Gazoo Racing Supercharges Toyota iQ, Production Limited to 100 Units [Video]

Remember the patent drawings of a wide body Toyota iQ (branded as a Scion in North America) that we showed you back in December? As it turns out, the drawings were for the GRMN iQ 130G that was revealed today at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan.

It's the creation of Toyota's motorsports and performance partner Gazoo Racing and is scheduled for a limited production run of 100 units later this year.

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Want to Become One of the First 86 Owners of the Scion FR-S? Read on

The North American version of the Toyota 86 rear-wheel drive sports coupe will be available in in the U.S. this spring as the Scion FR-S. Despite the absence of the “86” designation in its name, Scion makes no attempt to cover the fact that the FR-S is a descendant of the original Toyota Corolla AE86.

This is why Scion will launch a first batch of 86 cars in the States before the FR-S becomes available to the general public.

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Scion Debuts 600-Horsepower GReddy FR-S Racer for Formula DRIFT Series

It was only to be expected that Scion would prep its new FR-S rear-wheel drive sports car for the Formula DRIFT series and at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Japanese company presented a race-spec version with which veteran driver Ken Gushi will participate in the 2012 season.

The FR-S racecar is the result of a collaboration between Scion Racing and GReddy, a long time racing partner of Toyota.

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2011 U.S. Sales: Detroit's Big 3 and Koreans Report Strong Gains, Honda and Toyota Feel the Pinch

In the year that just ended, some automakers have a lot to be grateful for while others including Japan's biggest car brands would rather forget due to the Tsunami as well as the Thailand floods that significantly hurt their production lines during 2011.

Starting with the American carmakers, General Motors saw its U.S. sales rise 13.7 percent last year to 2,503,820 units. Chevrolet led the way with 1,775,812 units (+13.4%) followed by GMC at 397,986 (+18.8%), Buick at 177,633 (+14.3%) and Cadillac at 152,389 (+3.7%).

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2011 Porsche Panamera Review

The 2011 Porsche Panamera. "Controversial" doesn't begin to describe the styling.

The Nissan Juke. The Scion xB. Those are the two cars that have gotten the most negative comments about their styling while we were driving them. And by the most, I mean a 50/50 split on the xB, 60/40 negative/positive on the Juke.

The Porsche Panamera? 100% thumbs down.

Now, this is rare. Normally, when I roll up in a Porsche...any Porsche...even the Cayenne and especially the 911...there's a lot of oohing and aahing and "omigodiwantone" going on.

Not with the Panamera. "Looks like someone dropped a boulder on a 911" was the frequent review.

Approach the 2011 Porsche Panamera from the front the first few times. It'll help.

The good news is that, especially from the front, there is some family resemblance to the cars we've come to know and love from Porsche. And, while not blindingly fast, at least not in Panamera 4 all-wheel-drive form like our tester, it still is a very quick big sedan...0-60 in 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 159 miles per hour.

That performance is from the 3.6 liter V6, which cooks up 300 horsepower and 295 pounds per foot of torque. With a 7-speed automatic, the Panamera gets an EPA estimated 18 city/26 highway miles per gallon. Which, again, is very good for a big sedan. And it handles very, very well.

The four-seat interior of the 2011 Porsche Panamera.

Inside the car, you can't see what the car looks like on the outside, and you are in a very Porsche environment...at least a Porsche environment as defined by the Cayenne SUV. There's room for four, it's all very plush...but the Teutonic simplicity of the marque's best sports cars? No. Of course, you probably couldn't sell a luxury sedan equipped like that, but the Panamera went the exact opposite direction. There are forty-four buttons on the center console alone. Factor in window switches, audio system stuff and the rest, and the count throughout the cabin gets stratospheric.

The list of what comes with the car as standard equipment and what's optional is very long and highly dependent on whether you order the Panamera, Panamera S, Panamera 4, Panamera 4S, Panamera S Hybrid, Panamera Turbo or Panamera Turbo S, so we'll just let you surf over to Porsche's website to check it out for yourself.

