The First Scion Convertible?

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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?

Why is the Scion FR-S a Big Deal?

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Whether you're a car enthusiast or know practically nothing about them, you should be excited for Toyota and Subaru's upcoming joint project. In Japan, it's being called the Toyota GT-86. To Subaru, it's the BRZ. Here in the states, it's the Scion FR-S, which stands for

F ront engine

R ear wheel drive

S ports car

The reason this car is so significant is because the FR-S is Toyota's long awaited return to producing an authentic sports car, one that enthusiasts, racing fans, and just about everyone can enjoy. This is the kind of car that doesn't come around often. It's a rare combination of artistry and engineering that turns heads and gets people to go, "Wow, that's nice."

If you look back at history, Toyota has had a long reputation of cars similar to the FR-S, and has also been heavily involved in the racing scene, taking part in well known events such as the World Rally Championship and the Formula 1. Over the years, they developed some well loved and respected vehicles, most notably, the Toyota Supra and the 2000GT (fun fact- the 2000GT was the first car produced to break 13 world speed records, and it was featured in the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice"!)

Sadly, the 2000GT was only made until 1970, and the Supra stopped being produced in 2002. That means it has been a decade since Toyota has offered a legitimate sports car to its customers! By drawing inspiration from both vehicles, the FR-S is built to be a mean machine on a mission: to bring back the excitement and joy of driving a car with exceptional performance and handling.
Now, if that's not enough reason to get you jonesin' to test drive one, how about this? The CEO of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, personally drove the FR-S himself  and gave direct feedback (and plenty of criticism) to Toyota engineers to ensure the vehicle was up to his very high standards. Or as he put it, a car "built by passion, not committee". Take a look at the video below and see for yourself- that is one boss who is not afraid to jump into dirt and snow for his love of cars!

The FR-S packs 200 horsepower into a lightweight package, topping the scales at just 2,758 pounds. When a car's weight is lowered, handling and turning is noticeably different and responsive than a typical 3400-3800 pound sports sedan. For a better comparison, imagine taking a jog. Now imagine if you weighed several hundred more pounds and tried to complete that same jog. Besides losing your breath much more quickly, you'll also notice how much more difficult it can be to dance around and act deftly. Fortunately, the Scion FR-S is the kid in gym class that got the President's Award and always finished the mile run in great time.

To add icing onto the cake, Toyota's newest creation gets surprisingly great mileage- ever seen a sports car get 30+ miles to the gallon? The FR-S is rated at 22 city, 30 highway for the six speed manual transmission and 25 city, 34 highway for the automatic. 

What aspect of the FR-S excites you the most? For full specs, visit the Scion FR-S webpage.