In their forth year of production, the Japanese automaker began to spread its wings with this new sports coupe. The Lexus SC 300 joined the ES and LS series in the pursuit of carving out a new niche in the luxury car market. Lexus aimed to combine the styling and performance of the Germans with the reliability the Japanese were known for. Lexus sprang forth from Toyota, and the SC would build upon the performance of Toyota's high end foreign market sports car, the Soarer.

The SC 300 was equipped with a 3 liter inline six cylinder engine, which made 225 horsepower @ 6000 rpm. The 20.6 gallon fuel tank capacity was notably large for a sports coupe, but gas mileage was a common driver complaint at 18 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. Since many drivers were compelled to push their SCs a little beyond the most fuel efficient speed of 55 mph, those numbers dropped a littler lower on average. The SC 300 was essentially an entry level version of the SC 400, with a smaller engine and fewer standard features. All SCs had rear wheel drive and a 2+2 notchback body which could fit four adults in semi-comfort.

One of the most common raves for the SC was for its wrap-around cockpit feel and cleverly designed ergonomics. Drivers have said that the layout of the dash give the interior a racecar feel, with the high positioned shifter and angled dash. Some drivers claim that the steering in the 1992 was a bit inconsistent and over-responsive, but those problems were worked out for the following year. SC drivers suggest the 5-speed manual transmission over the 4-speed automatic for the best driving experience.