 featured a three litre six cylinder engine and slightly lower level of trim.

To quote the Press Release: “The SC300’s three litre in-line six cylinder engine delivers 225bhp at 6000rpm and 210lbft of torque at 4800rpm, making it the most powerful six cylinder engine in its class. To improve off-the-line response, an innovative induction system increases low rpm torque by varying the speed of airflow into the engine. With its five speed manual transmission, the SC300 accelerates from 0-60 in 7.4 seconds.

“Lexus engineers developed this engine for outstanding performance and reliability. A first for Toyota in the US, the new engine features resin-coated pistons to reduce friction for greater resistance to wear. Its steel cylinder head gaskets and long-life timing belt also work to improve dependability.”

The 2JZ-GE fuel-injected twin-cam engine featured four valves per cylinder, an alloy head, and a cast iron block. With a bore and stroke of 86 x 86mm, the cubic capacity was listed at 2997cc. A computer-controlled ignition system with twin-knock sensors allowed a high 10.0:1 compression ratio to be employed, helping both performance and fuel consumption figures.

The SC300 was offered with a choice of automatic or manual gearbox. Its five speed manual transmission (final drive ratio 4.08:1) “features gear ratios engineered to extract the highest level of performance from the engine,” and enabled a 15.6 second standing quarter time and a top speed of 146mph.

The four speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission (4.27:1 final drive), came with two operational modes, ‘Normal’ or ‘Power’, which could be used to alter transmission shift points to emphasize fuel economy or performance.

Like the SC400, it came with certain safety features, such as ABS, a driver’s-side airbag and front and rear three point seatbelts as standard. Other standard items included 6.5J x 15 alloy wheels (fitted with 215/60 VR-rated Goodyear Eagles), variable-assistance powered-steering, an AM/FM stereo radio/cassette, Bird’s-Eye Maple wood trim, air-conditioning, cruise control, power seat adjustment and remote entry. Major options included traction control (automatic cars only), leather trim, the Lexus Memory System, Bridgestone RE88 tyres and an electric sunroof.

Listed at $31,100, the three litre coupé soon found favour with motoring writers. Road & Track noted: “Considering its price, performance and manual transmission, the SC300 is a formidable competitor.”

The overall length of the SC was 4860mm, while the width and height were 1790 and 1335mm, respectively (the SC300, with slightly less ground clearance, was actually 5mm lower). The wheelbase was 2690mm, with the track approximately 1520mm at both the front and rear. As for weights, the automatic only SC400 was 3575lb (1625kg), while the manual SC300 was 3485lb (1584kg); the ECT-equipped 300 weighed in at 3516lb (1598kg).

The SC coupés were available in Diamond White Pearl, Black Onyx, Garnet Pearl, Sandstone Beige Metallic, Royal Jade Pearl, Silver Spruce Metallic and Midnight Indigo Pearl (trim came in Grey, Spruce or Ivory). Both were covered by Lexus’ 48 month, 50,000 mile warranty (with a 72 month, 70,000 mile warranty on powertrain components), as well as the Lexus Roadside Assistance Programme.

Before long, the four litre model was being swamped with accolades, making the honour rolls of Car & Driver, Automobile, Popular Science and Playboy. It was also named ‘Import Car of the Year’ by both Motor Trend and the Motoring Press Association.

The Lexus marque did very well in the influential JD Power surveys, becoming the first franchise in the history of the studies to earn a ‘Triple Crown’ - top ranking in the Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI), Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) and Initial Quality Study (IQS).

The Bubble Bursts

While Toyota announced that cumulative car production had just reached the 70,000,000 mark, the Japanese economy, which had been riding on an amazing high since 1987, took a definite downturn in the early part of 1991. Consequently, the new Crown series (now in Ninth Generation form and featuring the expensive V8 Majesta for the first time) did not sell as well as expected.

With a less profitable home market, at the end of August 1991, Mazda announced that it would be launching a new range of V8- and V12-engined luxury cars in the States during 1994, to compete in the same sector as Lexus and Nissan’s Infiniti.

The news came just as US new car sales figures for July emerged, showing that for the first time, Mercedes-Benz and BMW were outsold by both Lexus and Infiniti. Following this early success, some industry analysts were quickly predicting that Japanese manufacturers could have up to 35% of the American luxury car market by the mid-1990s.

At the same time, the Lexus marque topped the JD Power & Associates’ Sales Satisfaction Index, completing a sweep of the three major studies conducted by Power, the first franchise to ever earn this ‘Triple Crown’. Lexus had already been named the top nameplate in the Customer Satisfaction Index and in the Initial Quality Study.

Prices in the US, however, were starting to climb. In the autumn of 1991, the LS400 was listed at $42,200, only $200 more than the Infiniti Q45, but a lot more than the Cadillac Eldorado TC ($35,570) and Seville STS ($38,575). The only consolation was the high cost of European thoroughbreds, such as the Jaguar Sovereign at $49,500. Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz 300SE, the smallest of the S-Class models, was a staggering $69,400!