As noted above, ours was the Panamera 4. Base price $79,800. And Porsche's press fleet folks added Basalt Black Metallic paint ($790), a ski bag ($405), auto dimming interior and exterior mirrors ($420), front heated seats ($525), heated steering wheel ($250), 19" Panamera Turbo wheels ($1,950), a Bose surround sound system ($1,440), SiriusXM radio ($750) and Porsche crest front headrests ($285). Bottom line including $975 destination charge: $87,590.

The only thing missing...at least to this Porschephile who's never met a 911 he didn't like? The roar of the engine. Porsche's sixes give off this wonderful wail when you tromp on the accelerator, but the Panamera V6 just gathers up speed silently. I wonder if the faster Panameras (the S hybrid makes 60 in 5.7 seconds with a top speed of 167, the S 5.2 and 175, the 4S 4.8 and 175, the Turbo 4.0 and 188 and the Turbo S 3.6 and 190) have any of that snarl or if it's all speed.  Hopefully Porsche will allow us to find out first-hand.

Again, you have to remember that the Panamera is new territory...Porsche's response to swoopy luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz CLS, Audi A7, Maserati Quattroporte and the Jaguar XJ. And by any objective measure, they've hit the target. 

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2012 scion xb concepts car wallpapers

2012 scion xb concepts car wallpapers with car specification http://lamborghini-mercedes-cars.blogspot.com/2011/07/ford-focus-zetec-sports-pack-car.html

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2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept

2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept

April 20, 2011 - New York - At the 2011 New York International Auto Show, Scion introduced the new rear-wheel drive 2011 Scion FR-S Concept sports car coupe. Another auto show, another version of Toyota and Subaru's joint partnership rear-wheel-drive sports car. Now here in New York, Scion has taken the wraps off of its FR-S, a sexy little number that rides on this same platform. The 2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept, stands for Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, and Sport; is the definition of a genuine and compelling style rear-wheel-drive sports car, with exceptional balanced performance and handling, flexible utility and surprising MPG.

2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept

“Scion is always experimenting with new things,” said Jack Hollis, Scion vice president. “The brand is iconic with the xB, adrenalized by the tC, and groundbreaking with the iQ. The FR-S will expand the brand into yet another new dimension that I know it is truly destined for.” Hollis says that the FR-S' design is inspired by the legendary Toyota 2000GT, and we can even see a bit of Lexus LF-A in the angular shapes that blend with sleek curves. This is one hot concept, and we're told that it previews a new addition to the Scion family coming in 2012.

2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept is powered by 2.0-liter front boxer engine combined with a rear-wheel drive system. This 2.0-liter boxer engine is set up lower and further back to giving the car a lower center of gravity and a dynamically favorable front-to-rear weight ratio. This engine is the first boxer to incorporate Toyota’s D4-S injection system, an addition that results in both direct and port injection. All this means is that the 2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept will get increased horsepower and torque without having to deal with the loss of fuel efficiency, a big plus when dealing with these mounting gas prices.

2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept

Inspired by the AE86, the 2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept is built around the core goal of achieving "pure balance," which begins with the strategic placement of a flat 2.0-liter boxer engine in a front-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration. The engine's compact size and shape allows the FR-S' powertrain to be mounted lower and further back towards the rear, giving the car a lower center of gravity and a dynamically favorable front-to-rear weight ratio. The FR-S' naturally-aspirated engine is innovative, being the first boxer to incorporate Toyota's D4-S injection system, which utilizes both direct and port injection, resulting in increased horsepower and torque throughout the entire powerband, without sacrificing MPG.

2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept is available in six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission controlled by sporty shifts that are initiated by steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The manual transmission  offers quick and precise shifts with a short-throw, while the automatic transmission features aggressive. Power is distributed effectively via a limited-slip differential.

2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept

The front fenders protrude upward, making space for the massive monoblock Five Axis 20x8.5-inch wheels, while the muscular rear fenders are widened to house the 20x10.5-inch wheels, emphasizing the Scion FR-S Concept' staggered stance and rear-wheel-drive setup.

