48 - Friday. August 2¢

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Photo submitted

THE LEXUS SC400 2+2 luxury coupe offers minor improvements for 1995, including new seven-spoke alloy wheels, more sound insu!ation and enhanced side-
impact safety. With a standard 250-horsepower 4.0-litre V8 engine and standard four-speed automatic transmission, the SC400 will accelerate from 0 to 100 km-h

in 6.9 seconds.

exus SC40

Aerodynamic lines combine traditional elements with current trends

Kri-h (149 m.p.ha, but if pertorms
with such grtee. quietude. and
smouthness, you hardly notice your

TEST DRIVE

BEFORE LEXUS intro-
duced the SC400 luxury
coube in 1991, one important
fact about this car was
already known: it would
boast onc of the smoothest,
quietest, most refined
enyine/transmission combi-
nations in the world,

The SC400°s longitudinally
Mounted -4.0-Hire dual overhead

ine, standard
four-speed automatic transmission,
and basic plavorm were borrowed
from the award-winning LSA00
sedan. unquestionably one of tte
test dustry cars on the marker.

But untike the comservanneds

stvled LS400, the SCHOO wars. utd
SENG OEM ETE ONO TUTSE
svelte aad seas its sere
tite lines cor e toaditional
ments wath crorent boss
ook.
canada dfant
WUT Ae Tet
tradttiemal dest
ahas
disirthution, redue
Vibration. anef moutad
haraglehisties,

As well the SCH007s gerods
namie fore be cmlmced by aaustat
is rounded proportions. fusti-
Mounted windows. and top neteh rit
and Paish fn partwudar the bya:
amps and driving Lamps aie histe.
fully mtegrated inte the bullet
shaped Bose. us ure the rounded
tail Lights

Changes forthe 1Y9S mode!
sear are ininor. Styling res isiaas to
the lower grille design, rear tail
lamps. and alley wheels may not

ven be noticed by many people.

Inside. the SC400 remains basi-
cally the same too. Standard equip-

a

mentincludes leather upholsters
dual airbags, wood trim, gasy to-
tead white-on-black backlit analog
gatiges. aulomitic clinnaule control
sith freon free air conditionn
seserespouker Nakamichi sound
system Math unk mounted C1)
Changer. and a pew passenver
cuphoteor that Hips out scr ails
froth the dash
Vise.

tomo the sce: and pitians

doide dept pra

enn
Soostumdbotabs
Phe SC rth has one od the ¢
OSTLO Use TH ceria WH
car Aneto tie togele = aatch
alows tbr telescapig mos een
office wheel, Phe steering wheel
satommucalls dts upwards when
{he inition Kes as removed to make
JUL Caster,

Ul drivers might find head-
roam scarce. Even with the electn-
cally adjustable drivers seat at its
lowest position, there was sul only
about an tach beeween ms head and
the sunroof

Getting into the rear seat ares ts
Inade easter by a [ront passenger
seat that automatically slides for-
ward when the seatback is fol
torwards. ICresumes its original
position when the seatback is
pushed back.

As with most 2+2 coupes, rear

com is minimal
room is justiacceptable. In addition.
the rear side-windows do not wind
down, there’s no centre afnirest and
no folding rear seat to mnerease

the essenee of the SCAGGS its

ped portornianee

Oa streets ghd Gist tevin frees
webs dhe SCLOO drives catd rides

Torttessness init
ris wath its sparing

nattite Phe SCAQ0 wi whisk fren
Qe P00 koa-h 662 oped in 6.9
seconds and has a top speed af 240

Price as tested: So8. {U5

Type: ive-door, four-passen

Jusury coupe

Layout: fongindinal

caginefcar whe
agine: 4.0 dar

four vadvesfes inde

fuel injecuon

Horsepower: 250 @ 3.000 rpm.

Torque: 260 ft-lbs. @ 4.400
m.

‘Transmission: four-speed auto-

matic, dual-shitt programs

tromt

. BOHC 02),
multe point

rapid pace -- until you look at the
specdometer

Though the suspension is slight-
fe suffer this obo warned: the

AGQ0 1S nota sports car. The ride
Is tog smooth. the pow et -assisted
specd- sensitive mick and pinen
steering hicks Ireahas B. and the car
fs bust toe dare quero,

celenthon off the Hing is iuten-

Honaly unders nelmins to prevent
fu hing. bulenece en its wah. the

400) pose AD

oi 2 SVR- 16 radials
Curb weight: 1.645 ky (3627
Ibs}
Wheelbase: 2.690 mm (105.9 ing
Length: 4.860 nin ct9 4.3 ins .
Width: 1.790 min c?
Heigttts 1.335
Trunk capacity
ta
Fuel consumption: C
13.37100 kin (21) mep.gs H
9.0/00- ko (29 pep.
Warranty: Basic four yrs./80,000
km; Major compuenents: six
yrs./$ 10.000 kin,

263L (93 cu.

ity:
wy