Lexus cancels next-gen SC, Toyota cancels next Avalon

Sales of the bulbous Lexus SC 430, one of the vehicles that kick-started the current hardtop convertible fad in the U.S., have slowed so significantly that Toyota's luxury brand has reportedly canceled its replacement. The four-place, V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive vehicle never fit well into any specific niche, as it boasted neither the sportiness of the ragtop Jaguar XK and Porsche 911, nor the snob appeal of the BMW 6 Series. Through the first six months of this year, Lexus sold only 1,230 SC's, down 40% from last year. What fans the Lexus sport coupes/convertible does have need not worry, however, as the brand will be launching the much more potent (and substantially more impressive) LF-A supercar at some point in the future.
According to Inside Line, the SC isnt the only Toyota product without a future. The Avalon entry-level Buick luxury sedan is also on the chopping block. Fans of the boring unpretentious Avalon can instead look forward to an extended-length version of the Camry sedan to take its spot in Toyota's U.S. lineup.

[ Via: Inside Line ]
[ Tag: avalon, lexus, lexus sc 430, lexus sc430, LexusSc430, sc430, toyota avalon, ToyotaAvalon ]

Chicago Preview: Scion tC Series 4.0

Toyota won't be having much in the way of new models at next week's Chicago Auto Show, but its hip urban sibling will be showing off a new version of the tC. The Scion tC Release Series 4.0 RS (whew) ups the style quotient of the base model with a DAMD body kit, new upper grille and rear spoiler, all coated in Galactic Gray Mica. The interior benefits from a leather-wrapped steering wheel, black leather and dark wood RAZO shift knob and gray and black seats swathed in Alcantara with "tC RS 4.0" embroidered into the front and rear seats.
All that extra kit comes at a $2,700 premium (an extra $285 if you want the spoiler too), with the automatic model coming it at $20,500 and the manual-equipped version for $800 less. Both prices don't include the $620 destination charge. Only 2,300 examples will be available when sales begin this March.
Toyota's press release is available after the jump.
PRESS RELEASE

Scion Announces Pricing for tC Release Series 4.0 - to be Displayed at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show

TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Scion, of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., announced today that the second limited-production Scion for 2008, the tC Release Series 4.0 (tC RS 4.0), will be available at dealer showrooms beginning in March. A tC RS 4.0 will be on display in the Scion booth at the Chicago Auto Show.

The 2008 tC RS 4.0 will feature Galactic Gray Mica exterior paint and will come with VIP-themed enhancements. A DAMD body kit and upper grille will make this tC standout. A color-keyed rear spoiler will also be available. Inside, the tC RS 4.0 will have gray and black Alcantara(R) seats, "tC RS 4.0" embroidered on the front and rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a black leather and dark wood RAZO shift knob. Like all Release Series vehicles, an individually numbered badge will complete the uniqueness of this vehicle.

Only 2,300 units of the tC RS 4.0 will be built. The tC Release Series 4.0 model will carry a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $2,770 over the base price of the tC. The manual transmission tC has a base MSRP of $17,000, while the MSRP for the automatic transmission model is $17,800. The available color-keyed spoiler has an MSRP of $285, not including installation.

The delivery, processing and handling (DPH) fee for all Scion models is $620 and is not included in the MSRP. DPH fees for vehicles distributed by Southeast Toyota (SET) and Gulf States Toyota (GST) may vary.

[ Via: Autoblog Scion ]
[ Tag: chicago, chicago auto show, ChicagoAutoShow, scion, scion tc, scion tC Release Series 4.0, ScionTc, ScionTcReleaseSeries4.0, tc ]

RWD Scion tC coming to Formula Drift

We've enjoyed our fair share of front-wheel-drive hijinks in empty parking lots with our right hand firmly grasping the e-brake, but in the end, tail-out antics are always more enjoyable behind the wheel of something with the proper wheels driven. "Proper," however, isn't the way we'd describe how Scion decided to go about campaigning a tC in this year's Formula Drift series.
With backing from Toyota, the aftermarket firm RS*R converted a run-of-the-mill tC into a rear-wheel-drive monster utilizing a BEAMS-built 3S-GE engine and taking advantage of the Toyota Avensis/Caldina all-wheel-drive chassis on which the tC is built. RS*R ripped out the abysmal 2AZ-FE 2.4-liter four-pot from the stock car, fabbed up a series of new mounts to facilitate the transverse to longitudinal conversion and dropped in the 3S-GE after fitting the four-cylinder with an HKS GT3037 turbo, intercooler, Blitz dual SBC boost controller and an AEM EMS engine management system. Approximately 400 hp is now routed to the rear wheels through a Tilton triple carbon clutch and a G-Force, five-speed sequential gearbox. RS-R coilovers keep things suspended on all four corners, and are hidden by the custom wide-body kit and Enkei RPF1 wheels wrapped in Toyo Proxes R1R rubber.
The RS*R tC will be piloted by Ken Gushi, the youngest driver ever to compete in the D1 series, beginning at the season opener on the Streets of Long Beach on April 12th. Hit the jump to read the full press release and check out Formula D's website to see when the competition will be heating up in your area.