2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept

The rear fascia sits low and wide, with extensive lower treatments that surround the dual exhaust exits and contribute to excellent aerodynamics. LEDs illuminate both the edgy taillights and the bold "SCION" logo. The concept cars features four-piston-caliper front brakes that clamp down on monstrous 18-inch annular carbon ceramic matrix rotors that are fixed to the wheels in a motorcycle-fashion.

2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept

In addition, the 2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept is layered in rich coats of Code Red, the appropriately named color that consists of a custom blend of candy and a developmental additive from BASF called Mearlite SSQ. The estimated price for 2011 Scion Sports Cars FR-S Concept is around $25K, which matches what Toyota’s version is rumored to cost.

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Breaking: Scion Teases FT-86 II Concept RWD Coupe Prior to NY Show Debut

Toyota has been teasing us with its upcoming compact rear-wheel drive sports car since the original FT-86 concept at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, which was followed up by the FT-86 G Sports study a year later at the same show, and more recently, by the almost production-ready FT-86 II concept in Geneva. Now it’s time to get our first glimpse of the North American version of the FT-86 that will be marketed under the Scion brand.

Even though the Japanese firm’s North American subsidiary only makes word of a new Scion Concept to be revealed at the New York International Auto Show on April 20, 2011, without giving any further details, the car shadowed in the teaser video below leaves few doubts that the model in question is the FT-86.

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2011 Scion tC Review

We've said it before, we'll say it again. If you want to know the basic goodness of a car, spend some time in one that is absolutely box stock, no options whatsoever. Last time around, Scion sent us a tC with about four grand worth of options that, in our opinion, did nothing for the car. 

Well, since then, the Scion tC has been re-done...and this time around, they shipped us one with only standard equipment. The only line on the sticker after base price is $720 for delivery.

Smart move, because it underscores just how complete a package the tC is.  For $18,995 ($19,275 if equipped with a six-speed automatic like our tester), you get a nimble, stylish 3-door liftback with a 180 horsepower 16 valve DOHC four-cylinder engine, power steering, 18 inch alloy wheels, vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist. There are also 10 aribags, a tire pressure monitoring system, a first aid kit, a panoramic glass moonroof with power tilt and slide, power windows and door locks, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, cruise control, a 300-watt Pioneer AM/FM/CD unit with 8 speakers, auxilary and USB ports and iPod connectivity and a leather-trimmed sport steering wheel with audio controls.

You read that right. That's all standard at a price under $19K if you shift it yourself.

Oh, and the tC just got awarded a 5-star overall crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...remarkable for a car in this size class.

Every good thing about the tC, and we've always been a fan, has been made better in the new one. More power, better handling, and way more car for very little money. Oh, and mileage? 23 city/31 highway, according to the EPA.

We've entered an era where manufacturers are putting economy sedans on dealer lots with stickers of 23, 24, 25...even 26 thousand dollars. That's a hard value argument to make. It's way harder when there's something as deep-down good and well-equipped as the Scion tC for under 20.

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Toyota Reduces North American Production Due to Lack of Parts from Japan

The devastating consequences of the March 11 Japan earthquake and tsunami on the country’s auto industry continue to unfold. Today, Toyota Motor Corp. announced that it will reduce its North American production because of the lack of parts. The Japanese auto giant said that over the next few weeks, its American vehicle plants will operate on a reduced schedule, with production suspended on April 15, 18, 21*, 22, and 25. The same goes for most of the company’s North American engine and component plants that will follow a similar schedule.

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Price Increases for Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the U.S.

The Toyota group has announced price increases for most 2011MY cars, SUVs and trucks it sells under the Toyota, Scion and Lexus brands. These increases will be applicable for cars produced from May onwards. The only models that will keep the same prices are the Tacoma pickup truck, Yaris sedan, Scion tC, Scion xB, Lexus CT 200h and Lexus LFA.

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Source Code: Toyota Fights to Limit ECU Code Viewing in Legal Battle

Could Toyota's source code hold the answer to its sudden acceleration problems? Possibly, and it's currently working with attorneys to smooth out how this code will be analyzed in its ongoing unintended acceleration legal woes.

