 2013 Scion FR-S. Click image to enlarge |
| Manufacturer’s web site Scion Canada |
You may have heard about the Toyota-Subaru collaboration that’s bearing fruit in the form of a slick, two-seater coupe. Subaru’s version is the BRZ, and Toyota’s is being released under their Scion brand as the FR-S.
It makes sense. Scion is targeted to a younger demographic, it wants a “halo” type vehicle to represent the brand’s character, and the FR-S broadens the model line-up to include a high performance rear-wheel drive coupe that is something of a return to minimalist fun.
The concept version of the FR-S was unveiled in 2011 at the New York Auto Show, and this year’s Detroit Auto Show saw the production version revealed.
FR-S, by the way, stands for Front engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport; and the vehicle was inspired by the AE86 generation of the Toyota Corolla, better known to enthusiasts as the Hachi-Roku, or “8-6″ in Japanese. These cars were available in North America in the mid-1980s as the DX, SR5 and GT-S, and are notable for their rear-wheel drive platform, light weight, and motorsports history.
 2013 Scion FR-S. Click image to enlarge |
The Scion FR-S won’t cost that much (high 20s, according to one Toyota executive), and it’s expected mid-year as a 2013 model.
Powered with a Subaru-engineered, direct-injected, 2.0-litre flat-four cylinder engine making 200-horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 151 pound-feet of torque at 6,600 rpm, the FR-S features a low centre of gravity, short wheelbase, and rides on 215/45R/17-inch tires. A choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters will be offered.
 2013 Scion FR-S. Click image to enlarge |
Inside, the car features low-mounted seats, and a large, centre-mounted tachometer. The 2+2 configuration permits the rear seats to be folded, producing a cargo area, “large enough to transport a full set of race tires for a fun day at the track,” said Scion Vice President Jack Hollis at the vehicle’s Detroit launch. The notion that some buyers can and will use the FR-S for recreational or competitive track activity implies that this vehicle will deliver straight from the showroom floor. The FR-S is balanced 53:47, front-to-rear.
The drivetrain is Subaru’s area, but Scion is responsible for the styling, which harkens way back to the iconic Toyota 2000GT (one of the James Bonds drove a 2000GT in the 1967 movie, “You Only Live Twice”). The FR-S also recalls the flat-two cylinder Toyota Sports 800 which was Toyota’s first production sports car, so there is Toyota history in the use of a “flat” engine in one of its current vehicles.
 2013 Scion FR-S. Click image to enlarge |
Also present at the Scion FR-S launch was Scion Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada, who introduced the Scion Racing/GReddy Performance FR-S built to compete in the 2012 Formula Drift season. With 600 hp and over 500 lb.-ft torque, this is one formidable Scion.
The production FR-S is also the first Scion to offer the company’s “next generation connected infotainment system” called BeSpoke, powered by Pioneer’s Zypr technology.
All in all, the Scion FR-S is an interesting development (departure…) for Scion, and one that should generate more attention for the brand in Canada.
 2013 Scion FR-S. Click image to enlarge |
However, now I’m thinking that Toyota (Scion, actually) ends up with a very cool car and acquires some real performance credibility while Subaru is taking something of a risk by abandoning its “exclusively all-wheel drive” commitment. After all, Subaru has spent going-on 20 years identifying itself as the all-wheel drive company, and here’s a significant departure for them.
In other words, Subaru may have to explain itself, whereas a sporty rear-wheel drive Scion just hits the track and goes.
