Motor Authority - blog Category: tC

Last year we reported on the RS*R 400hp Scion drift car that was competing in the D1 Formula Drift Championship. After its first successful seasoning campaigning the tC sports coupe in Formula Drift, Scion decided to return to the series in 2009 with another team supporting a second tC, and this is the car that was built for that team.

To become a drift king, however, the punchy little Scion had to undergo some major corrective surgery, including a complete driveline reconfiguration, putting the power at the back. The tC shares a common platform with Toyota's Japanese market Avensis four-wheel drive and Caldina all-wheel drive, a factor... Last year we reported on the RS*R 400hp Scion drift car that was competing in the D1 Formula Drift Championship. After its first successful seasoning campaigning the tC sports coupe in Formula Drift, Scion decided to return to the series in 2009 with another team supporting a second tC, and this is the car that was built for that team. To become a drift king, however, the punchy little Scion had to undergo some major corrective surgery, including a complete driveline reconfiguration, putting the power at the back. The tC shares a common platform with Toyota's Japanese market Avensis four-wheel drive and Caldina all-wheel drive, a factor that likely helped it to undergo the adaptation. Spinning those drive wheels with sufficient fury to provide fan-pleasing clouds of smoke is a V8 engine based on Toyota's NASCAR racing engine, rated at 650hp (485kW) and 450lb-ft (610Nm) of torque, according to Edmunds. The Rockstar team also has some serious driving credentials behind it, with two-time Formula Drift champion Tanner Foust among the drivers. Foust is noted for his work as a stunt driver for movies such as the 'Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift', 'The Bourne Ultimatum' and the 'Dukes of Hazzard'. He was also slated to be one of the presenters of the now-in-limbo American version of Top Gear. The Scion drift car is run by the Scion Drift Team in conjunction with Rockstar Energy Drinks. The crew at AEM made the drift car out of a factory-built, front-wheel drive tC and turn it into a drifting contender through a rear-wheel drive conversion from their production facility, which features an on-site chassis dynamometer and machine shop for custom fabrication needs.Scion tC Rockstar Formula D drift car Read More

Scion has confirmed plans to unveil a new “micro-subcompact” concept car at the upcoming New York Auto Show. The concept will reflect Scion's youthful image and represents a new segment for the brand aimed toward the growing urbanization trend.

This basically means that Scion will be expanding into the minicar segment, which would coincide with previously speculation that Toyota’s iQ minicar could eventually be sold in the U.S. wearing Scion badges. Further strengthening the iQ’s chances of arriving on U.S. soil was the confirmation last year that the minicar was being considered for the North American market.

... Scion has confirmed plans to unveil a new “micro-subcompact” concept car at the upcoming New York Auto Show. The concept will reflect Scion's youthful image and represents a new segment for the brand aimed toward the growing urbanization trend. This basically means that Scion will be expanding into the minicar segment, which would coincide with previously speculation that Toyota’s iQ minicar could eventually be sold in the U.S. wearing Scion badges. Further strengthening the iQ’s chances of arriving on U.S. soil was the confirmation last year that the minicar was being considered for the North American market. While there is no other official details, a quick search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark website reveals that Toyota has registered the name “tD”, which means we could have the name of Scion’s next model – either way, we should find out in a couple of weeks. Incidentally, Scion used last year’s New York event to showcase the boxy Hako concept car but it was purely done as a styling exercise and was never intended for production.Scion Hako Concept Read More

Toyota will be hosting a celebrity race next month with a star-studded field of competitors intended to draw audiences and help raise funding for numerous charities. A total of 20 drivers will compete and already confirmed for the event are a number of A-list actors including Keanu Reeves, who starred in the Matrix, and Oscar-winner Adrien Brody.

Other celebrities slated to appear in the race include Luke Wilson, Jon Hamm, Tim Daly, Tyson Beckford, Alex Trebek and comedian Carlos Mencia. The twenty celebrities will complete ten laps around a 1.97-mile street circuit that winds through the downtown streets of Long Beach in California. Each... Toyota will be hosting a celebrity race next month with a star-studded field of competitors intended to draw audiences and help raise funding for numerous charities. A total of 20 drivers will compete and already confirmed for the event are a number of A-list actors including Keanu Reeves, who starred in the Matrix, and Oscar-winner Adrien Brody. Other celebrities slated to appear in the race include Luke Wilson, Jon Hamm, Tim Daly, Tyson Beckford, Alex Trebek and comedian Carlos Mencia. The twenty celebrities will complete ten laps around a 1.97-mile street circuit that winds through the downtown streets of Long Beach in California. Each will behind the wheel of specially designed race versions of the Scion tC coupe. A second 'Pro' category will also be run, with Jamie Little, ESPN/ABC pit reporter for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, set to compete against two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and two-time CART Series Champion Al Unser, Jr. Toyota will donate $5,000 to the "Racing for Kids" foundation in the name of each celebrity racer, and another $5,000 to the winning racer's charity of choice. Additionally, $15,000 will be donated in the name of the pole-position winner of the Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race qualifying session on April 18. Read More

The Release Series of limited-edition Scions gets another member this year as the tC Release Series 5.0 (tC RS 5.0) joins the ranks. The car will be unveiled February 11 at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, one year after the debut of its predecessor, the tC RS 4.0.

