2013 Scion Iq With Only 16,xxx Miles!! 38mpg!! A Blast To Drive!! on 2040-cars

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Nine cars we wish were convertibles

The snow has melted, the sun is shining, and the days are getting longer. At the Autoblog Detroit office we feel like our winter hibernation is finally over. And with warmer temperatures come visions of opening up a convertible roof and cruising. You know, just turn up the bass and let the Alpine blast. There are plenty of droptops on sale in the US, and more on the way (like the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata). That said, we always want more. More! More! More! In that spirit, we cooked up a list of nine cars aren't currently sold as convertible, but ought to be. Check out our picks, below. Summer's just around the corner. Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S In some parallel universe, this car actually happened. Toyota showed us a FT 86 Convertible concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, and we immediately started licking our chops over the thought of a rear-wheel-drive convertible based on the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S twins. These days, the MX-5 Miata is our only option for affordable roadster fun. A competitor to the Mazda seems like a no-brainer to us, especially since we have naught but good to say about the BRZ/FR-S as-is. Unfortunately in our present timeline, this car is as likely for production as a BRZ STI. Which is to say, not very. Dang. Lexus RC F Unlike the FR-S, a convertible from Toyota's luxury division might actually see the light of day. The current IS convertible is about to be phased out, and the Lexus LF-C2 concept from the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show is really a thinly veiled look at a possible RC convertible. A droptop RC would be plenty good, but let's reach for the starts. What we really want is to run topless in an RC F, complete with that powerful, loud, 5.0-liter V8 engine. Lexus says the RC F is a true competitor to the BMW M4. If that's true, it only makes sense for Lexus to mimic the Germans and offer its performance coupe in a folding hardtop form. Maybach Landaulet Maybach is bach back, recast as an upper crust trim level for Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-Maybach S600 is seriously awesome, and more luxurious than a trip to the spa. But why not go a step into the truly ridiculous levels of extravagence and bring back that open-top Landaulet? We think your local princess will love this idea, and with better S-Class bones underneath, Jeeves will have a pretty enjoyable ship to steer, too. Besides, with that slick new Mercedes design language, a Landaulet redux wouldn't be nearly as hideous as the old model, pictured here.

Toyota and Subaru file patents for performance FR-S and BRZ

People have longed for a more powerful version of the Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S, and Toyota GT86 since the triplets arrived on the market. So far, neither partner in the deal has launched a model to fully satiate that hunger. However, the Japanese patent office recently approved documents from Toyota for the design of a vehicle that looks just like the Subaru STI Performance Concept (pictured above). According to AutoGuide, the filing also gives Fuji Heavy Industries credit for the design. The STI Performance Concept debuted at this year's New York Auto Show as an early step in STI's attempt to expand its reach here. The BRZ-derived coupe featured a body with a ground-scraping front bumper, tweaked headlights, wider fenders, a massive rear wing, and diffuser with a center-exit exhaust. All of these elements also show up on the patent renderings. The concept was just as exciting under the hood because STI installed a 2.0-liter, turbocharged boxer four-cylinder from its GT300 racer, and upgrades for the chassis, suspension, and brakes came from the Japanese market's BRZ tS. While the coupe made hearts race, the company was clear it didn't necessarily plan to build the model. Patent filings aren't a guarantee for production, and even if this one does arrive in showrooms, it might not come to the US. That's because Subaru and Toyota have a history of creating Japan-exclusive versions like the tS or Style Cb. That being said, spy shots have revealed a camouflaged GT86 testing in Europe, and rumors indicate more power from the engine. Subie's boss has even confirmed the existence of a partnership to create a next-gen model. Related Video:

2016 Scion iM First Drive

The 2016 Scion iM can't launch soon enough. It's a fully competitive, well-rounded hatchback. It's functional. It's cute. And it's priced under $20,000. But perhaps more importantly, the iM represents a big breath of life into the increasingly less relevant Scion brand. In 2006, Scion moved 173,034 cars in the United States with only three models – the xA, xB, and tC. Fast forward to 2014, Scion moved just 58,009 units in our market, and that's with a five-car lineup. Yes, the original, boxy xB posted better sales numbers all by itself in 2006 than the entire Scion range did in 2014. Midway through 2015, the situation is worse. Scion sold 21,093 units through the end of May, compared to 26,024 during the same period in 2014. The iQ is dead. The xB and xD are on their way out. Now more than ever, Scion desperately needs fresh metal in its showrooms. Enter the iM and, to a lesser extent, the 2016 iA sedan that arrives at the same time. The iM is a more conventional Scion. But that's a good thing. The automaker recognizes that it needs cars that more appropriately play in the mainstream in order to attract a broader spectrum of customers. As such, the iM is sized to fit in with other C-segment hatchbacks. At 170.5 inches long, 69.3 inches wide, and 55.3 inches tall the Scion is longer than a Volkswagen Golf, but slightly narrower and shorter. Scion loads the iM up with a good amount of standard equipment. Like Scion's past offerings, the car only comes one way. Every iM starts as the car you see here (well, except for color), with 17-inch wheels and a body kit that's more sporty than conservative. It looks tacked-on, though – think last-generation Corolla S. Still, on the road, the iM is handsome, and looks good in brighter, more vibrant colors. It's not as sculpted or pretty as a Mazda3 or Ford Focus, but the iM isn't a bland, uninspired two-box shape. And if it looks familiar to your eyes, that's because it already exists as the Toyota Auris overseas. With only one spec on offer, Scion loads the iM up with a good amount of standard equipment. Every iM rolls off the line with dual-zone, automatic climate control, auto-on/off headlamps, and a seven-inch touchscreen display for the Pioneer audio and Toyota Entune-based infotainment system. That's all well and good, but it also means there are no major upgrades available. You can't get a sunroof or xenon headlamps. Same goes for leather upholstery. Don't even think about heated seats.