[ Via: Autoblog Scion ]
[ Tag: ken gushi, KenGushi, rear wheel drive, rear wheel drive scion tc, RearWheelDrive, RearWheelDriveScionTc, rwd, rwd scion tc, rwd tc, RwdScionTc, RwdTc, scion, tc ]

Subaru Impreza coupe coming in 2010

Subaru and Toyota's rear-wheel-drive lovechild is on its way, and AutoExpress has tapped Larson to render the new coupe to give us an idea of what we'll be saving up for come 2010.
As previously reported, both versions will be sporting separate sheet metal to differentiate the two coupes from one another. We'd suspect that the Toyota version will be fitted with a traditional trunk, while the Subaru version will get a hatch similar to that found on the WRX/STI. The image above takes all the right cues from the current Impreza, particularly the aggressive roofline and hunkered stance, and ratchets it up a notch with a new front bumper, swept back headlamps and bulging fender flares.
As we're already aware, both the Toyota version (which supposedly won't make it to U.S. shores) and the Subaru variant will be powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter boxer, sending around 180 hp to the rear wheels. AutoExpress claims that a 300-hp version equipped with the turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four is also destined for production, along with an all-wheel-drive version further down the road. For those of us that have been dreaming of an STI-powered GC8 coupe, this could spare us the considerable headache and expense when it goes on sale in 2012.

[ Via: AutoExpress ]
[ Tag: 2010, 2010 subaru impreza coupe, 2010SubaruImprezaCoupe, coupe, impreza, subaru ]

Spy Shots: Toyota/Subaru coupe caught in the wild

AutoExpress may have provided us with a rendering of what the new RWD Subaru coupe might look like, but Winding Road's hired spies have provided the real deal. Shot outside a test center in the UK (amidst white-out conditions), the camo-clad mule is sporting some body panels pilfered from the current Legacy, but with a Toyota emblem in front, a pair of Recaro buckets inside and a shrunken trunk, there's little doubt that this prototype is more than just your standard sedan.
There's still no confirmation about what kind of output the 2.0-liter flat-four will be producing, as estimates have ranged from 180- to 220-hp, but grunt is expected to be shoveled to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox and pricing should start a few pennies shy of $20,000.

[ Via: Winding Road ]
[ Tag: coupe, rear wheel drive, RearWheelDrive, spied, spy shots, SpyShots, subaru, toyota ]

Subaru RWD coupe will be sold worldwide, Toyota version only in Japan

Inside Line is reporting that the new, RWD coupe being developed by Subaru and Toyota will only be sold as a Subaru in markets outside of Japan, while the Toyota version will remain exclusive to the Land of the Rising Sun. The report goes on to say that the coupe will be based off the Subaru Impreza (despite Toyota/Subaru's own press release saying that it's an "all-new" platform) and that power will be provided by a naturally aspirated, 2.0-liter boxer engine producing 220 hp at 6,500 rpm.
Toyota and Subaru are using the Integra Type-R as the performance benchmark for the new coupe, with a 103-inch wheelbase, a 2+2 seating layout and a curb weight of 2,866 pounds. As reported before, the coupe will debut in 2011 and pricing is expected to begin just south of $20,000.

[ Via: Inside Line ]
[ Tag: boxer, coupe, japan, subaru, toyota ]

Subaru worried that RWD coupe could dilute brand

One topic of debate that began raging after Toyota and Subaru officially announced their collaboration on a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive coupe was how the Toyobaru would be marketed, particularly with both brands getting their own models. Apparently, Subaru execs share our concerns.
Subaru has branded itself as the purveyor of competent, multi-purpose vehicles that begin and end with one distinct feature: all-wheel-drive. By adding another vehicle into its lineup lacking that core trait, Subaru risks diluting its hard-earned image, not to mention going toe-to-toe with the Toyota monolith by selling a badge-engineered variant.
Automotive News spoke with Fuji Heavy Industries overseas sales chief, Mat Nagato, who said, "We may lose our longstanding territory, or we may lose the great niche brand image. The potential risk is there. We have to be very smart on marketing strategy." This issue has to be weighed against the short-term gain of a new, inexpensive model for enthusiasts and Subaru's continued growth, but the simple solution would be to nix the Subaru version altogether, allow Toyota to brand the new coupe as its own and rake in the cash provided by the partnership. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen, so the only thing Subaru can do now is make an attempt to differentiate its own version from Toyota's, while praying that consumers won't forget what "Makes a Subaru a Subaru."

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: rear wheel drive coupe, RearWheelDriveCoupe, subaru, subaru rwd coupe, SubaruRwdCoupe, toyota, toyota rwd coupe, ToyotaRwdCoupe ]