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Turbo and Convertible Scion FR-S Models Killed
Toyota has become such a horrible tease. Only a few years ago, the company pretty much only produced boring vehicles like the Camry. Then it finally started breaking out of the mundane mold and created the Scion FR-S. News of an all-new Supra has been circulating, as well as rumors of the MR2’s return. Then Scion teased everyone with convertible and turbo models of the FR-S before announcing that the lovely cars will not, in fact, make it to production.
Why torture everyone, Toyota?
Just about every automotive enthusiast on the planet has acknowledged at one point or another that the Scion FR-S (known as the Toyota 86 or GT86 elsewhere) and Subaru BRZ are severely lacking in one crucial area: engine output. Forced induction, whether it be from a turbo or supercharger would easily alleviate that problem without wrecking the incredible handling dynamics of the cars.
It’s not the first time that Toyota has dismissed growing rumors that a turbo version of the FR-S was in the works. Why exactly such a car isn’t of interest to the company isn’t entirely clear, but many are still speculating on the motivations behind it. Of course, Subaru could still create and release the much-rumored BRZ STI, helping set the model apart from its twin in a big way. While such a possibility sounds great, in reality the move might not justify the expense of developing and marketing the car to consumers.
As for the convertible version of the FR-S, apparently Scion tried to push Toyota for just such a thing. When the parent company said it couldn’t find other markets in the world that would want such a thing, (which seems hard to believe) the idea was officially killed.
Sales of the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ are on the decline, which is predictable considering how long the models have been on the market. While it might seem that chopping the top and adding a snail under the hood would help provide sales with a much-needed boost, the powers that be see things otherwise.
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