Friday, November 30, 2012

The First Scion Convertible?

Scion FR-S convertible, Toyota GT86 convertible

The Scion brand has come a long way. With roots going back to 2002, the brand aimed at Gen Y car buyers initially began with two models, the xA hatchback and xB wagon. Since then, they've evolved in all sorts of directions, adding a micro city car, the iQ, as well as several sportier vehicles, such as the tC and the rear-wheel drive FR-S.

All this time however, Scion and Toyota owners have been wondering, "Where are the convertibles?" Interestingly enough, the last time you could buy a brand new one was with the 2009 Toyota Camry Solara.

Despite rumors that have been circulating all year, it looks like Toyota is finally ready to break the mystery and tell us what we've all been waiting for: a convertible is in the works! And to make the news even sweeter, they've decided to give the convertible treatment to the Scion FR-S, which, in my opinion, is the best candidate among Toyota and Scion's arsenal. Nothing against the Camry Solara, it's just the FR-S is a much sportier drive, and one that is definitely suited for cruising around with the top down.

If you recall awhile back, I posted about the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, which focused mainly on hybrid and alternative energy vehicles. While I'm sure they will likely be showing us updates from last year, Toyota also plans to unveil the convertible version of the FR-S (known as the GT86 abroad) for Geneva next year. Instead of a usual hard top, the FR-S will be getting a fabric soft top in order to keep the weight of the vehicle down. This way, it will still get the same amazing handling and performance as a regular FR-S. To accommodate the new fabric soft top, the tiny backseats will be removed entirely, making the convertible FR-S a true 2-seater sports car.

While no official American release date has been made for the convertible Scion FR-S, it is rumored that we could see one by 2014. Are you excited to finally see a convertible being offered by Toyota/Scion?



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