Motor Trend, August issue.

[Random_Art]

ah... but we need it fresh! So we can set it on fire on our neighbor's porch and it'll stick to the bottom of the shoe! The stuff from the dog park is usually all dried out and past its prime!

[nate89]

Originally Posted by Giccin

No one is really buying anything from the U.S. Think of a couple/few things that other countries REALLY want from the U.S. I certainly can't think of much. :< "Country of opportunities" that is slowly diminishing. lol

Originally Posted by enc0re

Movies, TV shows, books, video games, software, pharmaceuticals, design, financial services, guns.

Originally Posted by 82mm 4g63

aircrafts, cars, machinery, semiconductors, food stuffs

Originally Posted by 1660

Corn, wood, rice, scrap metal, copper, blue fin tuna, yellow fin tuna, mackerel, salmon, salmon roe, king crab, gold, silver, aluminum.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by tranzformer

Hmmmmmm for me too. We know that the 2012 WRX/STI is unchanged, so the earliest is 2013 (release fall of 2012) for new model but the article hints at 2014 which would be a long time from now. Might be worth waiting a few months if the FT-86 comes out late spring/early summer and this came out in the fall of 2012. AWD would be nice, but will probably suffer a bit from oversteer unless Subaru has found away to fix that. But a 1.6L with 270hp sounds nice.

"Shirley" You mean understeer?

Originally Posted by Maxim

I've heard it was based on a chopped down impreza platform, a chopped down legacy platform, and a clean-sheet design. I'd lean towards Impreza platform because it's inexpensive and the smallest thing Subaru currently makes, so yes, the two cars will likely share some bits under the skin. Definitely separate models though.

Mostly I think they'll share basic suspension set-ups. Reportedly, a ton of work has been done in suspension tuning for the FT-86....looks like Subaru is thinking "yes we'll help you design your RWD sports car and produce it in our factory and sell a version of our own to keep the production line running at full capacity.....but in the mean-time, we're going to take your development money and all the work we put into this car for you, and apply it to our own AWD rape-machine. Thanks Toyota!"

To be fair, this new WRX isn't competition for the FT-86 and likely will not eat into it's sales. It's AWD, turbo, and probably 5-7k more expensive - not a fair comparison. But....well, I know that I would obtain more driving joy from Subaru's set-up than a slightly heavier hardtop Miata with 40 extra ponies. Both are easily within my price range.

If this thing actually turns out like Motortrend is claiming, I'll definitely give a friendly wave to any FT-86 drivers I see, since the existence of their car will have allowed the existence of mine!

Now I just have to work on not getting exploded.... T minus 48 hours till I'm on a flight to sunny Afghanistan!

Hmmm. I heard Toyota was looking to get back into rallying... I wonder if... nahhhhhh

p.s. Don't get blown up. Blown perhaps... blown up, no. Be safe.

Originally Posted by Aki

Speaking of iQ, my only fear with Scion is that they'd dump a whole bunch of features/options in the base FT86, thus driving up the base price. It's what they're doing with the Scion iQ, which is why it's at a very unappealing price point. I mean $16k for that car, gimme a break. Why would I spend $1500 more than that instead say a Mazda 2? I don't need Pandora internet radio.

If Scion pulls the same crap with FT86 that'd be really sad.

That's how scion operates. They come full featured, only option really is manual/auto. Everything else the offer are Accessories.

Anyway, if the iQ gets good enough mileage, you will see a ton in big cities. bank on it. I do agree it's quite "expensive" though. $13k would have been a more appealing price point for what is essentially a city car, and has not much else use.

[tranzformer]

Originally Posted by MatadorRacing_F1

"Shirley" You mean understeer?

Hahaha, yeah typo. Oops. :happy0180:

[tranzformer]

Originally Posted by nate89

Who are you trying to own?

[Aki]

Originally Posted by ToyotaObsession

Why would you spend $25K on one of those "Smart" cars that can only Seat 2 people and a Purse? Instead of 30 other Cars at that price point that offer a trunk and almost as good gas mileage.

As Maxim pointed out, people have asked the same question about the Smart cars... and stopped buying them. Smart cars are a failure from a sales perspective--they initially sold well due to the novelty factor, but have since languished.

Plus, I don't think the iQ has the novelty factor of a Smart. And if low price is supposed to be one of the selling points of a city car, then it doesn't make sense to hike up the price with options (ditto for the FT86). Would get a Mazda Demio/2 over the iQ any day of the week.

