My letter made it into Car and Driver!

[Turbowned]

DISCLAIMER: This letter was not intended to insult the Scion FR-S or any of it's owners; it is merely a lamentation of Toyota's decision to market the Toyota 86 as a Scion in the U.S. Put your flamethrowers away.

My friend called me the other day saying he loved my article in Car and Driver magazine, and I honestly forgot I even wrote one! It was in response to Aaron Robinson's August column titled "It's Time for Toyota to Kill Scion", seen here: http://www.caranddriver.com/columns/...l-scion-column

I wanted to thank Aaron Robinson for hitting the nail on the head in his August column. I'm a loyal fan who's owned a half-dozen Toyota MR2s and an AE86 Corolla. Last year, while working at a Toyota dealership and training on the Scion brand, I discovered that the FT-86 would be branded a Scion. As I'm sitting in front of a computer screen being dictated what people in my generation want in a car and staring at pictures of absurdly dressed hipsters as examples of "people like me," I find out that Toyota's saving grace would be bundled within the "fresh" and "hip" Scion franchise. It's bittersweet to say that my next rear-drive sports car will be wearing Subaru's stars of Pleiades; amazing how the company that has never had a car like this before managed to pull off a brilliant marketing campaign and offer trim levels that people actually desire, while the company that used to churn out iconic sports cars puts its next brainchild on a dimly lit stage here in America

Here's the un-edited version of that letter:

Hello,

I wanted to thank Aaron Robinson for hitting the nail on the head in the August issue. As a loyal fan who's owned a half dozen Toyota MR2's and an AE86 Corolla (and whose friends have MR2's, Supras, Corollas, even a V8 Cressida!), you can imagine my reaction when I read the news last year that the FT-86 would be branded a Scion. This occurred when I began working for a Toyota dealer and was in training on the Scion brand. As I'm sitting in front of a computer screen being dictated what people in MY generation want in a car, and staring at pictures of absurdly-dressed hipsters as examples of "people like me", I find out that Toyota's saving grace would be bundled in with the "fresh" and "hip" Scion (decent cars with bad marketing). Images of local Toyota meets flooded my memory, with clusters of nicely preserved Celicas, Corollas, and MR2's all displayed in pritsine order while the Scions were shunted off in their own corner to play with their big stereos and neon lights.


All I can say is, "Bad move, Toyota". Not only because of Scion's wanna-be brand image and more importantly, lack of racing heritage (remember when Toyota was in WRC, Le Mans, F1, etc?) but also because Scion vehicles are offered as "mono-spec", meaning the rest of the world has trim levels and options to choose from, while we get stuck with only the bargain basement model; so that Toyota 86 GT-Limited that I wanted? The rest of the world gets it, but not here. It's bittersweet to say that my next rear-drive sports car will be wearing the Stars of Pleiades; amazing how the company that has never had a car like this before managed to pull off a brilliant marketing campaign AND offer trim levels that people actually desire, while the company that used to churn out iconic sports cars puts their next brain child under a dimly-lit stage here in America.


Best Regards,

-Corey Kononchuk
Marshfield, MA

Feel free to agree or disagree, but remember that I have no disrespect for anyone who bought an FR-S, just disappointment at Toyota.

[Kimsey47]

Agree totally!

[BioRage]

Subaru>Scion

Toyota 86 == Subaru BRZ

[SubarooMike]

Congratulation, and fantastic bit!

[Tanuki]

I think I can agree with that, but before this becomes a VS thread, let's just remember there are already 80 million VS threads in this forum.

So that being said,

Congrats on getting into the magazine! It was well written.

[Chimpo]

I didn't mind purchasing my FR-S over the BRZ.... but that's mostly because a Scion dealer actually happened to have one 10 miles from my house.

[CaptainSlow]

I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't associate brand with identity. A brand is just a manufacturer...a couple of emblems and a name on the title. I could care less if it was made by Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, or whatever...if it's a good car and in my price range, I'll consider it. I've never said "that's a great car...if only it was made by X instead of Y".

[whaap]

I'll be the first to admit I wasn't excited to hear the 86 would be badged a Scion but there is a side benefit I hadn't considered before buying the FR-S. I love pulling up next to a high end badge (like BMW) at a stop light and think to myself: "eat your heart out, you've just been face slapped by a Scion!!"

[DKPJester]

Originally Posted by CaptainSlow

...a couple of emblems and a name on the title

Comically, at least here in Michigan where you are as well, the name on the title is Toyota.

[SOneThreeCoupe]

Completely agree, but I dislike Subaru more and will be rebadging my future FR-S as a Toyota. The brand "Scion" evokes conversations with car-ignorant imbeciles who purchased a transportation lifestyle accessory.

[LeeMaster]

I completely agree, I hope 5 years later we wont be seeing a Scion Supra.

[carbonBLUE]

Originally Posted by LeeMaster

I completely agree, I hope 5 years later we wont be seeing a Scion Supra.

well the 8th gen celica and the MKV Supra are in the works, cant wait... i hope the celica is RWD or AWD upon its return!

And congrats on getting recognized OP!

[Turbowned]

Celica? I heard MR2! Come on Toyota, we need another mid-engine car! LOL, not likely but it would sure be nice. I heard they would build one car above the 86 (Supra successor) and one below (MR2 or Celica I suppose)

[Rayme]

Originally Posted by CaptainSlow

I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't associate brand with identity. A brand is just a manufacturer...a couple of emblems and a name on the title. I could care less if it was made by Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, or whatever...if it's a good car and in my price range, I'll consider it. I've never said "that's a great car...if only it was made by X instead of Y".

I'm going to agree with you, I feel like we are very lucky that they decided to bring the car over here in the first place since we usually don't get the nicer japanese cars. I'm not going to cry over the badge on the car. And here in Canada most people don't have a clue what a scion is anyway.

PS: I will say right now, I plan to put on a Toyota emblem front and back along with the 86 badge at one point, just because