For those of you too fried to remember, Toyota had a bit of a flub a couple years ago regarding unintended acceleration in some of its vehicles; the problems were originally blamed on floor mats, poorly designed pedals, and driver error.

Currently, plaintiffs and their attorneys are still fighting for a proper explanation and compensation even though "the [U.S.] government's comprehensive review of Toyota's source code found no electronic causes of [unintended acceleration] in Toyota vehicles."

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LA Show 2010: Scion Unveils New xB RS 8.0 Special

If there's one thing we can be sure to see at U.S. motor shows it's a limited production version of a Scion model. For the 2010 LA Show, Toyota's small car division has readied the 2011 xB Release Series 8.0 that will begin arriving in dealerships later this month.
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2011 Scion tC Coupe Tuning Galore: Five Projects Heading to SEMA Show

Highlighting Scion's presence at next week's SEMA Show will be five customized examples of the Japanese firm's all-new 2011 tC Coupe. When it leaves the factory, the tC is motivated by a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine pushing out 185-horsepower.

As you'd expect, most tuners chose the turbocharging route to increase the tC's performance under the hood, with GReddy being the only company to announce output figures (340hp and 325 lb-ft of peak torque). Scroll down for photos and full details (in the spec sheets) for all five tCs.

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Scion has Humor: All-Stretched out Cartel xB Limo

With the annual SEMA Show near the world's most famous Strip almost upon us (November 2 to 5), automakers and tuners alike are rushing in to give us an early preview of their custom proposals. The most recent case-in-point: the "All Stretched Out Cartel xB".

The name says it all, but just to clarify, Cartel [King] is the nickname of one of the tuners involved in the creation of the VIP themed, super-long Scion xB, Jeremy Lookofsky. Though, we could see this customized xB being a hit with certain other cartels... Gallery after the jump.

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2011 Scion xD RS 3.0 Price

Scion announced pricing today for its first limited-production vehicle of the 2011 model year, the xD Release Series 3.0 (xD RS 3.0). This exclusive five-door urban subcompact will begin arriving in dealerships this month.

Available in a xPRESSO color that is unique to the xD RS 3.0 model, the vehicle features a a four-piece body kit that comes with front and rear lower lips along with side skirts, in addition to a carbon-fiber trimmed B-pillar appliqués and an RS logo.

The xD RS 3.0 comes fitted with a four-piece body kit including front and rear lower lips along with side skirts. The body kit adds assertive styling and is exclusive to the xD RS 3.0. The xD comes painted in a distinctive color dubbed xPRESSO, which is not currently offered on any other Scion model.

The 2011 Scion xD RS 3.0 will be built in limited production of 1,500 units, with each car displaying a distinctive, individually numbered stainless-steel logo. And it is powered by a 1.8-liter gasoline engine that produces 128 hp with fuel economy rating of 30 miles per gallon.

Price starts at 16,905 USD for the manual version, while the automatic costs 17,705 USD.
The 2011 Scion xD RS 3.0 price does not include the 720 USD fee for delivery and processing.




Press Release

TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 7, 2010 – Scion announced pricing today for its first limited-production vehicle of the 2011 model year, the xD Release Series 3.0 (xD RS 3.0). This exclusive five-door urban subcompact will begin arriving in dealerships this month.

The xD RS 3.0 comes fitted with a four-piece body kit including front and rear lower lips along with side skirts. The body kit adds assertive styling and is exclusive to the xD RS 3.0. The xD comes painted in a distinctive color appropriately namedxPRESSO, which is not currently offered on any other Scion model.

To complete the stylish exterior, the xD RS 3.0 is equipped with B-pillar appliqués that are constructed from genuine carbon fiber material and feature the xD RS logo.

Only 1,500 units of the xD RS 3.0 will be built, and each vehicle comes with aunique, individually numbered stainless-steel badge. The xD RS 3.0 model will carry a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $16,905 with a manual transmission, and $17,705 with an automatic transmission.

