Toyota to scrap Scion brand, but FR-S will become a Toyota!

[Hachiroku]

Official press release:

TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 3, 2016 – Scion, established as a separate brand in 2003 as a laboratory to explore new products and processes to attract youth customers, is now transitioning back to the Toyota brand. Scion achieved its goals of developing unique products and processes, and bringing in new, younger customers to Toyota. With more than a million cars sold, 70 percent of Scions were purchased by customers new to Toyota and 50 percent were under 35 years old.

“This isn’t a step backward for Scion; it’s a leap forward for Toyota. Scion has allowed us to fast track ideas that would have been challenging to test through the Toyota network,” said Jim Lentz, founding vice president of Scion and now CEO, Toyota Motor North America. “I was there when we established Scion and our goal was to make Toyota and our dealers stronger by learning how to better attract and engage young customers. I’m very proud because that’s exactly what we have accomplished.

“We could not have achieved the success we have had without the incredible support of Scion’s customers, dealers and team members, so supporting them throughout this transition process will be one of our top priorities,” said Lentz.

Toyota’s decision was made in response to customers’ needs. Today’s younger buyers still want fun-to-drive vehicles that look good, but they are also more practical. They, like their parents, have come to appreciate the Toyota brand and its traditional attributes of quality, dependability and reliability. At the same time, new Toyota vehicles have evolved to feature the dynamic styling and handling young people desire.

Scion has consistently been the youngest brand in the auto industry with an average age of 36 years old. At 29, the tC sports coupe has the lowest-average age buyer in the industry. The most recent additions to the line-up, the iA sedan and iM 5-door hatchback, are bringing in new buyers with 70 percent being first-time new car purchasers. Additionally, more than 50 percent of iM and iA buyers are under 35 years old.

As part of the brand transition, beginning in August 2016, MY17 Scion vehicles will be rebadged as Toyotas. The FR-S sports car, iA sedan and iM 5-door hatchback will become part of the Toyota family. The tC sports coupe will have a final release series edition and end production in August 2016. The C-HR, which recently debuted at the L.A. Auto Show, will be a part of the Toyota line-up.

The service and repair process for Scion customers will be unaffected by this change as customers will continue to visit Toyota dealerships’ service departments.

“We appreciate our 1,004 Scion dealers and the support they’ve given the brand,” said Bob Carter, Toyota senior vice president of automotive operations. “We believe our dealers have gained valuable insights and have received a strong return on their investment. During this time of transition, we will work closely with them to support this process and help communicate this change to customers.”

Scion’s 22 dedicated team members, who represent sales, marketing, distribution, strategy, and product and accessories planning, will have the opportunity to take on new jobs at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. in Torrance. Scion regional representatives will assume different responsibilities in their respective Toyota sales offices.

“Scion has had some amazing products over the years and our current vehicles are packed with premium features at value prices,” said Andrew Gilleland, Scion vice president. “It’s been a great run and I’m proud that the spirit of Scion will live on through the knowledge and products soon to be available through the Toyota network.”

Scion Accomplishments:

Scion Processes - Scion served as a laboratory for products and key sales and marketing processes that have provided valuable lessons for other Toyota brands:
Pure Pricing – dealers set a price for a car and customers did not need to negotiate
Mono-Spec cars – providing cars with only two options: transmission and color
Personalization – offering a large array of accessories to help customers customize their vehicles
Pure Process – transparent financing process
Pure Process Plus – an online system so much of the car-purchase process could be completed online
Scion Service Boost – pre-paid maintenance plan
Release Series – dynamic life cycle management through special features and options
Grassroots marketing – initial Scion brand was “discovered” by customers through unique events

Scion Products -- Scion has had some outstanding products that have made an impact in the industry including the original “box,” the xB and the FR-S affordable sports car. The tC sports coupe has consistently attracted the youngest buyer in the industry.

Scion Executives -- Scion served as an important training ground for Toyota vice presidents, many of whom have been promoted to other roles:
Jim Lentz -- Chief Executive Officer, Toyota Motor North America
Mark Templin – Managing Officer, Toyota Motor Corporation, Executive Vice President, Lexus International
Jack Hollis – Group Vice President, Toyota Marketing
Doug Murtha – Group Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Planning, Toyota Motor North America
Andrew Gilleland – current Vice President, Scion

[jawn]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDKO6XYXioc"]Boyz II Men - End Of The Road - YouTube[/ame]

[clbembry]

http://pressroom.scion.com/

[Summerwolf]

Maybe they will just let the GT86 be brought over with different trim levels and let it be what it should be.


Then again, probably not.

[Mr.Impreza]

Thank god, about time. Now people will stop asking me of my 86 is some special editon from Toyota lol.


So I wonder, will it be marketed as the gt86 or just 86? Or they could pull off a Toyota FRS lol


Also will the trim now be upgraded to European spec?

[extrashaky]

I'm not sad at all. I hate Scion. Good riddance. The FR-S should have been a Toyota all along.

[funwheeldrive]

It will be soooo much easier getting an 86 airbag now...

I'm keeping my Scion badges though. I have nothing to be ashamed of.

[PNW FRS]

Won't it be a hoot if in 20+ years... a 100% stock OEM FR-S is "collectible" and worth some $$? Glad I kept all my OEM parts!

[chulooz]

Another forgettable marque that wont be missed.

Theyll be as collectible as saturns

[CokeSlap]

Drat beat me to the post!

Though here is another little read.

http://www.motortrend.com/news/break...brand-the-axe/

[PresiO.]

They are just rebadging the frs to toyota.. SO EVERYBODY PUT YOUR SCION BADGES BACK ON. were rare. haha

[gymratter]

Yay, now everyone that was whining about "clickbait" this and that can STFU.

[KR-S]

Shocking. I'm serious.

So does this make trading for a 2017 MY all the more worthwhile since it comes factory with Toyota badges?

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by PNW FRS

Won't it be a hoot if in 20+ years... a 100% stock OEM FR-S is "collectible" and worth some $$? Glad I kept all my OEM parts!

It won't happen. There are precedents. The MG Midget and the Austin Healey Sprite were basically the same car with minor differences. The Sprite was discontinued long before the Midget and is much harder to find, but it's not really worth any more money.

The way it gets to be a rare collector car is if there's some special feature on the car that goes away. The Toyota version will be identical to the Scion version with the exception of the badges. So forget it.