12 Scion Tc,6-spd Automatic,power Sunroof,hd Radio,usb,bluetooth,clean,runs Gr8! on 2040-cars

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Nissan exec Andy Palmer derides Toyobaru coupes as 'midlife crisis' cars

Andy Palmer, Nissan's executive vice president, does not like the Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ. To us, that's like saying you enjoy barbecuing puppies, but we'll let him slide, because his statements about the Toyobaru twins are much, much more than just idle trash talk.
Speaking to Motor Trend's Nate Martinez, Palmer said, "Do we have any competitors [in the small, rear-drive coupe segment]? Are you talking about the Subaru [BRZ]? It was a car designed for a 50-year-old. It's for a midlife crisis. That's not what we do." Strong words, but what followed was even better.
"Are you coming to the Tokyo Motor Show? You'll see the answer to the midlife crisis. Except it won't be for the midlife crisis." So, if you were wondering whether Nissan is working on a competitor to the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ, the answer seems to be a resounding "yes."

Scion iM spied testing in US in more production-ready guise

Following the niche-oriented iQ and FR-S, Scion is preparing its first new model with mass-market appeal in quite some time with the iM. Just unveiled at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show in concept form, our spies recently shot some photos of a slightly camouflaged production iM doing some testing in Southern California. Judging by these spy shots, the production iM is taking many more styling cues from the European-market Toyota Auris that it's based on, than the much more aggressive concept on display in LA. The body kit with a low front bumper, flared fenders, side skirts and rear spoiler are all gone in favor of a much more mainstream design (we aren't surprised). The model's name comes from the first letters of 'individuality' and 'modern,' according to Scion, but if these shots are any indication, it looks like it'll pretty easily just blend into the crowd. Scion didn't reveal anything about that the US-market powertrain for the production version in LA but promised the details would be released sometime in 2015. The company did hint at a starting price under $20,000, though. It's too early to make any real styling judgments about the iM before the final version is ready, but until then see what you think of these spy shots of the upcoming hatchback.

Toyota GT86, Scion FR-S sales disappointing worldwide?

Okay, folks - it appears we've got a problem. The Toyota GT86, Europe's counterpart to our own beloved Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S coupes, is apparently not selling too well. This, according to Toyota's European Vice President of Research and Development, Gerald Killman, is what's limiting plans for additional variants of the rear-drive coupe.
"A faster version of that car would be at the top of most people's wish lists, but like the cabriolet, it is hard to justify a business case to push either model into production based on the current sales," Killman told AutoExpress. "Personally, I think that engine could use a little bit more," he added.
More troubling is that slow sales aren't limited to the Euro-spec car, with Killman claiming that the GT86 have been missing sales targets in major markets around the globe. It may not be that the US is one of those major markets, though. Scion's Vice President, Doug Murtha, tells Autoblog that his brand is happy with the sales of its version of the GT86, the FR-S. 18,000 units were sold last year, which Murtha says is "generally in line with original expectations for the car."