2006 Scion Xb Base Wagon 5-door 1.5l on 2040-cars

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Two new RWD Toyota sports cars to join FR-S?

Toyota as we know it could become a thing of the past. According to Australian site Car Advice, the Japanese brand known for bland cruisers like the Camry and Corolla is preparing to bring two new rear-drive cars to market that would slot above and below the Scion-badged FR-S. This is very, very good news.
Car Advice spoke to the GT86/FR-S' chief engineer, Tatsuya Tada, who claimed, "Akio Toyoda always says to me, Toyota sports car [family] should be three sports car brothers. 86 is in the middle." The oldest "brother" would be the spiritual successor to the Supra, even if it doesn't wear that name. Tada is in charge of that project, while a sub-GT86 project is being headed-up elsewhere.
Tada refused to comment on names (CA specifically mentions MR2 and Celica) for the new small car, but did say that, "Yes it is rear-wheel drive and that's Toyota's strong position - Toyota sports car must be rear-wheel drive." Perhaps the juiciest bit of information obtained from Tada's interview with Car Advice was his hinting that both new sports cars would be joint ventures, like the GT86/FR-S/Subaru BRZ triplets. Tada wouldn't say who Toyota was in bed with on the smaller model, but did mention that the Supra would be a product of the world's largest automaker's partnership with BMW.

Scion iA and iM rolled into Yaris and Corolla lineups for 2017

The Scion brand may be going away, but most of its cars (sorry, tC) are living on. We'll see the 2017 Toyota 86 (nee Scion FR-S) at the New York Auto Show next week, and the automaker already confirmed that the Scion iA and iM will be rebadged as Toyotas. But instead of standing on their own, the former Scions will be rolled into existing model lines. "Yaris iA" and "Corolla iM" will be the official names of the cars, effective for 2017. It's a smart move, paring the relatively new Scion nameplates with well-known, existing Toyota monikers. Scion spokeswoman Nancy Hubbell tells Autoblog that the iA already exists as the Yaris in the Canadian and Mexican markets, so "that connection was already there." Plus, it's better for marketing. The combination of the two vehicles all under the Yaris nameplate means Toyota can focus its advertising dollars on one vehicle line, simply saying that you can now have the Yaris as a four-door sedan or a five-door hatchback. "The same goes with Corolla," Hubbell explains. She says the existing Toyota sedan and the Scion iM "paired really well," and again, it means Toyota can advertise the Corolla as having two body styles moving forward. There are benefits from a sales perspective, too. Never mind that Scion division sales were already included in Toyota's overall numbers – calling the new cars Yaris iA and Corolla iM means the company won't have to report these cars individual sales separately. It's like when Toyota made the Matrix – its technical name was Corolla Matrix, so its individual sales didn't have to be broken out. That means an extra boost in overall numbers for the Yaris and Corolla, even if the cars would have been reported under Toyota's numbers had they kept their Scion badges. View 18 Photos Related Video:

Scion FR-S Release Series 2.0 offers subtle sophistication

The 2016 Detroit Auto Show offers a chance to get a closer look at Scion's subdued FR-S Release Series 2.0. Toyota's youth-oriented branch is experimenting with a slightly more luxurious take on the FR-S. Just 1,000 examples will be made. The Release Series 1.0 showed Scion leaning heavily on the FR-S' sporty image with bright yellow paint, a lowered suspension, and quad exhaust outlets, but the 2.0 takes the opposite approach. The exterior wears a subtle body kit that features a discreet front lip and trunk lid spoiler. A nondescript light beige color called Lunar Storm isn't particularly notable, but at least the black 17-inch wheels lend a little aggressiveness. Inside, Scion keeps drivers warm and holds them tight in heated seats with upholstery that combines black Alcantara and light brown leather. The trim for the steering wheel, door panels, and much of the stitching matches this motif. The Release Series 2.0 also comes with luxury features like push-button start, dual-zone climate control, and HID headlights. Check out the limited FR-S in our gallery above. Prices for the Release Series 2.0 start at $30,305 (after $795 destination) with the six-speed manual or $31,405 for the automatic. SCION PAIRS SPORTS AND STYLE FOR 2016 FR-S RELEASE SERIES 2.0 TORRANCE, Calif., (Oct. 29, 2015) – Drivers of the 2016 Scion FR-S Release Series 2.0 will look better than ever in the most stylish version of the sports car ever offered. The new FR-S Release Series 2.0 comes with luxurious appointments and premium features, and with just 1,000 vehicles available, it's the most elusive and exclusive Scion Release Series yet. The interior creates the lap of luxury with heated seats in black Alcantara and leather with camel-colored accents. The same black and camel theme continues to the leather-trimmed steering wheel while the shift knob and parking brake lever are covered in black leather. Camel trim also appears on the door armrest and the upper door trim while the center armrest and knee pads are black. Camel accent stitching is prominent throughout the interior and embroidered on the dash insert is the release series badge, sequentially numbered from 1 to 1000. Additional luxury features include Smart key with push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control and HID headlamps with LED daylight running lamps. On the outside, the Release Series 2.0 will make a statement with Lunar Storm paint and 17-inch forged alloy wheels.