[ydooby]

Originally Posted by Aki

As Maxim pointed out, people have asked the same question about the Smart cars... and stopped buying them. Smart cars are a failure from a sales perspective--they initially sold well due to the novelty factor, but have since languished.

Plus, I don't think the iQ has the novelty factor of a Smart. And if low price is supposed to be one of the selling points of a city car, then it doesn't make sense to hike up the price with options (ditto for the FT86). Would get a Mazda Demio/2 over the iQ any day of the week.

The iQ is a groundbreaking car in its innovations in space efficiency, i.e. creating the most usable interior space from the extremely small exterior dimensions. It's expensive because it has to use many unique parts that are not shared with any other Toyota models. To compare it with the likes of the much larger Mazda2 is totally missing the point.

[Maxim]

Originally Posted by ydooby

The iQ is a groundbreaking car in its innovations in space efficiency, i.e. creating the most usable interior space from the extremely small exterior dimensions. It's expensive because it has to use many unique parts that are not shared with any other Toyota models. To compare it with the likes of the much larger Mazda2 is totally missing the point.

I don't know about that. I'm fairly certain that both jellybeans and golf carts have been in production for a pretty long time. Trying to sell their progeny as something new doesn't strike me as very deserving of money. Based on size, functionality, and safety, I'd be willing to pay, perhaps, $5k for it.

16k? I'll get a nice Fiesta and occasionally spend 2 extra minutes looking for a parking spot. I'll have plenty of minutes to spare, since I won't be dead.

[ydooby]

Originally Posted by Maxim

I don't know about that. I'm fairly certain that both jellybeans and golf carts have been in production for a pretty long time. Trying to sell their progeny as something new doesn't strike me as very deserving of money. Based on size, functionality, and safety, I'd be willing to pay, perhaps, $5k for it.

16k? I'll get a nice Fiesta and occasionally spend 2 extra minutes looking for a parking spot. I'll have plenty of minutes to spare, since I won't be dead.

Yeah I'm sure golf carts and jellybeans get 5-star EuroNCAP ratings too.

It looks like you have no idea to what extent Toyota goes in maximizing interior space of the iQ. Here's a good start:
http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyo...ress_release_1

[PAImportTuner]

Originally Posted by Maxim

I don't know about that. I'm fairly certain that both jellybeans and golf carts have been in production for a pretty long time. Trying to sell their progeny as something new doesn't strike me as very deserving of money. Based on size, functionality, and safety, I'd be willing to pay, perhaps, $5k for it.

16k? I'll get a nice Fiesta and occasionally spend 2 extra minutes looking for a parking spot. I'll have plenty of minutes to spare, since I won't be dead.

That's right, for 16k You have Fit, Fiesta, Mazda 2 and Fiat 500.. I'd take all of those over a Smartcar or IQ.

[ydooby]

Originally Posted by PAImportTuner

That's right, for 16k You have Fit, Fiesta, Mazda 2 and Fiat 500.. I'd take all of those over a Smartcar or IQ.

Says an American who barely ever needed parallel parking.

In many European and Japanese cities the prospect of being able to fit into a slot like pictured above AND carry 3+1 people when needed is valuable enough for many to get it over the other cheap subcompacts.

The iQ will be a small volume vehicle in North America mostly only for people who want to make a fashion statement anyway so the higher level of standard equipment and starting price will not be a concern. It's going to increase Scion's "hip" factor, but it's not expected to bring Scion much sales. It wasn't made for America in the first place.

[tranzformer]

Originally Posted by ydooby

The iQ will be a small volume vehicle in North America mostly only for people who want to make a fashion statement anyway so the higher level of standard equipment and starting price will not be a concern. It's going to increase Scion's "hip" factor, but it's not expected to bring Scion much sales. It wasn't made for America in the first place.

If they wanted to make a hip statement they would buy a Smart car. Oh wait, how long did that last again? This is going to follow the same fate. Why would someone spend $16k for a tiny Scion? If they are well off and want to make a statement they would buy a Tesla Roadster or a Fisker Karma. Your average person doesn't buy a small car like this in the USA. The sales record of Smart cars speaks to that. What makes you think the iQ will be any different?

[PAImportTuner]

Anyone know the sales # for a Nissan Cube?

edit** I'd rock this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Martin_Cygnet

[tranzformer]

Originally Posted by PAImportTuner

Anyone know the sales # for a Nissan Cube?

A quick search online only found this data from 2009 comparing it to the Kia Soul:

http://www.zimbio.com/Car+news/artic...SSAN+CUBE+OVER