- convertible 134,678
- 15,999 fair
- Austin, TX
-
- autoshopper.com
- convertible 134,678 gasoline gold automatic
2005 lexus sc 430 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Smooth, luxurious top-down motoring. introductionthe lexus sc 430 switches from a hardtop coupe to a convertible with the press of a button. It's a silky smooth sports car. Its interior is luxurious and comfortable, trimmed in leather and rich wood. Indeed, the lexus sc 430 is a classy luxury car for two people dressed to the nines. Poise can be maintained while enjoying an evening on the town. It is, after all, the flagship luxury sports car from lexus, the company that redefined luxury cars. in spite of its luxurious overtones, the sc 430 delivers surprisingly good performance. With rear-wheel drive and a 4. 3-liter v8 that puts out 300-horsepower, it can run with the mercedes sl 500 and jaguar xk8. It's stable at high speeds and, though soft, its suspension is well controlled on winding roads, on-ramps and off-ramps. Around town it's smooth and responsive. lineupthe lexus sc 430 63,175) comes as one model that features the retractable hardtop, the 4. 3-liter v8, the five-speed automatic transmission, and a long list of luxury features. Also standard is a navigation system (upgraded for 2005) and a mark levinson audio system with nine speakers. options include a rear spoiler 440) and run-flat tires 400). standard safety equipment includes dual frontal airbags, side-impact airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, vehicle stability control, and traction control. walkaroundthe sc 430 looks like no other lexus. It's curvaceous and daring, a dramatic, eye-catching statement that resembles nothing else on the road. the front styling is dynamic, with chrome-trimmed triangular headlamp clusters and the lexus trademark trapezoidal grille. The fluid arch of the roof leads to a rounded rear, where integrated multi-lens taillights are sculpted as triangles skewed with curves. beneath its beltline the sc 430 is round and plump but pleasingly so. The bold, squatty stance is emphasized by its long wheelbase, exaggerated wheel wells, and 18-inch wheels. Those wheels are pushed so far out to the corners they almost seem to stretch the sheet metal behind them. press a button and the lightweight aluminum hardtop quickly folds itself double and tucks into the trunk. With the top concealed below the trunk lid, the sc 430 looks fluid and fast like a racy roadster. the optional rear spoiler further reduces the car's slick drag coefficient of 0. 31 to an even slicker 0. 30. The seats are very comfortable and adjust every which way. rich, glossy wood, in light bird's-eye maple or dark burled walnut, graces the steering wheel, gear selector, and console and streaks across doors and dash. Wooden flaps conceal the audio unit and navigation system. A leather-padded armrest tops the console; lifting it reveals a handy storage bin. The cup holders work great. the sc 430's cockpit is commendably simple and well-organized, in spite of its sophisticated electronic gear and power-motivated controls. The driver faces a steering wheel that tilts and telescopes with switches for the cruise control. Immediately ahead are three chrome-ringed binnacles housing round analog gauges, with crisp white-on-black graphics and vivid red needles. The gauges are easy to read except fuel and temperature, which compete with the gear indicators for attention. Switches for windows and door locks dot the padded armrest on the driver's door. at the top of the center stack to the right are audio and climate controls, plus a video screen for the navigation system. The navigation system has been upgraded for 2005 with improved graphics and new functions. It has its own, separate led display for temperature and air flow. It's easy to read and operate yet is quite sophisticated: lap vents deploy automatically when the top is open to compensate for solar heating. the 240-watt mark levinson stereo delivers amazingly good quality sound. The radio, cassette player, and six-disc in-dash cd changer brilliantly reproduces sound through a seven-channel amplifier and nine speakers, including an eight-inch subwoofer. Simply press the switch: a trunk flap rises, the roof folds and slips into the trunk, the flap closes and the windows go down. lurking behind the front seats are a pair of smaller, form-fitting rear buckets rigged with integrated headrests and three-point safety belts. Those back buckets are painfully upright and are generally unsuitable for humans. Better to use them as a relief storage shelf for the diminutive trunk. like other sports cars, the sc 430 is not the best car for picking someone up at the airport as luggage space is lacking. Removing the spare tire expands it to 9. 4. Dropping the top eliminates the trunk as a serious storage area. Yet it's a bit less than what's available in the jaguar xk8. driving impressionthe lexus sc 430 blends performance and agility with smoothness luxury. With the hardtop raised and symphonic sound swirling through the leather-lined cabin, the sc 430 isolates its occupants from noise and rough roads. Wind buffeting is minimal at normal highway speeds. With its soft suspension, the lexus floats and wallows on winding, bumpy roads. Take it to the limit in a tight corner, and it understeers (the front tires lose grip before the rear tires). We also noticed some susceptibility to strong crosswinds. the sc 430 is enjoyable to drive, however. In fact, it's quite wonderful when driven at a brisk pace on winding mountain roads. But it is not intended to be driven like a race car. It is, after all, a lexus, designed to excel in the areas of comfort and refinement. similarly, the sc 430 is quick, but not lightning quick. It's capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds. The double overhead-cam 4. 3-liter all-aluminum v8 produces 300 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 325 pound-feet of torque at 3400 rpm. Top speed of the sc 430 is limited to 143 mph, more than fast enough. around town, the lexus is smooth, quiet and sophisticated. These are benefits of the vvt-i variable-valve timing and drive-by-wire electronic throttle control. adding to the smooth power delivery is a five-speed automatic transmission that shifts so smoothly it's almost seamless. It features three shift modes (normal, sport, winter). Mounted on the floor console, the shifter has a c-shaped gate, allowing semi-manual shifting, though not as deftly as with a porsche tiptronic or similar automatic. We prefer to put it in drive and let it do its own thing because it does it so well. The lexus transmission is designed to be smooth, not quick, however, so it does not respond as quickly as a mercedes or porsche transmission, even in sport mode. But it makes up for that in smoothness. active-safety features help the driver maintain control by reducing the chance of a skid. Abs prevents the brakes from locking up to help the driver maintain steering control in a panic braking situation. Electronic brake-force distribution enhances control under hard braking. Brake assist helps maintain hard pressure on the brake pedal when the system detects the driver is not applying the maximum brake pressure. Traction control reduces rear wheel spin when accelerating on slippery surfaces. It has side airbags in addition to the mandated dual frontal airbags. the 18-inch alloy wheels are fitted with p245/40zr18 dunlop summer tires. Optional run-flat. summaryt. Bucket Seats✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Cruise Control✔ CD Changer✔ Navigation System✔ Alloy Wheels
15,999 Austin, TXAustin, TX at autoshopper.com