Scion FR-S Sports Coupe Concept at 2011 New York Auto Show

 
Scion FR-S Sports Coupe Concept at 2011 New York Auto Show

• Looks like: Scion is finally backing its bark with bite 
• Defining characteristics: 2.0-liter boxer engine and rear-wheel drive 
• Ridiculous features: There’s virtually no clearance between the wheels and fenders; that’s a recipe for disaster against potholes  
• Chances of being mass-produced: Expect it sometime in the near future 

Scion sales have been in the doldrums as of late, partly due to of a lack of new, exciting vehicles to show. If the FR-S Sports Coupe concept is any indication of a production vehicle — there are strong indications it is — then Scion should have no problem recapturing the attention of the coveted Generation Y demographic … err, Millennials.
More Coverage of the 2011 New York Auto Show
The FR-S is a rear-wheel-drive compact sports coupe, which is Scion’s first rear-wheel-drive vehicle. If that weren’t enough, the concept is powered by a 2.0-liter boxer engine, another first for Scion. Subaru is known for its boxer engines, and this engine and the platform for which a production FR-S would be built upon are a part of a collaborative project between Subaru and Toyota.

This is the third similar concept for a rear-wheel-drive coupe that Toyota has shown recently — the first two were Toyota-branded — the concept you see here is the closest we’ve seen to a production model yet.
FR-S stands for “Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport,” which sounds like the acronym came before the full name, and when you add sports coupe to the end, it sounds even more repetitive. Along with the basic, sporty rear-wheel-drive layout, the concept can be mated with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. There are massive 20-inch wheels — the rear wheels are 2-inches wider than the front ones — and large 18-inch ceramic rotors and large brake calipers for immediate stopping force.
As for styling, not much has changed from the Toyota FT-86 II concept besides some Scion add-ons and minor revisions to the lower front air dam styling. There seems to be a bit more side sculpting in the front fender. The side air vents from the Toyota concept have been removed, as has the huge rear spoiler.
Because there were so few changes, it looks like this is the overall shape a production model will take. More photos below.

By Colin Bird

2011 Toyota/Subaru Compact FR Sports

Hi friend when fans release again, this time I will provide information on Toyota cars, but to call Subaru FR cars in two days ago, reading a magazine Tau and search will be eligible for my kindness to his friends on the placement of all utilities fine, but give me the source, the Japanese car magazines (Best Car and Holiday Auto in particular) that makes the restaurant included in this section to give readers what to think the main engine could think. Toyota has decided the final form of the compact FR sports car "wonderful style", in an effort to change public opinion and softer image for Toyota.

 

2011 Toyota/Subaru Compact FR Sports

Engine 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer Impreza 190p and 21.0 kg of the vehicle W / leg Tork. On the low setting on the boxer engine Toyota hopes to achieve a low center of gravity is determined after low-profile body, so the sports car a sleek and attractive FR. Losing weight is about 1,200 kg, so even with a simple power 2.0L engine, performance should attract younger buyers who see it as an entry-level sports car. For 6-speed gearbox to provide the first automatic transmission is available below. In addition, the conversion will be available later version.

Legacy platform, the compact FR sports car, Subaru will continue the suspension, front strut arm and slightly behind. Platform 4 may affect the wheel driving home as a compact sports car, FR, as a major exercise to cut costs, but there must be little change in geometry to do so. You can not change the platform 4-wheel drive on the LSI to be perfect, but it seems better to use what is available.

How to attract enough friends what you are and what is useful, please walk your sepuas in Web Design a new car find the appropriate information you want.

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.

customized Scions at SEMA, the ideas that were incorporated are amazing

Scion tC Review

Here's a question I've never asked:

"If Darth Vader were a college student and drove a Scion, what would it look like?"

See above.

Okay, that's probably a bit harsh...but I was more than a bit bugged by the Scion tC.

Not the car itself, which I have always liked a lot...but by the way it was optioned.

The tC, for the uninitiated, is a smart, tight, fun little coupe...with a base price of just $17,000, an EPA estimate of 20 city/27 highway, more handling capability than most vehicles with a Toyota pedigree, and an impressive list of standard features (17 inch alloy wheels, moonroof, 160-watt Pioneer audio system with subwoofer)for the price.

Hard to beat.

But the tester came with $4000 of options that made absolutely no difference. $1083 for ground effects. $430 for a rear pedestal spoiler. $65 for a different shift knob. A metal one. In Phoenix. In summer (okay, that's worse for me than for a lot of folks). $1999 for 18" black wheels and Toyo tires. And $389 to upgrade the Pioneer audio system...though it doesn't specify what the upgrade was, exactly and it sounded about as good as the stock one (at least according to memory).

So $17,000 becomes $21,000...the performance of the car isn't improved (arguably, the 18 inch wheels hurt the ride) and the all-black menacing look....well, c'mon...it's a Scion. It's just not that menacing.

Still love the tC. Great car. Just buy it as-is, bone stock and you've got something. But jacking up the price by more than 20 percent for this stuff? Pass.

Scion xD Review

As small sedans go, the Scion xD strikes me mainly as okay. There are a bunch I can think of that are more fun to drive, better looking.....but the price points ($15,450 base, equipped with stability control, floor and cargo mats and a security system for $17,394) are within bounds, crash tests (four-star frontal, five star side-impact) are great for a small car, reliability appears to be a strong suit...and it's hard to argue with the EPA numbers here:

26 city/32 highway.

Sure, I know gas is half the price it was last summer. But even if it stays in the $2 per gallon range, in an uncertain economy, just how much of your money do you want going into a tank and out an exhaust pipe?

It may not be love at first sight, but over time, you could develop quite an attachment to a car with these qualities.

Scion xB Review

Want to kill some time? Try to find someone with no opinion either way about the styling of the Scion xB. It's pretty much love it or hate it.

Me? I preferred the looks of the first-generation xB, but overall, the second-gen is the better vehicle to live with.

Light enough that the 158-horsepower 4-cylinder engine isn't overwhelmed, designed with room for people and their things, able to score four stars in frontal crash tests for driver and passenger (five stars for side impact) and getting 22 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway, according to the EPA.

All this with a base price of $16,700. The tester I drove had only floor and cargo mats and a security system. That, with destination charges, still kept the bottom line under $18,000 (by six whole dollars).

This is a growing segment, with Kia's Soul, Nissan's Cube and Honda's veteran Element all trying to carve out a niche. The Scion strikes me as a better buy than the Element, and maybe the Cube, which gets pricey when you try to outfit it properly. But my vote goes to the Soul.