With its top raised, the dramatic Lexus SC 430 sports coupe reveals an arching profile that looks energetic up front but retro in the rear with its roly-poly rump vaguely resembling some vintage car like Porsche's 356 Speedster. With its hardtop dropped, the convertible version appears fluid and fast like a modern racy roadster. It's a daring design influenced by the elongated wheelbase, squatty stance and sensuous skin stretched tightly around exaggerated wheelwells. It's also a dramatic, head-turning statement that seems quite different from the quiet styling of a Lexus sedan. The squatty stance sets up a flat-footed posture in the manner of a classic sports car with all of the right components aboard: A stiff chassis with elongated wheelbase, short overhangs in front and back, good weight distribution with the engine up front and all torque applied to the back wheels, independent suspension at all corners plus fast rack and pinion steering. And there's a big engine aboard. The aluminum V8 displaces 4.3 liters and produces 300 hp. With the big V8 translating so much power to rear wheels, the car captures the essence of an aggressive two-seat roadster. However, it also raises the roadster image to a new level because Lexus lined it with high-tech hardware for safety and performance, as well as elaborate electronic displays and lavish (even for Lexus) appointments. The standard audio package comes from Mark Levinson. A 240-watt amplifier combines with nine speakers, a cassette deck and six-disc CD changer mounted in the dash.
