2002 Lexus SC430 Pace Car
This summer a very special Lexus SC430 will be showing a clean pair of exhaust pipes to the snarling field of Indy Cars. Already a striking vehicle, the company’s US Motorsports Technical Centre has turned the sleek sport coupe into a car that demands attention with its bright, metallic silver exterior, edgy purple and yellow race stripes, silver wheels and purple leather interior.
Engineers gave the SC430 pace car 28 additional horses for a total of 312 horsepower and added 25lb.ft. of torque to give the convertible an even quicker start off the line.
Other modifications in the body-building regime include a full safety roll cage, four-point racing seatbelt harness, race-tuned suspension, Eibach racing coil springs and Bilstein shock absorbers. 18-inch front and 19-inch rear SSR wheels are fitted with Bridgestone Potenza 265/35ZR/18 tyres in the front and 275/35ZR/19 in the rear. These ensure the SC430 pace car achieves the increased cornering capability and control needed to stay at the head of a field of racing cars.
In Detail
| submitted by | Richard Owen |
| engine | Aluminum V8 |
| position | Front |
| aspiration | Natural |
| valvetrain | DOHC 4 Valves per Cyl |
| displacement | 4300 cc / 262.4 in³ |
| bore | 90.93 mm / 3.58 in |
| stroke | 82.6 mm / 3.25 in |
| compression | 10.5:1 |
| power | 232.7 kw / 312.1 bhp @ 5600 rpm |
| specific output | 72.58 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | bhp per tonne |
| torque | 450.13 nm / 332.0 ft lbs @ 3400 rpm |
| body / frame | Unit Steel |
| driven wheels | RWD |
| front tires | 265/35 ZR/18 |
| rear tires | 275/35 ZR/19 |
| front brakes | Brembro Vented Discs w/4-Pot Calipers |
| f brake size | x 356 mm / x 14.0 in |
| rear brakes | Brembro Vented Discs w/Single-Pot Calipers |
| r brake size | x 305 mm / x 12.0 in |
| front wheels | F 45.7 x 24.1 cm / 18.0 x 9.5 in |
| rear wheels | R 48.3 x 25.4 cm / 19.0 x 10.0 in |
| steering | Rack & Pinion w/Power Assist |
| f suspension | Double Wishbone w/Eibach Racing Coil Springs |
| r suspension | Double Wishbone w/Eibach Racing Coil Springs |
| curb weight | 1746 kg / 3849 lbs |
| wheelbase | 2619 mm / 103.1 in |
| front track | 1600 mm / 63.0 in |
| rear track | 1549 mm / 61.0 in |
| length | 4516 mm / 177.8 in |
| width | 1826 mm / 71.9 in |
| height | 1346 mm / 53.0 in |
| transmission | 5-Speed Automatic |
| gear ratios | 3.357:1, 2.180:1, 1.424:1, 1.000:1, 0.753:1, :1 |
| 0 – 60 mph | ~est 6.0 seconds |
