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Originally Posted by Natheria
The problem with marketing it as a Toyota in that regard is that only the enthusiast will remember any of those cars so it's kind of hard to market outside of that narrow demographic (and they've already taken this route by emphasizing the car's heritage where people who follow the car actually see it). Sadly, most people consider history boring, so it's not a very good marketing ploy for the masses. 
They also still have to support the rest of the brand's lineup and at this point they really can't just drop it. The xb and xd may be gone but they still have to support the tC as well as the new iQ. They can't just have 1 or 2 cars for a lineup.
That's what I'm hoping will happen is that Scion will be taken more seriously like Lexus is. Even if this happens though it's still going to have that stigma of 'boy racer' and 'teeny bopper'.
I highly doubt they are ever going to bring the higher trim here to the states in the form of a Toyota unless they kill off the Scion brand entirely (which, again i highly doubt as i project the FR-S will be very good for sales, and as we know Scion doesn't do trim levels). It goes against the image grain they have propped up with the Toyota brand and it would break the illusion of "the brand" (some really thick people still think each automotive brand is it's own company... "what do you mean Dodge and Chrysler are the same?"  ). I currently live in a really backwater part of the state where people at work still tell me "buying foreign cars is hurtin our economy!!"  |
You make good points but you also reminded me of one of the big reasons I don't like Scion: choice, or rather, the lack thereof.
Scion makes a big deal about mono-spec pricing, a lack of trim levels, and having everything be an accessory. The thing is though, choice is good for the consumer. It is true that it's not to the consumer's benefit to be forced to buy option packages to get individual features, but Scion makes it seem like you can get those individual features separately when that's plainly not the case. With other brands, lesser features like fog lights and a spoiler are often available as individual options, but if you do in fact want leather seats and climate control, you have the choice to choose an option package that includes those features.
Assuming you could even get the individual constituent features of the packages separately, you usually end up paying more than you do if you bundle features together in those packages, even if you end up with features you don't necessarily want. However, in Scion's case, you can't get climate control, you can't get keyless entry and start, and you can't get leather and alcantara seats, HID headlamps, heated seats and mirrors, navigation, all features that a prospective buyer may be interested in. The FR-S is unique in that you can go to the Subaru brand if you want those features, but you're still left with slightly different styling, a different dealer network, and a different pricing model, all things that may be unappealing to Scion's target demographic and even those who don't fit the mold.
What many dealers will do to try to fill the gap is to offer dealer-installed add -ons, like aftermarket leather and heated seats, but these add-ons are often marked-up substantially from their market value. Additionally, it will be hard to value these add-ons when it comes time to resell the car; they either won't add much to the car's value or they'll add nothing at all having been "aftermarket" additions.
Speaking of which, this leads me to my second major gripe about Scion's pricing/accessories model: accessories are often not taken into consideration when valuing the car through tools such as the Kelly Blue Book, devaluing accessorized cars. Things like BeSpoke audio which can add a large amount to the vehicle's overall price, will not be included when tallying-up a car's features, and will therefore not be straightforward to appraise. When it comes time for a Scion owner to trade-up, those accessories will have done very little to boost his car's market price in the eyes of most buyers, both private persons and dealers alike.