Should Toyota's version of the FT-86 be badged a Toyota or Scion in North America?

[Dark]

Originally Posted by Toyota4Life

Toyota has an even more vested interest to call this car Celica than they realize. Toyota has been touting their reputation, quality rankings, etc. the past year after all these dumb recalls and SUA fiasco and have been advertising their sterling past to combat their not so rosy image lately. Reviving one of their past names from their glory days, especially at this juncture, is an insanely smart move.

First off, welcome. Honestly, you use my previous forum name and every single number/word is alike.

I know you want it to be a Celica, but I think it has a very slim chance to happen. Toyota showed the poster of sportcar heritage includes Supra MK4, Celica (all trac?), AE86 Levin and FT-86. I think they show a clue of a new born name. I could be wrong tho.

[OldSkoolToys]

Originally Posted by MatadorRacing_F1

Regardless of the fact that the AE86 Corolla GT-S inspired this car, It isn't a corolla, it's not designed to be.

Never said it needed to be called a Corolla. Infact I would cringe hard on that, because Corolla's aren't even a shadow of their former selves. Ironically, the AE86 was a 'Corolla' by chassis designation; thats designation, not the -same- chassis. They shared nothing else, of importance, with the normal econobox Corollas, other than that "E" in their chassis code. The Sprinter Trueno / Levin series were a completely different car. Your take is as good as mine as to why they were always just branded Corolla's over here in America, instead of something else that would've made it known as the mini-Celica, or something. Levin would've been just fine.

This is a new Toyota sports car, a re-awakening so to speak, made to stoke the fire and invigorate passion.

Indeed, and such a car is deserving of a fresh start and a fresh name, not reinvent the image of a car who's legacy crashed into the dark side of the moon in a blaze of non-glory.

[Zenrael]

The AE86 was a Toyota. I would like this younger brother to be the same.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by OldSkoolToys

Never said it needed to be called a Corolla. Infact I would cringe hard on that, because Corolla's aren't even a shadow of their former selves. Ironically, the AE86 was a 'Corolla' by chassis designation; thats designation, not the -same- chassis. They shared nothing else, of importance, with the normal econobox Corollas, other than that "E" in their chassis code. The Sprinter Trueno / Levin series were a completely different car. Your take is as good as mine as to why they were always just branded Corolla's over here in America, instead of something else that would've made it known as the mini-Celica, or something. Levin would've been just fine.
Indeed, and such a car is deserving of a fresh start and a fresh name, not reinvent the image of a car who's legacy crashed into the dark side of the moon in a blaze of non-glory.

I have seen my fair share of E86 Shitbox corollas with carbed piss poor engines, and nary a shred of perfromance hardware in sight apart from the basic chassis. However, yes, the Trueno/Levin could almost be it's own line of car, even after they became FF.

[Riden86]

I think Scion tC was Celica successor, and LFA be badge as Lexus, so this new sport car should be badge as Toyota Supra. This name is awesome.

[Dark]

Originally Posted by Riden86

I think Scion tC was Celica successor, and LFA be badge as Lexus, so this new sport car should be badge as Toyota Supra. This name is awesome.

No I6, No Supra revival.

[OldSkoolToys]

Originally Posted by MatadorRacing_F1

I have seen my fair share of E86 Shitbox corollas with carbed piss poor engines, and nary a shred of perfromance hardware in sight apart from the basic chassis. However, yes, the Trueno/Levin could almost be it's own line of car, even after they became FF.

Not almost; it is.

And you're talking about the SR-5 trimmed AE86's. In japan, and other countries, the "shitbox" non-performance AE's came in AE85 chassis', which were even less solid and sturdy chassis' (if thats even POSSIBLE, lol), as they came without certain reinforcements in key stress areas.

The reason the SR-5 trim is put on an AE86....twofold probably:
1) Save money by standardizing the chassis over here.
2) Safety, the AE86 chassis was more sturdy than the AE85.

You will not find many, very few, similarities between a real Corolla, say the AE82, and the Sprinter/Levin AE86's.

It should also be noted that in Japan its not "Toyota Corolla Sprinter Trueno", its just "Toyota Sprinter Trueno", only the Levin was branded underneath Corolla.

[Aki]

Originally Posted by 70NYD

Aki plot the sales on a chart for the years and tell me when the line hits zero. Wanna talk marketing, there is the basics

Again, same thing could be said for the Toyota Celica. From 52k annual sales to 4k, it pretty much already hit zero.

Being badged as a Scion is actually good for people who want to buy it at launch. The zero price haggling means you wouldn't content with obscene mark-up as you'd do in a normal Toyota dealership. That said, they won't get marked up after 6 mos to a year so it's not that big of an advantage.

[NESW20]

i got my truck for under sticker when it was still really new, and also motor trend's truck of the year. i also made the dealer go get it for me (wasn't on their lot), and it's an 06 that i purchased in 2005.

it can be done. if there is some silly markup, i'll just wait. i'm not hurting for a car.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by OldSkoolToys

Not almost; it is.

And you're talking about the SR-5 trimmed AE86's. In japan, and other countries, the "shitbox" non-performance AE's came in AE85 chassis', which were even less solid and sturdy chassis' (if thats even POSSIBLE, lol), as they came without certain reinforcements in key stress areas.

The reason the SR-5 trim is put on an AE86....twofold probably:
1) Save money by standardizing the chassis over here.
2) Safety, the AE86 chassis was more sturdy than the AE85.

You will not find many, very few, similarities between a real Corolla, say the AE82, and the Sprinter/Levin AE86's.

It should also be noted that in Japan its not "Toyota Corolla Sprinter Trueno", its just "Toyota Sprinter Trueno", only the Levin was branded underneath Corolla.

I full well know this. 95% of the cars where I'm from are JDM.

[1GoZoom]

Hear me out on this. Toyota has built brand recognition around the FF Hybrid Synergy cars and the comfortably beige sedans it builds. They want to keep that, and I agree. Scion is a sport brand, much like Lexus (ick) is a semi-luxury brand. Bring it over to Scion to keep them alive. It will compliment the TC well. Name it the Celica or FT-86 or FR4 in the spirit of the MR2. But positioning it in the Scion category would work well for it. May kill resale value, but that's not the point of the car anyway.

[Toyota4Life]

Originally Posted by 1GoZoom

Hear me out on this. Toyota has built brand recognition around the FF Hybrid Synergy cars and the comfortably beige sedans it builds. They want to keep that, and I agree. Scion is a sport brand, much like Lexus (ick) is a semi-luxury brand. Bring it over to Scion to keep them alive. It will compliment the TC well. Name it the Celica or FT-86 or FR4 in the spirit of the MR2. But positioning it in the Scion category would work well for it. May kill resale value, but that's not the point of the car anyway.

Just because Toyota sells hybrids doesn't mean they can't sell sports cars. Last time I checked, the Supra, Celica, and MR2 pre-date the Prius. Infact, other than the Camry and 4Runner for the MR2 and the Land Cruiser and Corolla for all 3, all 3 sports cars pre-date the ENTIRE Toyota lineup at present.

If they badge this car a Scion, and further add insult to injury by naming it Celica when that name is a TOYOTA name, I will seriously drive to Torrance and bitch slap someone. Toyota can suck a fat one.

[Zenrael]

I'd prefer this car to be a Toyota. But I really don't give a hoot.

[cyde01]

scion celica? nah... -_-

if it's a scion i'd almost rather see an alphanumeric name.