New Car Review of the 2004 Lexus SC 430 Full-Size Luxury Coupe.

Description: Full-Size Luxury Coupe
Base MSRP Range: $62,575
Invoice Price Range: $54,438

The two-seat sports car from Lexus can convert from a hardtop coupe to a daring convertible. With the top raised, it carries an arching profile that looks energetic up front but retro in the rear with a roly-poly rump.

With the hardtop folded into the trunk, it seems fluid and fast like a racy roadster. 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 posts plus fast rack and pinion steering. And there's a big engine aboard. The aluminum V8 displaces 4.3 liters and produces 300 hp.

Lexus lines it with gear 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.