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I'm going to bump this, because I'm getting really nervous.
Apologies ahead of time for the coming rant...
Many of you know my loving embrace of the Scion brand (that sarcasm, for those that missed my previous anti-Scion spazzes...) but I'm losing faith in corporate decision-making abilities.
This is obviously pure, negative speculation, but I've been negative everywhere lately...
This is coming from the completely non-sensical decisions being made by my work's corporate. Logic isn't the factor sometimes, and ego and pride can drive things in utterly the wrong direction. And when that happens more often than not the failure is just cut loose, and hands are washed instead of being repaired.
I'm terrified that a type of argument/power-struggle is taking place within Toyota North America regarding what to do with Scion. And a 'revitalize Scion' camp is the louder more stubborn side, but ultimately not seeing the future reality. (Bye-bye, Toyota's Saturn...)
What my waking nightmare foresees is this:
In the US and Canada, there is only the Scion fRS. (Wait it gets worse.) And its only motor is the new (standard, low-revving, 170 hp) FB25 that will be shared throughout the Subaru line. This is done for cost considerations, and to leech a bit of publicity from the drifting version (see below). 2.5L Boxer motor just like the Formula D one! (but not really...)
It will be spammed throughout the industry, given to shops, to build versions (and cred') of it, like they did with Scion's initial launch. This will be where the EJ257 rumours are originating from, as the companies will not have enough time to build the brand new motor. So to impress the jaded North American market with huge HP numbers, they will instead swap in a known quantity with the old turbo EJ.
And the North American market will be given the options that they give with the tC: Deal with the utilitarium, ho-hum, motor (torquey and easy to drive) and be happy that it looks the same as Tanner Foust's EJ257-powered racing drift machine. Or go Dragonitti's route and DIY. Throwing more money at what was promised to be an 'economical' sports car. Yes it will eventually be an Epic car with enough mods, Scion or not. But that wasn't supposed to be the point.
Meanwhile, as I suffer a stroke or aneurysm over this horrible news, the stake through my heart will be looking at the 'World' market car, with its 2.0L Yamaha/D4-s rev happy 200+ HP NA motor, deemed too 'peaky' for the North American market. Thanks again Toyota! (232 HP 6500 rpm 7MGTE North America, vs 280 HP 7000 rpm Yamaha-tuned 1JZGTE not North America.)
Yeah, it's another rant against Scion. But I don't know why, but I feel like it has a good chance of turning out this way. At least without the question of 'What is Subaru doing with their version?' answered.
I'm going stir crazy waiting... When's the Geneva show?
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Because titanium. |