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Junkyard Gem: 1992 Lexus SC 400

After Toyota stunned the automotive world with the Lexus LS 400 in 1989, offering a majestically engineered luxury sedan with an all-new DOHC V8 at less than half the cost of its Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL rival, what could be done to follow that (other than a money-printing Lexus-badged Camry, that is)? Clearly, the missing piece of the Lexus branding puzzle at the time was a sports coupe, something to extract the money of car shoppers considering, say, a new Mercedes-Benz 300 CE or Acura Legend coupe. That car turned out to be the Lexus SC, styled in California and known as the third-generation Toyota Soarer in Japan. Here's one of the very first SCs sold in the United States, found in a Denver-area self-service yard last month. These cars had intimidatingly good build quality (I know, because I dismantled a '92 SC 400 down to its smallest components a while back), clearly designed to last at least a quarter-million miles with routine maintenance. This one got hit hard in the right rear, however, and it wasn't worth repairing the damage to a non-SUV pushing three decades of age. Americans could buy a six-cylinder version, the SC 300, which came standard with a five-speed manual transmission (almost all buyers "upgraded" to the automatic, of course). This car is the SC 400, which means it has the same 1UZ-FE V8 engine as the LS 400. That's 250 super-smooth horses and six-bolt main bearing caps keeping the crankshaft from going anywhere it shouldn't. The SC 400 never was available with a manual transmission, nor was its SC 430 successor. This one has the mandatory Aisin-Warner four-speed automatic. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Lexus SC400 articulated door hinge operation The complex door hinges offered good clearance in tight parking spaces. These cars were very quiet and comfortable and they could cruise all day at triple-digit speeds, but a curb weight pushing 3,600 pounds meant that the SC 400 wasn't going to beat its Porsche 928 rival on a race track. Actually, the 1992 928S4 cost more than twice as much as the 1992 Lexus SC 400 ($80,920 versus $37,500) and had both a more powerful (326hp) V8 and available manual transmission; perhaps the 1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe ($32,470, 200hp V8, automatic) was a more realistic sales rival for today's Junkyard Gem.

Lexus teases a wild electric car concept for Tokyo Motor Show

The Tokyo Motor Show is shaping up to have plenty of wild concepts, from Mitsubishi's turbine-powered plug-in hybrid to Daihatsu's funky mini cars. But we doubt any of these cars will top what Lexus is bringing based on the teaser image above. Not much is shown of the car, but what is visible is extreme. We can see what looks like the Lexus spindle grille taken to its ultimate conclusion with the lower section seemingly wrapping around the front corners. The edges of the grille contain the car's headlights. The nose looks quite blunt and the windshield looks to be placed far forward. Since this is an electric car concept, having the cabin close to the front is possible and makes sense for maximum cargo space. We can also make out the instruments, which appear to be rendered in concentric circles on a transparent display. Things like range, power and more are yet to be revealed. The car's unveiling will be at the Tokyo Motor Show in just a couple of weeks. With looks this dramatic, it's hard to imagine how it could translate to a production Lexus EV. But if it does, Lexus will be taking a mighty bold direction in car design.

2021 Lexus IS shows its rear end, gets a new unveiling date

Lexus was set to introduce the next-generation IS on June 9, but it postponed the event to respect "the recent global situation," meaning worldwide protests in the wake of George Floyd's death in police custody. Now Lexus has rescheduled the unveiling, and given us our first look at its next entry-level sedan. The model's global debut is scheduled for at 7 p.m. Eastern time June 15, which is 4 p.m. for West Coasters. The unveiling will take place online, and the company will stream it live on its various social media channels. Lexus published a five-second preview video to give us a fleeting look at the 2021 IS. Although the front end remains hidden, the preview reveals that thick chrome trim surrounds the side windows, and that the elongated rear lights are connected by a thin light bar. It's a styling cue that should emphasize the compact sedan's width. We know the next-generation IS will carry on with rear-wheel drive, though all-wheel drive will again be offered at an extra cost, and the video confirms the IS 350 nameplate will return. It's too early to tell what it will denote, however. Earlier, unverified rumors suggest the model will gain a 3.0-liter straight-six engine sourced from BMW and shared with the Z4 and the Toyota Supra, among other models. Other reports affirm the range will consist of a turbocharged four-cylinder, a naturally-aspirated V6, and, at the top of the range, a new-for-2021 5.0-liter V8. Lexus has offered a V8-powered IS before; it introduced the terrific IS F at the 2007 edition of the Detroit Auto Show and kept it in production until 2014. The V8-powered model allegedly due out in the coming months won't pick up where the IS F left off, however. It will be named IS 500, so it won't be a full-fledged F-tuned model. 500 corresponds to 5.0 liters of displacement, and the current, 350-badged IS is powered by a 3.5-liter V6. While this naming system seemingly discredits rumors of a BMW-built 3.0-liter six, keep in mind Lexus emblems aren't always pegged to an engine's displacement. The entry-level 2020 IS 300 is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Will Lexus stick to tradition, or will it invite BMW to a game of musical emblems? We'll know when the veil comes off the next IS in a few short days. It's expected to arrive in American showrooms before the end of 2020 priced in the same ballpark as its predecessor, which starts at $38,560.