The Lexus SC Is The Bargain Coupe If You Can't Afford A Supra

Finding a well-preserved SC is becoming difficult given the car's age, having left production back in 2000. But even some of the low-mileage, well-kept examples can be found for less than $20,000. This is a fraction of the price being paid for MKIV Supras right now and if you can handle buying a fixer-upper, prices begin for as low as around $3,000. Given how reliable and well-built the SC was, we highly recommend it as a first project car for young enthusiasts that want something more unique than a Mustang or Camaro.

Lexus offered the SC in two flavors - the SC 300 and the SC 400. The SC 300 may have been the base model but they are now the more desirable of the two. This is because the SC 300 was powered by the same 3.0-liter 2JZ inline-six as the Toyota Supra. It produced 225 horsepower (5 hp more than the Supra) and 210 lb-ft of torque going out to a four-speed automatic (later a five-speed) or a rarified five-speed manual. Finding a manual example is difficult because Lexus only offered it from launch until 1997. 0-60 in the SC 300 took around 7.2 seconds or 6.9 seconds with the manual.

The SC 400 was powered by the same 4.0-liter 1UZ V8 found in the LS 400. It initially produced 250 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque but was upgraded twice, first to 260 hp then again to 290 hp with the addition of variable valve timing. The V8 was buttery smooth and reliable but Lexus never offered it with a manual transmission. 0-60 was quicker in here, taking around 6.1 seconds in the later cars.

The SC's interior looks extremely simplistic by 2019 standards but was top notch at the time. Most of the interior plastics haven't aged well visually but this is a Lexus after all, so most materials have held up better than other cars from the late '90s and early '00s. But even with Lexus fit and finish, these cars are now over 20 years old and they weren't exactly babied as collectibles. Finding one with a pristine interior will be difficult but is certainly not impossible.

The SC came at a time before rakish rooflines and thick pillars for crash tests, so it is fairly spacious inside for a two-door coupe. All SC models have a four-seat layout with a slightly cramped 27.2 inches of rear legroom. For reference, a brand-new Ford Mustang offers 29 inches of rear legroom. The trunk is fairly limiting as well with just 9.3 cubic feet of cargo volume, though this is nearly double the space found in the brand-new Lexus LC 500.

Young enthusiasts are always looking for hidden gem cars that stand out from car show parking lots full of Mustang and Camaro drivers. The Lexus SC may not be as idolized as much as the Supra but with clean examples being more difficult to come by, it may not be long before the "Lexus Supra" starts becoming collectible. Prices are very low, though you may have to spend money swapping in a manual transmission should you not be able to find a stock one.