GReddy has always been a huge supporter of Scion and its vehicles, producing a turbo kit for the original tC when it first hit the market. In fact, their tC was one of the cleanest ones ever built, so it’s no surprise that they’re already all over the new generation 2011 Scion tC, R&D’ing new parts including an exhaust system and turbo kit.

While snooping around GReddy’s Plixi account, we spotted several photos of a 2011 Scion tC already under the knife. From what we can gather, they just picked up the car about a week ago and have already mocked up a new exhaust system for their SEMA project. It looks now they are now working hard on getting a turbo kit ready to go to show off to the rest of the industry come SEMA.

GReddy is well known for producing very streetable turbo kits that do not hamper the reliability and daily-driving ability of cars. We fully expect another high quality product from their factory once they get everything sorted out and ready to go. It should be a nice improvement to the factory 2.5L-liter inline-four, and knowing GReddy they’ll aim for around 250-hp nice and safely.

And with HKS’s Scion SEMA car confirmed, there’s little doubt that we’ll see a few other 2011 tCs all tricked out.

Be sure to catch AutoGuide’s 2010 SEMA coverage starting November 2nd.

[Source: GReddy's Plixi]

GALLERY: GReddy 2011 Scion tC

Rear AutoGuide’s 2011 Scion tC Review by Clicking Here

Not to be outdone by the folks at Nissan, Scion has released its own augmented reality experience on the Web to promote the all new 2011 Scion tC. And just to one-up their competition, Scion’s application utilizes Flash and works straight on the website instead of having to download an application. Plus, it’s an interactive game rather than just showing off the features of the car.

Basically the application consists of a steering wheel that you are able to point towards your webcam and steer in order to control the virtual tC. The goal is to avoid all the obstacles in your way in order to achieve the fastest time through the city. And if you don’t have a webcam, you could play it in keyboard mode, though it’s not very exciting that way.

Our only major complaint is that the game doesn’t really show off the tC – although it should help generate some buzz. And besides, the rest of the website does its job of of highlighting the car.

So head on over to the website to Take On The Machine.

[Source: Scion Take On The Machine Augmented Reality]

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 Scion tC Review by Clicking Here

Rather than offer an entire TRD branded vehicle, those interested in performance parts for their 2011 Scion tC will have to pick and choose from Scion’s catalog in order to customize their brand new Scion tC. This clarification comes after a report that Scion would deliver an official TRD tC.

The full parts catalog hasn’t been released yet, but it looks like Scion will basically brand the new tC options with TRD options available. Initial offerings will include lowering springs and a pair of sway bars (front and rear) for suspension components, while performance can be mildly enhanced with an intake and exhaust system in addition to a short shifter. TRD will also offer a front brake upgrade with cross drilled rotors to complement optional 19-inch wheels and tires.

We will be more interested if TRD does another trip down the supercharger lane with the new 2011 Scion tC, as it was a fairly popular option for those hungry for reliable horsepower on the previous generation tC.

[Source: 7Tune]

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 Scion tC Review by Clicking Here

Scion is lowering its expectations for the new 2011 tC, announcing sales targets below what the youth-oriented brand was targeting earlier this year. According to brand VP Jack Hollis, Scion is now hoping to sell between 35,000 to 45,000 of the cars – down from a 40,000 to 50,000 estimate in March.

Still , Hollis says the tC will reinvigorate the brand, doubling sales for the most popular Scion model. Last year Scion sold just 18,000 tCs, down 56 percent from 2008. It’s not clear if the downgrade is due to reaction to the car now that it has officially launched, revised economic expectations, or both. Hollis did point out the sales drop last year was due to the unique way in which the recession affected younger buyers – leaving a higher percentage of Scion’s target demographic unemployed.

While a solid improvement over the first generation tC, the new model isn’t as revolutionary as many had hoped. Hollis does believe in the product however, and commented that its success also relies on a lack of competition in the segment, with the Kia Forte Koup the car’s latest competitors – with the Honda Civic Coupe due for a remodel soon.

To reach the targets sales goal, Scion will be planning a marketing blitz

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 Scion tC Review by Clicking Here

GALLERY: 2011 Scion tC

[Source: Automotive News]

Scion‘s tC Coupe could see additional variants spun off from its platform, including a 5-door variant. The tC, which shares its platform with the Lexus HS250h and European-market Toyota Avensis, is available in sedan, wagon and hatchback variants throughout the world.

“This platform has plenty of flexibility to do more with,” Jack Hollis, Scion vice president-Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., told Ward’s Auto.  Hollis didn’t give detailed plans about a new tC variant but stated that a five-door tC is “possible”. Such a model would not be a stretch, as Toyota’s European-market Avensis sedan is already available in a five-door liftback, and would be a more traditional but quirky offering for Scion.

[Source: Ward's Auto]

After it’s debut at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, Scion has now announced pricing for the new 2011 second-generation tC. Models will start at $18,275 with a six-speed manual transmission, while a six-speed automatic model will start at $19,275. This represents over a $1,000 increase from last year’s model.

The price hike isn’t unjustified, however, with the new 2011 model sporting such standard features as power windows and locks with remote keyless entry, air conditioning, a panoramic moonroof, 18-inch wheels and sports seats.

Under the hood, the 2011 model gets a new 2.5-liter engine with 19 more horsepower and 11 more ft-lbs of torque for a total of 180-hp and 173 ft-lbs. That’s good for a 0-60 mph time of 7.6 seconds (manual) and 8.3 seconds (automatic), a drop of 0.6 and 0.8 seconds respectively. Fuel economy is also up several ticks to 23/31-mpg (city/highway), thanks in part to the new six-speed transmissions.

