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2015 Scion FR-S gets suspension, appearance enhancements

A couple of weeks ago, we told you about some suspension and appearance changes for the European-market Toyota GT86 - a car that's better known as the Scion FR-S (and Subaru BRZ) here in the United States. At the time, our US contacts at Scion told us we'd have final confirmation "soon" as to whether or not these upgrades would make their way to our FR-S, and now, we have those official details.
For 2015, the FR-S features a more rigid front suspension setup, and the rear shock absorbers have been retuned, all of which has been done to reduce body roll and improve feedback. Other upgrades include a new shark-fin antenna and larger exhaust pipes that are now flush with the rear bodywork. Inside, buyers will be treated to an updated interior panel with a carbon fiber look, the addition of automatic on/off headlights, and a new key design. All of this comes at very little additional cost, with the manual transmission-equipped 2015 FR-S starting at $24,900 (not including $755 for destination) - an increase of $400.
Elsewhere in the Scion range, the tC coupe has been updated slightly for 2015. The not-as-sporty coupe now features steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters on automatic transmission-equipped models, and a couple of new colors are offered: Cosmic Gray and Blizzard Pearl. The 2015 tC starts at $19,210 - the same as the 2014 model.

Buy a Toyota GT86 and your wife will hate you

Marketing can be a very strange business. Convincing a man or woman (or child, really) that they absolutely cannot live without the latest, greatest new bit of technology oftentimes takes a unique approach. In the "online film promoting the Toyota GT86" you'll see below, created by agency Happiness Brussels, men are reverse-psychologied into thinking a new sports coupe will make them more masculine by getting their loved ones to hate them. Or something like that. We think.
In any case, we suggest you watch the video below to see how much fun men can have with a GT86 - or Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ, presumably - at the expense of their significant others. Fair warning: There's a potential Not Safe For Work moment in the ad: beware of a brief male butt shot about 44 seconds in.
Marketing. Gotta love it. Unless you're married to a man. Or something like that. We think. Whatever, just watch.

Ford tumbles to second worst in Consumer Reports reliability survey, list dominated by Japanese [w/video]

It's no secret that MyFord Touch has had its share of problems since being introduced, but the most recent reliability survey from Consumer Reports shows just how much this infotainment system has affected Ford. Just two years ago, the automaker was in the top 10 for the institute's reliability rankings, but since then, it has tumbled to the second-lowest rung just above dead-last Jaguar. In addition to MyFord Touch, CR also attributes a handful of new products that have had issues right out of the gate.
Compiled from 1.2 million subscriber surveys, this year's auto reliability survey heavily favors Japanese automakers, with eight of the 10 spots hailing from Japan. Toyota brands grabbed the top three spots (Scion, Toyota and Lexus - in that order) with Mazda, Subaru, Honda and Acura filling the next four spots. The only non-Asian automaker cracking the top 10 was Audi at number eight.
Audi climbed a total of 18 spots from last year, and Cadillac and GMC round out this year's top gainers breaking into the top 15. Helping Cadillac's upward movement, the CTS Coupe was named the most reliable domestic car. Lincoln, Volvo and Chrysler join Ford on this year's biggest loser list.