Thursday, December 1, 2011

2013 Scion FR-S is officially hot

2013 Scoin FR-S - Subcompact Culture

The Scion FR-S was officially introduced today. It's the North American version of the Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ. The FR-S is a rear-wheel-drive sports car with a 2.0-liter boxer engine by Subaru. The engine is set to make 200 hp and 151 ft./lbs. of torque, run on premium fuel, and rev till 7,400 RPM. Power will be put through either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. It'll also come with 215/45/17 tires, have a McPherson strut front/double-wishbone rear suspension setup, and disc brakes all around.


Yes, Toyota is officially putting a sports car back into its North American line, and I must say, it's hot. Its overall length is 166.7". The exterior dimensions are very similar to the Nissan 370Z, actually (the 370Z's overall length is 167.2" for comparison's sake). It'll have a 101.2" wheelbase (compared to the Z's 100.4"). It is smaller than the Hyundai Genesis and Ford Mustang. So is it a subcompact? Doubt you'll find anyone calling it that. It is, however, not big. I happen to think it looks amazing.  

Two things we don't know about the FR-S: Curb weight and pricing. The mechanical twin, the Subaru BRZ, weighs in at just about 2,700 lbs.—not bad with 200 hp. on tap. Pricing, on the other hand, is anyone's guess. I'm going to bet it'll be about $24,000.

If one thing is going to get people excited about the Scion brand again, it'll be this. And Scion needs a shot of adrenaline. Although vastly different from the tiny xB, xA, and front-drive tC coupe that started the brand, (and the current xB, xD, tC and forthcoming iQ) the FR-S offers a similar originality that will likely draw enthusiasts into Scion showrooms again. Albeit, likely a different crowd than those that loved the boxy xB, but enthusiasts nonetheless. Then again, I'll bet most people that are/were enthusiastic about the original xB, xA, and tC will think the FR-S is a pretty sweet ride. It should be interesting to see how this pans out for Scion. I'm looking forward to it.

2013 Scion FR-S - Subcompact Culture
2013 Scion FR-S interior - Subcompact Culture
2013 Scion FR-S dashboard - Subcompact Culture
Scion FR-S engine bay - Subcompact Culture
2013 Scion FR-S exterior

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