Highlights
- Smart Lexus luxury drop-top
- Folding electric hardtop
- Full history and service record
- Amazing specification
The Appeal
With the success of the fabulous LS luxury saloon behind it, Lexus entered the 21st century 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 and folded away in seconds at the touch of a button.
This one was registered to Lexus itself in 2004 as a marketing demo car and has been privately owned since six-months old, with a massive service history at both main dealers and independents.
It’s presented in sleek black, one of the best colours for the model, and has a black and wood-trimmed cabin making it a true luxury GT.
Only 2,200 SC430s were sold in the UK making it a rare car, while the added advantage of that power folding makes it stand out and gives convertible appeal in the warmer months with no winter compromise. It’s in good overall condition and drives very well indeed.
The History and Paperwork
- UK V5C
- Five previous owners
- MOT January 2025
- Main dealer and independent service history up to 130k in 2023 and one subsequent invoice from January 2024 documenting an additional service and cambelt replacement
- Original handbook
- Tracker system
- All original booklets and papers
- Sat nav disc
- Old MOT certificates and service invoices
The Condition
- Good paint finish with some very minor blemishes
- Two sets of alloy wheels – Charcoal Fox alloys fitted and a spare set of Calibre polished-finish wheels with good rubber
- Electric roof operates faultlessly
- No notable damage or visible corrosion
- Appears sound underneath – no corrosion advisories on past MOTs
- Excellent heated black leather seats
- Multi-adjustable electric seats with memory function
- High specification
- Factory sat nav
- 2+2 layout
- Electrically retractable sat nav screen cover
- Cruise control
- Dark maple veneers
- Mark Levinson surround sound stereo system
- Wood-rimmed steering wheel
- Dealer mats
- Pop-up cupholders
- Lexus branded kickplates
The Mechanics
- 4.3-litre V8
- Near-silent idle – a Lexus signature
- Five-speed automatic
- Full service history including recent cambelt change
- Drives well with no known faults
- Performs strongly with smooth transmission and good brakes
BEFORE YOU BUY
This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following:
✓ If the seller is registered as a private seller, consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not apply. Car & Classic’s return policy applies.
✓ A non-refundable deposit will be payable if you are the winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted, refer to FAQs and T&Cs for details.
✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is, Where Is’ basis and without warranty. A full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase and bidding is highly recommended. Photos and descriptions are for guidance purposes only.
✓ VAT is included in the buyer's deposit. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing.
✓ UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check, to verify that they show no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and have no finance owing.
✓ Whilst ****Car & Classic check whether vehicles are recorded as being written off as part of an insurance total loss claim at the time an advert is placed and we provide write-off category labels (Cat C/D/S/N) for your assistance, the presence or absence of a label does not guarantee the vehicle’s status and so you are strongly advised to obtain a full vehicle history check before making an offer on a vehicle.
✓ Buyers are responsible for vehicle collection or delivery.