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 Scion tC First Drive by Clicking Here

GALLERY: 2011 Scion tC

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

As a brand, Scion has marketed its cars to a younger demographic that is interested in modifying/personalizing their vehicles. And with a new, second-generation tC model due out for 2011, it will be interesting to see if tuners continue to be drawn to Scions.

In a definite sign of interest Gurnade (which specializes in high-quality car renders for builders within the sport compact market) has teamed up with Tjin Edition for this Scion tC render.

The bright yellow paint is probably the first thing you’ll notice in this customized tC, but if not, then it’s probably the widebody fenders or chopped roof. The gigantic DPE wheels look a little overwhelming, but is a good fit to the wider tC. A more aggressive front bumper and side skirts naturally go with the package along with the Status Racing seats, Air Lift suspension and custom cage.

For those that have never seen Tjin Edition’s previous Scion tC, it follows a similar idea minus the chopped roof and bright yellow paint. Originally red, Tjin Edition’s widebody tC turned bright blue and was campaigned all across the nation for several years.

Gurnade says that this Scion tC project isn’t planed for SEMA (although we’re still tempted to think it is). The design house will, however, have several other models to show off and AutoGuide will be sure to bring you extensive coverage of the world’s largest aftermarket expo in November.

Plus, say tuned for our review of the all-new 2011 Scion tC in just a few days.

Official press release after the break.

Continue Reading…

Scion has just launched a new online “virtual competition” that will see one competitor drive away in a shiny new 2011 tC. Titled “Unlock the tC Road Trip,” players will take road trips and customize their tC online with the top four finalists being flown to Los Angeles to compete in a real world contest. The winner will then be handed the keys to the all-new second-generation tC.

The game starts June 1st and the Unlock the tC Road Trip culminates with the final challenge on August 4th. Scion will also give away daily prizes – 140 in total.

Sign up to compete for the chance to win your own 2011 Scion tC here:

Unlock the tC Road Trip

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Despite a dearth of sporty cars in its lineup, Toyota has always managed to have at least one convertible, from boulevard cruisers like the short-lived Celica convertible and the recently departed Camry Solara convertible, to more serious sports cars like the MR2 and Supra. With the Camry Solara gone, Toyota is looking for another open top vehicle, and Scion‘s popular tC is likely to be next in line.

The tC accounts for 30 percent of Scion’s sales already, but its long-in-the-tooth styling has seen it slowly grow out of favor with the fickle youth market. A new 180-horsepower four-cylinder and revised styling for 2011 should help restore the tC to its former glory, and provide an affordable alternative to the Ford Mustang, Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder and Mini Cooper Convertibles. The tC’s four-seater configuration, usable trunk and Scion’s excellent customization program are icing on the cake for those who would rather shuttle their friends to the mall than carve corners.

While the tC convertible hasn’t been officially announced, expect it to arrive for the 2012 model year. The tC, along with the upcoming iQ city car should help Scion boost their slumping sales. There’s no word on if Scion plans to deliver a convertible version of the new iQ.

[Source: Inside Line]

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Last week Scion took the wraps off not one, but two all-new models at the New York Auto Show, the tiny iQ and sporty 2011 tC. We brought you plenty of photos and all the details on both new cars, and now we have some very cool video to share courtesy our friend Peter Tarach, the editor of Modified Mag. He decided to edit together enough of his photos for a time-lapse video of the Scion booth, including the new tC, iQ and two modified versions of the cars, built by Five-Axis.

For anyone who missed the coverage, the iQ is in fact a production model and Scion claims its the smallest four-seater in the world. At just 120-inches long it is roughly one-foot longer than the Smart fortwo. Referred to by Scion as a “premium micro sub compact” it is powered by a 1.3-liter 4-cylinder and gets a CVT transmission. No performance or fuel economy numbers are available, but Scion says to expect fuel economy in the high-30 mpg range. And in Europe, that engine makes 99-hp.

As for the tC, it might not look all that different from the previous generation car, but it has changed enough and features a more potent engine. Under the hood there’s a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that makes 180-hp (19 more than the previous model) and 173 ft-lbs of torque (11 more than the previous model). Paired with either a six-speed automatic with sequential-shift manual shifting or a traditional six-speed manual, Scion claims the new engine will also be more fuel efficient – although no fuel economy estimates have been provided. In addition, the car gets a new exhaust setup that was designed to deliver a more aggressive sound. Helping to improve handling is a new platform with MacPherson front struts and a double-wishbone rear. Overall, the car sits lower and gets some big 18-inch wheels. The brakes have also been upgraded to deliver improved stopping power, with bigger rotors at each corner. A new electronic steering system is also used, which not only helps save fuel (by not being a drain on the engine) but also works to deliver a more precise feel. For 2011, the tC also includes important safety features like Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control. Inside, Scion has taken the car more up-market with a VW-esque feel, that includes a thick flat-bottom steering wheel, nicely bolstered seats and a sporty yet simple gauge cluster. A panoramic moonroof remains standard on the tC.

The tC is set to go on sale later this year, with iQ sales beginning in early 2011.

For more on the all-new Scion iQ, visit the iQ forums here iQ-Forums.com

GALLERY: 2011 Scion tC

GALLERY: 2011 Scion iQ