With the Scion FR-S destined to arrive on North American soil rather soon, it’ no surprise that the sub-brand for Japanese automaker, Toyota, decided to give its website a new identity. It appears that Scion hopes to give itself a more of a “grown up” image too with the FR-S’s arrival, which will undoubtedly be the first real sports car for the young brand.

Up until now, Scion is most well-known for its quirky models that appeal to the young automotive enthusiast interesting in customizing their vehicle to match their personality. And while the tC was an attempt at making a sporty coupe, most would agree that it doesn’t have – or even come close to – the appeal that the FR-S brings. We already have no doubts that the FR-S as a car is a hit (read our review here), but it’ll be interesting to see if buyers can get over the “Scion hump” of knowing that it doesn’t boast a Toyota badge, but rather a badge that’s been heavily associated to a younger generation of car enthusiasts.

Either way, the new website is clearly an indication that Scion wants to trend away slowly from the reputation it has established over the years. Rather than a dark-themed and Flashy website, it now incorporates a friendly-on-the-eyes design with everything just a couple of clicks away. In other words, it’s function over form, much like the FR-S. It looks great, and it performs great.

At the 2012 Montreal International Auto Show, Scion brought a trio of Release Series vehicles out to display for the Canadian market. This is the first time Scion’s Release Series vehicles have ever been to a Canadian auto show.

Starting with the xB Release Series 9.0, the limited edition xB will only see 200 units in Canada with its Hot Lava exterior paint, Scion honeycomb grill, illuminated vehicle locator badges, suede-style trimmed seats, color-matched stitching, embossed seat logos and RS individually-numbered badges.

A huge contrast to the flashy and bright xB is the Blizzard Pearl xD Release Series 4.0. The frosty xD has a unique blizzard pearl finish, packs 16-inch smoked platinum wheels on each corner while the interior also gets some Pearl white matched pieces and seat surfaces. Only 100 of these will be made available in Canada with each one individually numbered and featuring RS 4.0 all-season floor mats.

Last but not least, the High Voltage Yellow tC Release Series 7.0 – that’s been made famous by the commercials – will be limited to just 175 cars in Canada. The bright yellow tC is further accented by a TRD body kit and 18-inch gloss black wheels. On the inside, there’s plenty of yellow contrast stitching and the tC features a Smart Key with push button start. And of course, there’s an RS individually-numbered illuminated badge for the vehicle.

The Release Series xB begins at $20,950, the xD 4.0 starts at $18,460 while the retina-burning tC Release Series 7.0 is $23,425.

GALLERY: Scion Release Series Vehicles

Every year at the SEMA Show, Scion always impresses with a fleet of customized models from the world’s top builders. This year will be no different, as a trio of customized iQs will face off in this year’s Tuner Challenge, while Scion will also show off a custom iQ from Cartel, a tC from Gruppe S/Dynamic Autosports, an xB from 686, and the xB from the Scion Canada Tuner Challenge.

Starting with the Tuner Challenge iQs, the three projects were built by individual tuners Michael Chang, Jon Sibal and Tatsu. Starting with Chang’s iQ creation, he opted for a widebody, race-inspired look thanks to a plethora of products from Evasive Motorsports. The entire exterior was overhauled with a custom widebody kit, full with plenty of carbon fiber components. It’ll be dropped to the ground thanks to Air Runner suspension while Wilwood big brakes and Advan Racing RT wheels will be shown off on all four corners. Inside the race theme continues with a custom 6-point roll cage, Sparco EVO seats, fuel cell and more.

Sibal’s iQ RX (pictured above) sports a matte Metallic Grey with Bronze Pearl paint further accented by a modified Veilside Premier4509 body kit. Nitrous Express gives the iQ a little more punch to help spin the 18-inch HRE 567C three-piece wheels. Once again, Air Runner Suspension gives the iQ the stance it needs to be a real attention grabber while the interior packs plenty of electronics thanks to Orion. For brakes, Sibal opted for a setup from Stop Tech while the interior gets a custom job from MVDesignz.

Last but not least, competing against Sibal and Chang will be the iQ-MR by Tatsu. The first thing to catch your eye is the unique exterior paneling from Specialty Cars that truly makes this iQ different than the rest. The MR clearly hints that this iQ isn’t what you would expect from Scion – it sports a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup. A fully rebuilt, high compression motor by Mavrik Motorsports has been paired to an AEM EMS and probably packs quite the naturally aspirated punch. Axis’ Sakura wheels are seen on all four corners, sitting perfectly thanks to a set of coilovers from KW Suspension. Inside, Specialty Cars continues their expertise with a custom cage, interior paneling and a ton of Sparco goods.

The pair of xBs that will be shown off are from SR Auto Group and 686 in collaboration with Spin Imaging. The unique Numeric xB by 686 features a waterproof fabric wrap with laser welded and stitched seams. The custom body kit further accents the xB’s radical styling while a set of 18-inch Motegi wheels match the exterior color scheme. Plenty of customization continues on the interior, something we expect that we’ll have to see to believe.

