But it's the interior that's really the killer. Our test vehicle had the ecru interior that features ivory leather in combination with blond bird's-eye maple wood trim lavished on the steering wheel, dashboard, door panels and center console. The interior brought to mind classic custom-built touring cars that one might see on the green at the Concours at Pebble Peach. The SC430's beauty is more than skin-deep, however. The car exhibits surprisingly good driving dynamics, as well as an exceptionally quiet interior.
Convertibles usually extract a premium from their owners in terms of unwanted interior noise.
Lexus has long been known for its ability to quell obnoxious mechanical and environmental sounds and the SC430 excels in this area as well. Since the SC430 was designed structurally as a convertible, the body is stiff and resists bending forces as well as squeaks and rattles. So equipped, the SC430 does not carry a spare tire. The SC430 offers satisfying performance. The throttle response is very quick.