Scion introduced its top selling tC back in 2004, as a 2005 model, and it was an immediate success. However, the typical life cycle of a car model is between 4-5 years. It is now 2010, so depending on your math, the tC’s replacement is about 1-2 years late… and quite honestly, the current tC is a bit long in the tooth.
The younger buyer that Scion is pursuing doesn’t like having outdated products. The strange thing is that Scion introduced the FUSE concept (above), back in 2006, with intentions of replacing the 2 year old tC with it. This market segment of buyers likes having new things, such as annual ritual of purchasing new iPods/iPhones. So, needless to say that 6 years in this segment is an eternity.
Also, sitting still this long hasn’t helped the image of the Scion brand, or sales for that matter, and it has opened up opportunities for other companies to get in and directly compete – the Kia Forte Koup!
Well, enough of digression…
What you see above and below is the new 2011 Scion tC, it will be available at your local Scion ‘retail centers’ in fall of this year. It will be powered by a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder engine (Camry/Rav4) producing 180HP (an increase of 19HP over the first generation) mated to either 6 speed manual transmission or 6 speed automatic. Other upgrades include 18″ alloy wheels, 16″ brakes (I think this may be a typo), and a longer cabin. Mechanically, the second generation tC is a big improvement over the current model.
Styling wise, it’s up to your own interpretation… however, the Five Axis model (the two photos above – red color) is HOT!
- KF
