FT-86 focus group
 

so... long story short, i was part of the focus group when toyota was doing research on the ft86. this was about two years ago in atlanta ga.




you may blame me and the other subaru guy for the boxer engine in place of the ft86, but i swear they already had their mind made up even before asking us :)

i will elaborate more if you guys wish to find out more.


the research (now that i think about it) was mainly to see how well the ft86 would be approved as a scion in the states. there were 6 guys: 1.me (wrx) 2.another guy with sti modded to hell 3.saturn ion redline guy 4.scion tc guy (crazy into stereo) 5. cobalt guy and 6.civic si guy. all of them were generally ok with the scion as a brand, but me and the sti guys were the ones that protested like hell (had we had more of you guys we could`ve had it as a toyota here i feel like).

the most interesting question was when the moderator asked what if scion was a person, at a party, what kind of person would it be? and my answer was: a very loud obnoxious person :) It was clear that the subaru guys were hating on scion and thought that it was a 'fake' tuners car because it didnt offer enough performance (at least for subaru guy standards) but EVERYONE else at the research were VERY fond of what scion had to offer, even if it may be just purely cosmetic parts. that's when he asked us, what if this 'new scion' sports car had a boxer motor in it? and that's when the sti guy and I completely froze and the moderator had a good laugh.

I will try to remember more details but it's been a while haha

Yes, please go on.

I for one love the boxer engine.

Continue.

the research (now that i think about it) was mainly to see how well the ft86 would be approved as a scion in the states. there were 6 guys: 1.me (wrx) 2.another guy with sti modded to hell 3.saturn ion redline guy 4.scion tc guy (crazy into stereo) 5. cobalt guy and 6.civic si guy. all of them were generally ok with the scion as a brand, but me and the sti guys were the ones that protested like hell (had we had more of you guys we could`ve had it as a toyota here i feel like).

the most interesting question was when the moderator asked what if scion was a person, at a party, what kind of person would it be? and my answer was: a very loud obnoxious person :) It was clear that the subaru guys were hating on scion and thought that it was a 'fake' tuners car because it didnt offer enough performance (at least for subaru guy standards) but EVERYONE else at the research were VERY fond of what scion had to offer, even if it may be just purely cosmetic parts. that's when he asked us, what if this 'new scion' sports car had a boxer motor in it? and that's when the sti guy and I completely froze and the moderator had a good laugh.

I will try to remember more details but it's been a while haha

You are practically asking if we want to see boobs. OFCOARSE! Please continue

although i made sure to let the moderator and the people behind the glass know just how much i despise scion as a brand, i think i lost the fight because of the other 5 guys that were there.

So how did they pick you guys? Found you guys on a Friday night at an empty shopping center parking lot with a bunch of other car guys?

believe it or not... facebook lol.

aparently i was one out of 1000s of people.

So this was more market research rather than anything else? Was it more questions to get your opinion about the Scion brand, or did they tip their hand regarding what they were thinking about the car (besides boxer engine)?

That's very interesting how you and the Subie guy were anti-scion and the other guys weren't negative. I'm imagining your faces when the moderator asked if you would like it more if it had a boxer. :bellyroll:

yes. it was ALL about scion.

we were fighting so damn hard for real test-proven performance parts being a must, and then the moderator just gently dropped the question lol.

Whoa, very lucky indeed. Continue... lol :D

struggling to remember haha. I got paid $200 and the research took about 2-3 hours. I had to fill out a survey on facebook answersing questions regarding what things i have done to my car, what i look for in a car, etc

i remember telling them just how important the seating position is. I told them i wanna feel like i`m sat in it rather than on it (took that line directly from jason plato from fifth gear).

oh I also remember moderator having to shut me up once in a while because i would interrupt others saying good things about scion LOL

Are you bragging about how much of a jerk you were? http://allch-chcar.com/saved/blankface.gif

not bragging... admitting. but obviously i wasnt a jerk enough.

Just checking.

a research marketing and survey study with a population representation of 6 potential consumers representing several hundreds of thousands of people / 300 million Americans.

I think there is to much room for error to get a more accurate statistical analysis of the people who think about scion.

sorry to hear of your lost battle OP, but thanks for trying.

from the start it looks like they already made up their mind that it will be a scion, so why ask you guys about scion? that research comity, didn't even have opinion of a toyota guy or even a person who loves the AE86 the car they're trying to revive?

same thing i was thinking, 1 scion tc guy do not represent toyota, lexus and scion as a whole community.

yea... NO toyota guy at all at the research.

i hate to say it, but they seemed very keen on making the ft86 a car for anybody rather than just for hardcore fans of the good ol hachi. very disappointed that the ft86 is more of a marketing tool rather than the perfect resurrection, at least they are making it.

i`m sure a lot of mustang/camaro enthusiasts have a lot to say about the new ones.

Dang this is pretty tight! I wish I could have been part of this focus group!


I would have just complained about Toyota not making a new Supra and derailed the entire conversation.

