In 1991, Lexus introduced its first premium-coupe designed in the U.S. Its flowing lines and curvy appearance were right on the biodesign ascending trend.

The first generation of the SC Coupe was a hard gamble for the Lexus. While it was meant to be on the same market segment with the American luxury coupes of the ’90s, it ended up being more a competitor for the BMW 6-series (E24) and the E-Class Coupe (W124).

The car featured more unusual solutions for the exterior. For starters, it didn’t feature a grille for the radiator. To cool the engine, only the lower part of the bumper was used and that was a big challenge for the engineers. The dual headlights design, with the high-beam inside, was a different solution. Last, but not least, the doors were double-hinged to offer better access room for the rear passengers.

Inside the car featured the latest technologies for the stereo system. There was a cassette-player developed by Nakamichi and an on-board 6-CD changer. It was in 1991! The leather and wood trims formed a luxurious look and feel of the car.

Under the hood, the SC was available with a choice of good engines. One was the 3.0-liter and the top version was a hefty V8. Only the SC 300, with the 2JZ engine, was mated as standard to a 5-speed manual. The 4.0-liter eight-cylinder unit was mated to a 4-speed automatic.