Pricing of the new car checks in at $2,300 over the standard tC's base price of $17,000 in manual guise, or $17,800 in automatic trim. The car will feature a 'Toyota Racing Development (TRD) theme' and be limited to just 2,000 examples.

Gloss black exterior paint and TRD exterior badging mark the primary exterior appearance changes while TRD 18in matte black wheels with red trim, TRD... The Release Series of limited-edition Scions gets another member this year as the tC Release Series 5.0 (tC RS 5.0) joins the ranks. The car will be unveiled February 11 at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, one year after the debut of its predecessor, the tC RS 4.0. Pricing of the new car checks in at $2,300 over the standard tC's base price of $17,000 in manual guise, or $17,800 in automatic trim. The car will feature a 'Toyota Racing Development (TRD) theme' and be limited to just 2,000 examples. Gloss black exterior paint and TRD exterior badging mark the primary exterior appearance changes while TRD 18in matte black wheels with red trim, TRD lowering springs, a TRD rear sway bar and TRD sport muffler offer improved handling and performance. Inside, the tC RS 5.0 gets a black leather steering wheel with red stitching, black seats with red accents and TRD-logo floormats. Each tC RS 5.0 is individually numbered to reflect its limited-edition status. The car will go on sale in March.2009 Scion tC Release Series 5.0 Read More

After a bright start almost seven years ago Scion’s sales have tanked and its lineup, which thrives on originality and freshness, is starting to show its age. The Toyota budget brand sold just 113,904 cars last year, down 12.5% on the previous year, and volumes are predicted to dip even lower this year.

Most of the blame has been directed towards Scion’s limited lineup, although a weak car market was also a factor in the equation. The current staples of the brand, the redesigned xB and xD very closely resemble the original entrants, the xB and xA, and the tC coupe has only been given a mild facelift since it was launched back... After a bright start almost seven years ago Scion’s sales have tanked and its lineup, which thrives on originality and freshness, is starting to show its age. The Toyota budget brand sold just 113,904 cars last year, down 12.5% on the previous year, and volumes are predicted to dip even lower this year. Most of the blame has been directed towards Scion’s limited lineup, although a weak car market was also a factor in the equation. The current staples of the brand, the redesigned xB and xD very closely resemble the original entrants, the xB and xA, and the tC coupe has only been given a mild facelift since it was launched back in 2004. Scion is now hoping to liven up its portfolio and boost sales by adding a fourth model line and replacing its tC coupe. Speaking with Automotive News, Scion vice president Jack Hollis said that a new tC coupe will arrive in the next two years and will be followed shortly by a brand new model. Scion gave a possibly design direction for its next model with the unveiling of the Hako Concept at last year’s New York Auto Show, but Hollis explained that there were many possibilities. "We think there are a lot of opportunities for a second coupe," he said. "We think there is room for a bigger sedan and smaller vehicles. We think there is even a possibility for a truck-based vehicle with an open bed." One option that could prove very lucrative for the brand is the addition of the iQ minicar to Scion’s lineup. Toyota has confirmed that the pint-sized hatch is under consideration for the U.S. and late last year there were reports that it could come wearing a Scion badge. Read More

Scion has been on sale in the United States since 2003 but only now has Toyota confirmed the youth brand for the Canadian market. Set to launch north of the border in 2010, three models will initially be available: the tC compact sports coupe, the boxy xB and the xD five-door hatchback.

The cars will be sold through select Toyota dealers but will have their own separate “store within a store” to help differentiate them from their more mundane Toyota corporate cousins. The first stores will appear in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, however Scion will be available in other urban centers in Canada soon after the initial launch.

... Scion has been on sale in the United States since 2003 but only now has Toyota confirmed the youth brand for the Canadian market. Set to launch north of the border in 2010, three models will initially be available: the tC compact sports coupe, the boxy xB and the xD five-door hatchback. The cars will be sold through select Toyota dealers but will have their own separate “store within a store” to help differentiate them from their more mundane Toyota corporate cousins. The first stores will appear in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, however Scion will be available in other urban centers in Canada soon after the initial launch. Scion was virtually an instant success when it launched in the U.S., bringing in thousands of new customers including many first-time car buyers. Furthermore, close to 70% of Scion buyers were new to the Toyota family, and this trend is expected to be repeated in Canada. Originally targeted at the youth market and intended to have an ever-changing line of new models, Scion’s sales have dropped substantially in recent months and the brand has been criticized for offering only a limited range of similarly styled models. There’s a strong possibility however that Toyota’s recently launched iQ minicar could make it to North America by the end of the decade as a Scion, and this could potentially inject some life into the brand. Read More