Scion Aims to Be Small Premium Brand
The Scion brand could be heading in a new direction.
CEO of Toyota North America Jim Lentz believes that the brand should become one known for small premium cars and said that “C-platform premium small cars are probably the best place for Scion to be.” While the positioning makes sense considering Lexus has no plans on selling any luxury vehicles under $30,000, the Scion brand moving more premium appears to be a more longer-term proposition. In an interview with WardsAuto, Scion Vice President Doug Murtha revealed that the brand will continue to target a younger audience but doesn’t disagree with the idea of becoming a small premium brand.
SEE ALSO: Scion iM Spied Testing with Dulled Style
Scion plans to launch three new models in three years, the first of which will be the iM which is based on the European Toyota Auris. The production model will make its debut at the 2015 New York Auto Show after the brand showed off a concept at this year’s LA Auto Show. While Murtha is staying quiet on the other two models, a compact crossover or SUV is under consideration.
This year, Scion sales continue to struggle with the company having sold 50,285 units through October which is 14-percent below last year’s 59,030.
GALLERY: Scion iM Spy Photos
GALLERY: Scion iM Concept
[Source: WardsAuto]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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