Find or Sell Used Cars, Trucks, and SUVs in USA

Scion iA and iM get wide bodies and whitewalls... thanks, SEMA

Mon, Nov 2 2015 Scion has a quartet of customized vehicles on the way to this week's SEMA show in Las Vegas, two iM hatchbacks tuned as part of its Annual Scion Tuner Challenge, two iA sedans whipped up by the brand's lifestyle partners. Streetwear brand Crooks & Castles went with the widebody style that Japanese tuners RWB have been grafting onto Porsches and Liberty Walk has been bolting onto exotics for a few years now. Underneath the punched-out flares there's an air suspension that'll put one of those custom mesh wheels in the air, while the iM's insides are draped in black-and-white leather. Fellow streetwear brand illest worked up another iM in the manner of Japanese VIP cars, with 19-inch wheels outside and suede and leather inside.

In the other corner, Eddie Huang, he of the TV show Fresh Off the Boat, took the lowrider route with his iA. The Scion boasts a mural-emblazoned metallic yellow paint job and root beer accents, chain-link steering wheel, and gold-dipped wire wheels and grille.

Skybound Entertainment, the entertainment company that brings shows like The Walking Dead to life, forsook zombies for demons with its iA, cued off the theme of graphic novelist Robert Kirkman's latest book Outcast. You can read more about all four cars below, and we'll have live images from the SEMA floor soon.

SCION SHOWCASES FASHION AND PASSION

TORRANCE, Calif. (Oct. 29, 2015) – Creative visions of the Scion iM 5-door hatchback and Scion iA sedan are ready for Las Vegas lights. The cars were previewed in the downtown Los Angeles' Arts District ahead of their debut at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nov. 3-6.

For the 11th Annual Scion Tuner Challenge, remixed versions of the all-new sporty 2016 iM 5-door hatchback were created by prominent streetwear brands illest and Crooks & Castles. Each received a Scion iM and a $15,000 build budget to put a unique spin on the car.

Mark Arcenal, creative director of illest, drew inspiration for his iM concept from the Japanese VIP world, a clear departure from the race-inspired tC he built at the 2008 Scion Tuner Challenge.

"With a background in motorsports, I went with familiarity for my previous Scion Tuner Challenge experience. I wanted to push the boundaries even further this time," Arcenal said. "The iM has a sporty look I thought would mesh well with the aggressive VIP style, making for the perfect combo to win the competition."

Rob Panlilio, co-founder of Crooks & Castles, stuck to his Japanese car roots with a wide body kit and AccuAir suspension. In true Crooks & Castles' fashion, Panlilio and his team featured a black and white scheme, with an all-white leather wrapped rollcage and black rewrapped race seats for the interior. The car was finished off with his signature trademark, custom white mesh wheels, mirroring the theme of his existing fleet of customized cars.

Beyond the Tuner Challenge entries, Scion lifestyle partners Eddie Huang and Skybound unveiled two eye-popping 2016 iA project cars that capture the passion of their fans.

Eddie Huang, well-known for his book and TV adaptation, "Fresh Off The Boat," is embracing L.A. culture with a modern take on the classic lowrider, outfitting a Scion iA with a chain-link steering wheel and custom swivel front seats and more. A dual-stage air bag system with independent wheel control allows for side to side, front to back and 3-wheel motion. Meanwhile, the exterior features metallic yellow paint with root beer accents. A mural of a "human panda," which is how Huang refers to himself, is on the hood. Huang has also added wire wheels dipped in gold, along with a one-of-a-kind gold-plated front grille, truly capturing the essence of the era, but with a modern twist.

Fans of The Walking Dead will appreciate Skybound Entertainment's execution of Robert Kirkman's latest comic book, Outcast. With the theme of demonic possession, the car will move and operate on its own via pneumatic movements of multiple components and an automated sequence of light and audio effects. The orange, black and green-toned car has a demonic spirit graphic directly inspired from the comic book on the roof and will gyrate, smoke, change colors, and emit eerie sounds that encompass everything fans love about the possession genre.

"This year has been a big one for Skybound," said Kirkman. "We celebrated our fifth anniversary and the release of our first feature film, AIR, with Scion at San Diego Comic Con, and we're excited to continue the partnership with the creation of the Outcast car."

In partnership with Toyo Tires, Scion will bring all four customized vehicles to the SEMA Show, where fans can get their first up-close look at each modified edition. Both Scion Tuner Challenge vehicle entries will be judged by a panel consisting of the previous year's participants, Super Street magazine, GT Channel and Speedhunters. Scion will announce the grand prize winner of $10,000 at the L.A. Auto Show on Nov. 28, hosted by Eddie Huang.

Fans of the Scion Tuner Challenge can follow along by visiting www.ScionRacing.com for blog entries, photos and video content. Fans can also tune in to the Scion Racing Twitter and Instagram for an additional looks at the builds by using the hashtags #ScionTunerChallenge and #Scion.

About Scion
Scion continues to be the test laboratory division for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. From its start in 2003, Scion's goal was to offer products and processes that stand apart from the crowd. Scion offers distinctive vehicles that reflect owners' passions with a model line-up that includes the all-new iM five-door hatchback, the all-new iA sports sedan, the iconic xB urban utility vehicle, the tC sports coupe, and the FR-S rear-wheel drive sports car. Scion also appeals to a youthful audience by offering a simple, no-haggle buying experience and by engaging with potential customers in meaningful and creative ways. For more information, visit www.scion.com.
Featured Gallery 2015 SEMA Scion iM and iA
  • News Source: Scion
  • Aftermarket
  • Design/Style
  • SEMA Show
  • Scion
  • Hatchback
  • Special and Limited Editions
  • Sedan
  • tuner
  • SEMA 2015
  • scion im
  • scion ia
  • the walking dead

By Jonathon Ramsey


See also: Scion styles up the FR-S with 'Release Series 2.0', Toyota recalls power window switches for 6.5 million vehicles [UPDATE], Toyota confirms C-HR crossover to debut at Geneva.