The delivery, processing and handling (DPH) fee for all Scion models is $720 and is not included in the MSRP. DPH fee for vehicles distributed by Southeast Toyota (SET) and Gulf States Toyota (GST) may vary.

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Daihatsu Materia Icecube by Inden Design: Euro-Tuning for Scion-Like Model

German tuning house Inden Design promises to turn your ordinary Daihatsu Materia - a very Scion-like model that is also sold in Japan as the Daihatsu COO, Toyota bB and Subaru Dex, into something far more cool (...hence the Icecube nameplate) with its new aftermarket program.

The cosmetic treatment begins with a special matte white paint job for the body and black finish for the roof that costs €5,500 and continues with a full bodykit that includes headlight covers, side skirts and wheel arch extensions (€448), rear bumper with an integrated diffuser and two large tail pipes (€448) and front bumper fascia with day-time lights (€230).

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Nissan Cube SL Review

It's been nine months since our last drive in a Nissan Cube...and we've learned one thing. With this vehicle, a lot depends on how you equip it.

Last time around, it was a very sparsely equipped base model. This time around, Nissan sent the SL ($17,130), which gets you interior upgrades, a nice AM/FM/CD/mp3 audio system with 8 speakers, Bluetooth and premium grade seat fabric. Makes a huge difference.

                        

And Nissan went even further...the SL Preferred Package ($1800) brought Nissan Intelligent Key, a pushbutton ignition, a further upgrade to the audio system with a color display and USB connectivity, six upgraded speakers with a Rockford Fosgate woofer, XM satellite radio, a rearview camera, and fog lights.

The Ginormous Package (really...$2500) added an Aero kit, 20-color interior accent lighting, illuminated stainless steel kick plates, a custom grille, hood molding accent, chrome front fascia accent, cargo area protector and an 8-piece interior trim applique set that goes around the HVAC vents other spots on the dash with a faux carbon fiber look.

And, for $250, the Interior Designer Package gets the carpeted floormats, carpeted cargo area mat, shag dash topper and front door bungees (for securing plush traveling companions, don't you know).

Oh, yeah...and $100 for a vehicle alarm impact sensor.

That and destination charges get you to $22,330. Which is a lot of money for a car that competes primarily in the $15-18K segment with the Kia Soul and Scion xB.  But it was very, very likeable. To the point that both my wife and daughter were talking about how they'd be perfectly fine with one of these (hint, hint).

I will say that it is enormously comfortable (aided by the better fabrics), far roomier and more cargo-capable than you'd expect, and peppier (there is no better word) than the continuously variable transmission mated to an engine with a 122 horsepower rating would have you believe. But the value equation at 22 and change is a hard sell...at least to me.

EPA estimates: 27 city/31 highway.

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Scion to Debut 2010 xB RS 7.0 Limited Edition with DAMD Bodykit at LA Auto Show

Another auto show, another special edition Scion model. This time, Toyota's youthful Scion division will be displaying the 2010 xB Release Series 7.0 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. But before you get excited and all, be advised that the xB RS 7.0 is not a performance model as it retains the standard xB's 158-horsepower 2.4-liter engine.

What it does get is a distinct purple exterior finish combined with a four-piece DAMD body kit that includes front and rear lower lips along with side skirts and an optional rear spoiler.

There's also a sport exhaust system with twin double-walled tips while the car's stance and handling are further enhanced with the TRD lowering springs that bring the ride height down over an inch. Oddly enough, the xB RS 7.0 does not come equipped with alloy wheels.

Inside, the RS 7.0 option provides a little more exclusivity with specific black fabric seats featuring color-tuned highlights and embroidered 'RS' logos along with a leather-wrapped RAZO GT Formula Spec shift knob.

Scion said that only 2,000 units of the xB RS 7.0 will be built, with each one featuring an individually numbered stainless-steel badge.

The xB RS 7.0 will begin arriving in dealerships later in December 2009, with prices starting from $18,320 with a manual transmission, and $19,270 with an automatic transmission. To that you'll have to add a delivery, processing and handling (DPH) fee of $670.

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