Why Scion FR-S Sales Have Plunged

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Atticus808

better still be around when i buy it in the summer of 2016
or i'd be really mad, and they wouldn't give a shit what i think anyway lol

They'll still be around, just might not be new...

Actually, I doubt they would drop it that fast, but you never know.

[gzpermadi]

This car also in jalop article: the ten best cars no one is buying.

I believe Toyota already predicted this. 86 is just a symbol car that they put in big poster in dealers so the majority of buyer will feel sporty when coming there to buy the Corolla. Brand association.

Most of the enthusiasts who understands this car already has one, while the rest is never going to buy a new car.

While for the majority of the average buyer who has the money to buy a new (sports) car will not like this car: slow auto, cheap interior, cramped rear seats, and the fact you have to rev the car so high.

[gzpermadi]

Also I hope that they discontinue this car in 2017, so at least we can recover the purchase price from the exclusivity. LOL.

[mav1178]

seriously, why do people not put this into context?

Obviously quoting internet sources here, but I have the benefit of hindsight and 20 years of following various sports cars/coupes on the market.

Acura RSX: 20% YoY drop for 2nd year.
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2013/06...sa-canada.html

Mitsubishi Lancer (entire line):
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html

Nissan 350/370Z: first year was a mid-model year introduction, hence the sales "jump"
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html

Honda S2000:
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2013/06...sa-canada.html

I can spend all day quoting various links of sales figures, but the bottom line is a 20% drop YoY for the 2nd year of a niche sports car is OLD NEWS.

-alex

[Celadrielas]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

That title says it all. It's just typical of a niche product. I would find it odd if sales didn't decline by year 3.

More interesting to me is the media's fixation on the FR-S/BRZ. There were a lot of cars with significantly worse sales than the Twins, like the 370z, S2000, RX8, NC Miata, etc. Why the focus on the Twins?

As you've indicated, the title says it all. To respond to your closing question, however, the Miata has decades of history. The S2000 has 15 years of following. The Rx8 is around 15 years. Ect. The reason our twins are picked on is because we're the new kids on a block full of seasoned vets and old timers. There are vehicles that are still selling BECAUSE they are so niche in heritage (Let's look to vehicles not imported to US like the Camero). These, for some, are an icon piece of days gone by when cars weren't nimble, but raw. Driven one quarter mile at a time. These types of vehicle ideals, while different from our vehicle's drive to be light-weight and nimble, were and are still fun in their own regards.

Stock for Stock, it is easy to see that everyone buys a vehicle for a different reason, and "Fun" can be explained in many terms.

Originally Posted by Defuser

Good article. The comments section is more of the same, "needs more power" crap. I still wonder exactly who drives over 80-90 mph on a regular basis (track peeps aside). I log over 500 miles per week, and never see anyone doing 100 mph, or blasting off when the light turns green, hitting 60mph in under 4 seconds.

I will leave the massive horsepower numbers to the same guys comparing penis lengths in the locker room, whilst I am lifting weights (nohomo) and people with deep pockets and questionable priorities.

I guess you can call me a niche buyer.

Post written with potato, apologies in advance!

You make it sound as everyone in this comments thread are sitting here, **** in hand, talking about how once upon a time we had 300 horses under our hoods. Let me explain my position. I want an OFT to fix the power band. Why? Sure the power is nice, but the fact that my power curve competes with the amazing grand canyon here in the state I live in, I don't need to cruise in a valley to save gas. I have pedal control for that. Show me an OFT that makes a beautiful and smooth curve that offers little to no torque or horsepower gain, and I will show you a man proud to use it.

But those last two words are important too... "use it". I drive my car. It's my daily driver, my weekend warrior, my wife's bragging rights to the other girls at work. Between my wife and I, we've been sideways on black ice, in rain, in dirt, and yet we are rarely ever driving like an idiot. Do I wish I was faster than a prius off the line? Sure. Do I care that I am not? Well, not really. No. Because I, like so many others here, bought our vehicles for the same reason you may have. We saw a concept drawing 7-8 years ago. This drawing picked up traction and became an idea. This idea became research. Research became clay molds. clay molds became proto-types, and proto-types became what we drive today.

So I'll get off my soap box here, but I'm sick of people picking up flak for wanting to add power or take away power, stance or rally-out their vehicles, or just be themselves. We are a community that has grown on individuality and bold moves. If Johnny Two-****s wants to add 400hp / 300tq to his car and wrap it around a telephone pole, that's his business. But he'd better learn something from the mistake and try not to take anyone else with him when he does it.

