Following on from the fabulous LS luxury saloon, Lexus entered the 2000s on the crest of a wave, Toyota’s luxury arm offering Mercedes-Benz style luxury with inherent Japanese reliability.
It had evolved from a one-model range to a more diverse selection of cars, with the GS rivalling the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the IS200 going for the jugular of the C-Class (Lexus made no secret of the fact that Mercedes was its benchmark…). The SC430 was its assault on the Mercedes-Benz SL, but with a 2+2 layout offering a pair of nominal rear seats. The electric folding hardtop (see also: Mercedes-Benz SLK) was its party piece.
This one was registered in Manchester in 2002 but has spent a large part of its life in South Africa, as the owner has dual nationality and regularly travels between the two. It returned to the UK last year having lived for much of its life in a dry, salt-free climate so it has none of the rust issues often seen on UK market SC430s. It also has a part-British, part-South African service history, but there’s a record of all the work done.
Like all Lexuses (or Lexii, as Alan Partridge would lead us to believe), the SC430 is sumptuously well equipped, with smart heated leather seats, wood trim and a posh-for-its-day premium audio and sat nav interface. It’s all in good condition, complete with original Lexus dealer floor mats.
The only minor wear is a small amount of creasing and rubbing to the driver’s side seat bolster, but it’s not major and the cabin is in otherwise excellent condition, with goodies including climate control, cruise control and electric seat adjustment.
Overall, this is a really good-looking car with no major issues. The body is free from major damage and the South African climate has been kind to its metalwork, while its party piece – the folding roof – operates exactly as it is supposed to.
The polished brushed aluminium alloys have a few signs of wear but nothing drastic and the badges and trim are all present and correct, whilst the silver gold coachwork retains a healthy shine.
One of the key appeals of any big Lexus is its V8 powertrain, which the Japanese manufacturer famously balanced a US dime on the cam cover of to prove how smooth it was. The 4.3-litre unit in this SC430 remains just as smooth 117,000 miles down the line, starting immediately and idling almost silently.
Poke the pedal and it accelerates eagerly, with seamless changes from the automatic transmission. In 2020, less than 3,000 miles ago, it had a major service including new discs and pads at a Lexus main agent in Cape Town.
This is a really good example of a rare luxury GT, with the added advantage of that power folding hardtop that truly makes it stand out. It’s in great condition and drives flawlessly. A real luxury performance bargain waiting for its next lucky owner.
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