But then maybe we would have a $70-80k Supra that would have been a GT-R Killer!?!?

Well, probably not.

Well this could really be Toyota's real last attempt in trying to save the Scion brand. If the FRS can't, what will? Ultimately I wish this would have come over as a Toyota, like many others do. But we have the Scion branded version. I'm sure a majority of the Toyota fans on here wish it came as a Toyota rather than a Scion. And yes Scion is a Toyota. But it goes much deeper than that, it is more of a spiritual fornication to brand this as a Scion instead of a Toyota as it should be. The AE86 would roll over in its grave if it could.

A new Supra would be great, but I doubt you would get a GT-R killer for $70k.

besides the original hachi being a toyota, IMO:
toyota badge = classy, understated
scion badge = loud, gaudy, immature.

maybe it's because i`m 24 and scion isnt 'cool' to me as it is to an 18 yr old LOL.

No 240sx guys? I have 2 other S chassis guys ready to make the switch in the next couple of years. A 3rd one will trade in his S2K if they ever make a convertible.

nope.

always wanted to be in a focus group so i can speak my mind...

anyways, it's obvious they're trying to turn scion around. if the FT is the beginning, then perhaps scion can finally turn into an enthusiast brand. not body kits and paint, but performance minded cars and performance parts. it can still be a youth brand because no old folks will want rock hard suspension and lack of amenities to lower curb weight...

i love how your definition of scion as a brand completely matches what i have to say and we both drive awd turbo cars :bonk:

toyota knew EXACTLY what we think of scion as a brand and also knows what they have to offer us to be able to sell it. the moderator was mocking me because i was answering everything in a way that he thought i was going to say.

I think the cost of closing a brand huge, but is just one time cost. I would let Scion dies already. It doesn't do anything beside a "fake performance" status. They're just rebadged Toyotas. Though, I can clearly see that Toyota is trying to make Scion a sporty brand, and Toyota will focus on making Hybrid and bland cars.

Are you trying to start a fight? This thread isn't about Scion, it's about a focus group where they asked if the 8-6 would be acceptable as a Scion. This thread is about the 8-6!

Sorry if it confuses you. Because someone said FRS is the last attempt to say the brand, that's why I said so. And I did mention that Toyota want to focus on hybrid in the US instead of sporty car, that's why they give up FRS to Scion. Is it reasonable enough to convince you that I don't want to start a fight?;)

Perfect summary :clap:

If the Fr-s doesnt say Scion all over the interior ill do a Toyota Re-badge. The car deserves the Toyota name.

I'll be honest, Im a little scared of what may happen to this car under the Scion brand, Scion is so known for being incredibly ricey. Last time I was in a toyota dealership looking at scions they had cheese "Fast" racing wheels on their cars, stupid vinyls, All these dealer installed items to make the cars appeal to young people. Which in my opionion is stupid.


There is a scion dealership near my house and the manager drives the stupidest looking car i've seen, strait from F&F. I know from the factory these cars are going to be great, But i am truely terrified to see what happens to them on a dealer level, what kind of tacky shit dealers throw on them to make them "cool". And then after that, what kind of reputation will the car have with your average person who doesnt follow this car.

Lets hope it doesnt get destroyed by tacky scion dealers.

:laughabove:
Made me realize I didn't have a clue if there was a Scion dealer anywhere around here. Turns out there is one 5 miles away, I just never realized it. I think they are 'embeded' in a Toyota dealership.

What's with the penchant for Toyota needing to "brand" some Toyota's ONLY in the USA (Lexus and Scion)? What does that say about Toyota's thinking of Americans vs "the rest of the world"?

Strange the questions in that focus group too. Asking people whether they get excitied about one 'brand name' or another, regardless of the fact they are all just Toyotas.

That focus group story was pretty funny lol

Anyway, I believe (and i think i'm not alone on this) that Scion is trying to revive itself in place of Toyota Reviving itself (since the FR-S will be Scion here in the states and not a Toyota), ergo, my logic stands that the whole:

"Toyota is trying to revive itself as a more sporty, less bland, brand" by Toyota Europe/Asia -statement, could be replaced with Scion:

"Scion is trying to revive itself as a more sporty, less bland, brand" by Scion USA

Which brings me to say, Honestly, do you think Toyota would not do their research and just throw its Baby/Masterpiece/Bomb on the U.S. without them knowing at first that it's going to do well in all aspects? C'mon guys, this is one of the biggest companies in the WORLD, they know what they're doing! have some faith, because at the end, we'll all be saying "Oh, What a feeling!" :thumbsup:

:iono:

just like BP's oil spill....
just like HP trying to abandon the PC...
just like Microsoft's Vista...
just like Blockbuster business plan...
just like Borders books...
just like The Gap Logo...
just like GM...eh ... everything
just like Coke's "New Coke"
just like Netflix's Flip-Flop-Flip

etc., etc. :bonk:

:bellyroll: