Lexus SC430
It's hard to believe now what an innovative car the SC 430 was when it was introduced in 2001 -- it was one of the first hardtop convertibles on the US market. The problem was that the SC had few parts in common with other Lexus or Toyota models, which meant it wasn't cost-effective to update. By the end of the decade the SC 430 hadn't changed very much, but the market had -- high gas prices and a shaky economy meant that few buyers were interested in a $69,000 V8-powered two-seat luxury convertible. Sales dropped to 720 units in 2009 and bottomed out at just 328 in 2010, when Lexus announced that the SC 430 would be dropped. Lexus may revisit the idea of a two-seat luxury convertible later in the decade, but for now the SC 430 won't be replaced.