The Project Anarchy xB is the 2011 Scion Canadian Tuner Challenge Champion, sporting a VIP theme thanks to modified AIT Racing body parts. Seibon lends a hand with plenty of carbon fiber goods while a set of 19-inch Modulare Bespoke M23 wheels clearly sets the xB off. BC Racing coilovers gives it the perfect stance while the interior gets Reventon-inspired upholstery.

The lone tC of the show comes from Dynamic Autosports, representing Gruppe-S. Overall it’s a simple and clean project, representing something any one of their customers could replicate. A GReddy turbo kit gives the tC extra power while a set of Weds SA55 adorn each corner. A TRD big brake kit combined with KW’s 3-way coilovers gives the tC enhanced braking and handling performance. On the exterior, Seibon and APR pitch in plenty of styling upgrades while Papadakis Racing comes in with a one-piece roof – clearly a result of their drifting program.

Last but not least is the Pit Boss Cartel iQ, which is clearly influenced by Jeremy Lookofsky’s years of drag racing. The exterior has become a chop-top model with the doors chopped and capped, custom metal fabricated interior and exterior panels and a House of Colors Electric Blue paint to set it all off. Wheels are Lorenzo’s WL028 model with a staggered 18/19-inch setup. AccuAir suspension gives it plenty of adjustability while a Wilwood brake upgrade ensures it has plenty of stopping power.

AutoGuide can’t wait to check out all these crazy creations in person, as Scion never disappoints year after year.

GALLERY: Scion 2011 SEMA Lineup

GALLERY: Pit Boss Cartel iQ

GALLERY: Jon Sibal iQ RX

GALLERY: Michael Chang iQ

GALLERY: Tatsu iQ-MR

With the launch of Scion‘s new viral video ad campaign for the “High Voltage” Scion tC Release Series 7.0, the Toyota youth brand is hoping not just to sell cars, but to attract a more mature customer.

While the TV spot and YouTube clips, which feature the Greek god Zeus, are aimed at being the sort of thing you’d want to share with a friend, Scion is hoping both you, and your Facebook buddies, are of a slightly older demographic. The reason? Well, Scion’s core customer base (often touted as the youngest in the business) is broke. And we don’t mean broke like they can’t afford to buy a new watch, but broke like it’s time to move back in with mom and dad. Yikes.

It seems that while the economy is getting back on track, it’s taking a lot longer for those just starting out in the world of business. As a result, Scion’s new ads are targeted at 18-34 year-olds, compared to Scion’s traditional 18-24 year-old demographic.

As for the ad campaign, it’s less about selling the car, (a limited edition model of which just 2000 will be made) and more about selling the brand, with humor.

Watch the commercial after the jump, and click here for the humorous behind-the-scenes outtakes.

[Source: AdAge]

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A fire at a Toyota assembly plant in Japan temporarily halted production at a facility that assembles the Prius, Camry and Scion tC. The fire broke out around 10 A.M. but was put out by now.

Toyota reports that no production equipment was damaged, but the fire did affect the factory’s ceiling. An investigation is being launched to determine the cause of the fire.

[Source: LeftLane News]

If you like to drive with the top down on your Mercedes-Benz SL convertible, you’re more likely to get pulled over for a traffic ticket and are cited four times more often then the average U.S. driver, says a report out by Verisk Analytics Inc.

The report, put out by the insurance data company, goes on to say that three Mercedes models are among the 10 most-cited per mile driven. Also ranking high on the list are the Toyota Solara and Scion tC, coming in with the second- and third-highest violation rates.

Verisk also notes that cars that make the most-ticketed list are magnets for drivers who like their speed, as well as younger, less-experienced motorists. Among the least-ticked vehicles to drive are those that are designed to transport more people. Down at the bottom of the list with the fewest violations were eight sport-utility vehicles and minivans. The winner of the lowest rate of tickets goes to GM’s Rainier SUV.

“Carrying passengers, and possibly younger passengers in car seats, makes a noticeable difference in how one drives,” Verisk said. “SUVs and hatchbacks showed lower violations on average than traditional two- and four-door vehicles.”

[Source: Bloomberg]

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

While Scion vehicles have been available in the United States for a number of years, they have never been officially brought to Canada, despite numerous grey market imports from south of the border.

Now, Scion’s are finally available and Toyota Canada has announced pricing for the distinctively styled compacts. The 5 door xD hatchback starts at $17,200, while the xB will set you back $18,270 loonies. The tC sport coupe will start at $20,850, pricing it competitively with the Honda Civic coupe.

Scion should have a fair amount of success in the Canadian marketplace, with small vehicles being immensely popular in the land of $4/gallon gasoline. Why it’s taken Toyota so long to bring the product here is anyone’s guess.

[Source: Toyota]

Hit the jump to see the official press release

Continue Reading…

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]