2009 Scion Tc on 2040-cars

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J.D. Power study sees new car dependability problems increase for first time since 1998

For the first time since 1998, J.D. Power and Associates says its data shows that the average number of problems per 100 cars has increased. The finding is the result of the firm's much-touted annual Vehicle Dependability Study, which charts incidents of problems in new vehicle purchases over three years from 41,000 respondents.
Looking at first-owner cars from the 2011 model year, the study found an average of 133 problems per 100 cars (PP100, for short), up 6 percent from 126 PP100 in last year's study, which covered 2010 model-year vehicles. Disturbingly, the bulk of the increase is being attributed to engine and transmission problems, with a 6 PP100 boost.
Interestingly, JDP notes that "the decline in quality is particularly acute for vehicles with four-cylinder engines, where problem levels increase by nearly 10 PP100." Its findings also noticed that large diesel engines also tended to be more problematic than most five- and six-cylinder engines.

Scion FR-S may be getting supercharger kit from TRD

The Scion FR-S was just named the Hottest Sport Compact at the 2012 SEMA Show, and Toyota Racing Development (TRD) is apparently looking to make this car a little hotter. According to Car and Driver, TRD is close to coming up with a supercharger to fit to the car's 2.0-liter flat-four engine in order to squeeze out a little more performance. Currently, the FR-S produces 200 horsepower, but there's no guessing how much a supercharger could improve this figure.
With Subaru seemingly hard at work on a new turbo engine for the BRZ and even possibly a BRZ STI model, it is only logical for a force-fed FR-S to be in the works as well. Surprisingly, though, the report says that supercharger would be unique to the FR-S, but since the Scion and Subaru BRZ are mechanically identical, it isn't clear how this would be accomplished. TRD already offers plenty of upgrades for the FR-S such as exhaust, brake and suspension kits, and it offers a handful of superchargers for other models including the 5.7-liter V8 used in the Toyota Tundra and the 4.0-liter V6 used in the Tacoma.

Scion rolls out its past concepts, one last time

In 2002, we first met Scion by way of the silver BBx concept you see above, the iconic toaster that soon became the production xB hatchback. That was the official kick-off of Toyota's youth-oriented brand, and it all started right here at the New York Auto Show. But Scion's being phased out this year, and the very last brand-new car is a special edition tC – interesting, since that's the only model not being carried over with Toyota badges. So to commemorate the life of Scion, just as it comes to an end, a number of the brand's most important concepts are on display in New York. The BBx is arguably the most important concept, though the one that garnered the most attention in recent years was the original FR-S (the "Friggin' Really Sweet" car) from the 2011 New York show. That came to production as Scion's (and Toyota's) best-driving car, using a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive architecture shared with the Subaru BRZ. Thankfully, the Scion FR-S will live on as the Toyota 86. Also of note are the 2004 FiveAxie Speedster xA, 2009 Kogi BBQ Truck XD, original 2009 iQ concept (remember the iQ?), and a 2014 tC designed by Slayer. They're all on display here in New York, and you can see them all, one last time, in the gallery above.