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Scion previews new iA sedan, iM hatch ahead of New York debut

Scion is preparing to revitalize its lineup with the debut of not one, but two new models at the upcoming New York Auto Show next month. That much we already knew, but now Toyota's more youthful counterpart has revealed teaser images of both. In one corner will be the Scion iM, a hatchback previewed in concept form at the 2014 LA Auto Show and based closely on the European-market Toyota Auris. In the other will be the Scion iA, which will be the brand's first proper sedan with an actual trunk instead of a liftgate. Though we'd generally call hatchbacks more practical than trunked sedans, Scion says the four-door iA will be more practical than the iM hatchback, and will be more aggressively styled as well. We'll have to wait a little longer to find out additional details, but Scion promises to reveal both at the end of this month before they make their live debuts in Manhattan. Related Video: Scion's Double-Take at New York International Auto Show World Debuts of Scion iM 5-door hatchback and Scion iA sedan March 18, 2015 TORRANCE, Calif., March 18, 2015 – One look at Scion won't be enough for guests attending the New York International Auto Show. It will take two looks (or more) to see the World Debuts from Scion. Both the Scion iM and the newly named Scion iA will be revealed on the eve of the show, March 31, 2015. The Scion iM is a 5-door hatchback that combines maximum versatility with a sporty design and a fun-to-drive experience. Meanwhile the Scion iA sedan is designed to appeal to young people who need a little more practicality, but still want engaging styling and outstanding driving dynamics. The "i" in the models' names can stand for intriguing, individual, and easy on customers' income. The "M" reflects the hatchback's modern style and multi-faceted uses. Meanwhile the "A" for the sedan denotes the accommodating trunk and the aggressive styling. "We've been eagerly waiting for this moment and are excited to introduce our new Scions in New York," said Scion Group Vice President Doug Murtha. "Both the iM and the iA are tremendous additions to our line-up and will appeal to young people with different perspectives and needs. These cars represent the evolution of Scion and are kicking off a new wave of momentum for the brand." 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.

Toyota GT86 convertible on 'indefinite hold'

Bad news, sportscar fans. According to a new report from What Car?, Toyota has cancelled plans to produce a GT86 convertible, a model based on the FT-86 Open Concept that debuted at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. In truth, Toyota never actually confirmed it would produce the budget-friendly droptop in the first place, but rumors have been flying since last year and Toyota reportedly showed its embattled Scion dealers a FR-S version of the convertible in August. Presumably, this means that a lidless variant of the Subaru BRZ is not in the cards, either.
The reason for the move is unknown, though What Car? reports "one possible cause is weight; Toyota did say that further work would be required on rigidity before the convertible could be launched, and that could have added extra bulk that conflict with the regular GT86's ethos of light weight and agile handling." It doesn't look like that work will happen anytime soon, as "sources now say that the car has now been delayed indefinitely, with no place in Toyota's product plan in either 2014 or 2015." Still holding out hope? What Car? says the project could be "fast-tracked" if management decides it wants to reboot the program down the road.
one possible cause is weight; Toyota did say that further work would be required on rigidity before the convertible could be launched, and that could have added extra bulk that conflict with the regular GT86's ethos of light weight and agile handling. - See more at: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/toyota-gt86-cabriolet-cancelled/1214782#sthash.iStIkWnz.dpuf

Scion was slain by Toyota, not the Great Recession

Scion didn't have to go down like this. Through the magic of hindsight and hubris, it's easier to see what went wrong. And what might have been. What the industry should understand is this: Scion wasn't a losing proposition from the get-go. Its death is due to negligence and apathy. This is more than just the failure of a sub-brand. It's the failure of a company to deliver new and compelling products over an extended period of time. Toyota will point to the Great Recession as the reason it hedged its bets and withdrew funding for new vehicles, instead of using that as an opportunity to redouble efforts. This was as good as a death warrant, although myopically no one realized it at the time. Sadly, GM's Saturn experiment was a road map for this exact form of failure. No one at Toyota seemed to think the Saturn experience was worth protecting their experimental brand from. Or they weren't heard. Brands live and die on product. Somehow, Scion convinced itself that its real success metric was a youthful demographic of buyers. It seems like this was used to gauge the overall health of the brand. Look at the aging and uncompetitive tC, which Scion proudly noted had a 29-year-old average buyer. That fails to take into account its lack of curb appeal and flagging sales. Who cares if the declining number of people buying your cars are younger? Toyota is going to kill the tC thirteen years [And two indifferent generations ... - Ed.] after it was introduced. In that time, Honda has come out with three entirely new generations of the Civic. Scion wasn't a losing proposition from the get-go. Its death is due to negligence and apathy. At launch, the brand could have gone a few different ways. The xB was plucky, interesting, and useful – a tough mix of ephemeral characteristics – but the xA didn't offer much except a thin veneer of self-consciously applied attitude. That's ok; it was cute. Enter the tC, which managed to combine sporty pretensions with decent cost. It took on the Civic Coupe in the contest for coolness, and usually managed to win. More importantly, an explicit brand value early on was a desire to avoid second generations of any of its models, promising a continually evolving and fresh lineup. At this point, the road splits. Down one lane lies the Scion that could have been. After a short but reasonable product lifecycle, it would have renewed the entire lineup.