[funwheeldrive]

Like people have said,these declining numbers arnt surprising. It will be interesting to see if Toyota decides to update the car or just lets it die.

[torqdork]

We're an unconventional few here in a world surrounded by mediocrity, so the FR-S's appeal is appreciated more and any suggestion of declining sales leading to dropping the model isn't good news.

The reality is that of all the dozens of models of cars, trucks and SUV's Toyota produced over the past 60 years, only three names still exist.

I'm just grateful that Toyoda-san committed to this project over the objections of the bean counters, but with his last name he has final say.

I hope they're making a reasonable ROI on these cars, enough to justify a Gen. II, but if not it's been a breakthrough car running against the tide of millions of Corollas that please the boardroom, not most of us.

Still hopeful their FR-S experience will grease approval of FT-1. They'll have a bank of 25,000+ happy FR-S owners ready to trade up if they haven't bought a Corvette or Mustang already.

[beatgenie]

Originally Posted by headlikeahole

Anyone could have predicted this. As a handling enthusiasts car, the fr-s is amazing. For average Joe, the fr-s is a terrible car.

If you're the type of person who doesnt care if their car is fwd or rwd, you would never buy an fr-s. If Toyota really thought they would appeal to that market then they are way off the mark.

I can't really agree with that. To be honest I never knew the difference between a FWD and a RWD until I bought the FR-S. I feel as though I fall under the "average joe" category more so than the "handling enthusiast".

IMO, the reason sales are plunging is because this car is almost 30k+ for most people, and if you're trying to target the youth niche--most don't have 30k+ to spend on a car.

If they sold it as a barebones for 18-22k, I think sales would be much, much better.

[tahdizzle]

Please, please let the twins just be a "look what we did!" car.

[pinski]

This always happens with almost any vehicle, but is certainly more pronounced with a niche vehicle like the twins. Sales invariably start out strong and then wain as time progresses and the market is filled. Other products arise (Miata ND, new Mustang, etc) that poach sales and the product becomes old. That's why many manufacturers release special or performance editions later on - to inject some life into an aging product. This is why I held out hope that we may be able to see a turbo/performance variant instead of the special editions we've gotten that are little more than appearance packages.

I'm starting to believe that this will be the only generation of the twins and part of me isn't that sad, since I already have mine. We have a great community that will continue on even if the cars do not. As the twins get older and worn out, we'll see many converted into track cars like old Miatas, and that makes me smile. Pristine examples may be lusted after, or may be forgotten. I would think that enthusiasts would hold a place in their heart for cars like these that took a chance at filling a small niche at an affordable pricepoint.

[Atticus808]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

They'll still be around, just might not be new...

Actually, I doubt they would drop it that fast, but you never know.

i'll be buying new so i just hope they still take orders at that time.
been wanting this car since it came out, but i just bought a house and am getting married in November.
After that, i'll be buying!

doubt there will be a new $30 000 car like this for awhile

[Rabbit of Caerbonnog]

Originally Posted by Celadrielas

So I'll get off my soap box here, but I'm sick of people picking up flak for wanting to add power or take away power, stance or rally-out their vehicles, or just be themselves. We are a community that has grown on individuality and bold moves. If Johnny Two-****s wants to add 400hp / 300tq to his car and wrap it around a telephone pole, that's his business. But he'd better learn something from the mistake and try not to take anyone else with him when he does it.

No truer words have been spoken. I've always been a proponent to the phrase 'To each their own'. Glad to see some rational and moderate minds and not extremes on forums.

[tahdizzle]

Originally Posted by beatgenie

I can't really agree with that. To be honest I never knew the difference between a FWD and a RWD until I bought the FR-S. I feel as though I fall under the "average joe" category more so than the "handling enthusiast".

IMO, the reason sales are plunging is because this car is almost 30k+ for most people, and if you're trying to target the youth niche--most don't have 30k+ to spend on a car.

If they sold it as a barebones for 18-22k, I think sales would be much, much better.

I have no idea how you could get any more "bare bones" than what a base FRS already is.

Scion has "tuner editions", which are "Bare bones" (Steelies, no sun roof, etc). and It really only dropped MSRP by like 1500 bucks.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by funwheeldrive

Like people have said,these declining numbers arnt surprising. It will be interesting to see if Toyota decides to update the car or just lets it die.

Said it a hundred times already but here I go again!
If they are going to "let it die" it was already in the business plan. The same as if they keep it around.
This is not a "normal" production car that they will try to save or let go based on sales. They planned the life span of these cars before the first one ever hit the road and it would take massive shifts in numbers (either up or down) to make them change that plan.