Tucked away in the darkened Scion section at the 2014 New York Auto Show, the 2015 Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0 may light up the room with its bright yellow paint, but the owner will still have to be the one to make it light up its tires.
The Release Series 1.0 — limited to 1,500 examples — comes with a number of Toyota Racing Development enhancements, such as a new aero kit, lowered springs, the aforementioned yellow “Yuzu” paint, and a quad-tip exhaust. However, the song remains the same under the hood: a 2-liter flat-four pushing 200 horses and 151 lb-ft of torque to the back through either a six-speed auto or manual.
Price of admission for the the limited edition series will be around $30,000.
Ooooooooooooooooooooo…yellow paint and plastic added to the lower bits of the car and four exhaust tips – for show.
*sigh*
So much promise – being executed rather badly.
Paint and tape jobs: still keeping marketing drones busy after all these years.
I have to assume that the “TRD” placement on the rear end was intentional. Smooth move, Toyota!
Well, that must have been an easier fit than DNGLBRRY. Haha
I whike me woo fender bits. I’m on woo ninja feel of caa.
… must resist urge to replace missing U in TRD
A friend of mine (die-hard buy American) used to walk up to people with Tacoma TRDs and ask them: “How do you like your turd.”
Pretty much captures the intellect of people that buy UAW products because of their patriotism.
How about a f*cking street-legal supercharger that won’t void the warranty? I would think more people are asking for that than additional exhaust tips, but I must not know their market.
I’m pretty sure there’s some law (though I can’t remember which one) that keeps automakers from voiding someone’s warranty in this case unless the company or its representatives can *prove* that the modification, addition or retrofit has caused a problem.
Magnuson-Moss. A supercharger wouldn’t void the warranty for your windshield wipers, for example, but anything related to the drivetrain would be on your dime.
The mere presence of modifications doesn’t specifically void the warranty. If we find out the modifications, and we know all, the warranty will get restricted. Meaning, anything related to the area of modified will be closely scrutinized.
In the case of the supercharger, that doesn’t even necessarily void your engine warranty. Although if something goes wrong and it can be attributed to the supercharger, that failure isn’t covered. You can bet it will be attributed to the supercharger.
As I said on Autoblog today, Porsche is raking in record profits, in part by selling a whole range of performance options.
But Toyota just won’t do it. I realize the markets are different, but there are some of us who will pay for a GT86 GT3. And we shouldn’t have to wait years for it.
I’m ready to buy a used 911 or Cayman at this point.
It must look really hot next to the iQ.
Speaking of which, have they tested the IQ of their product planners?
That reminds me, first time I went to see the FR-S, it was actually parked adjacent to an iQ. Of course, that car came up in conversation and I took a look, but then I gave the top of the car a gentle push and was told something to the effect of “How about we don’t do that, OK?”
I bet for an adrenaline rush, that car in a strong crosswind is better than skydiving.
It’s actually fine. iQ is basically Smart ForTwo only done right. Watch spec racing of Smarts to see what it’s like. My only beef with iQ is its unnecessarily limited headroom.
Is there a press release?
This is pretty lame. If they had brought over the tS, I would have bought one and happily slapped a supercharger on it. Now I am looking at other cars.
Edit: press release here: http://pressroom.scion.com/releases/scion+heritage+inspires+first+frs+release+series.htm
Offer the same package on the Rav4 and you won’t be able to keep them on the lot.
Last week I looked in the the local Toyota dealership and saw a GT86 in black, apparently a “special edition” model. In the way the Germans love you can add option after option after option (Alcantara seats, TRD billet bits etc). As it stood (same engine and pretty much the same blah interior as all the others)it had a sticker price of 37,000 Euros, or around US$52,000. I guess this is why I have seen fewer than five Toyobarus in the last year. Although in fairness my local BMW place is offering a 320d for 55,000 Euros.
This will probably be as well-remembered as the silver-only 10th anniversary edition. At least that came with a classy, illuminated Scion emblem for your $30K.
I’d pay 30k with a factory turbo instead of all the TRD stuff.
At least they put it in a dark corner…
Even the most pedestrian 2.0L turbo engine in a sedan puts out 250-270 hp these days. I imagine such an engine would remove pretty much all the internet carping about the Toyobaru.
This reminds me about Jeep Wrangler “Mountain Edition”. At least Toyota didn’t delete the limited-slip on this one… DID THEY?
Well if Toyota truly wanted this to be the 2nd coming of the RX8, they’re heading in the right direction.
I love the color, love the looks, but would never drop 30k on it. I can think of quite a few cars that give a lot more for the same or less money.
Maybe 150 lbs. of non-functional boy-racer doo-dads, making an already famously slow sports car even slower, and considerably uglier.
If this is release 1.0, what were the previous 50,000? Prototypes, I guess. And as reliable as a 1981 Fiat X 1/9. Maybe someone finally figured out how to make window seals, high-pressure fuel pumps and manual transmissions with, you know, actual synchromesh that works for more than a few thousand miles. Plus a host of other problems.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=72
For all the gory details.
So it is not just my 350Z that eats synchros… good to know. Other problems with the FRS: its a Scion not Toyota Celica, it has a trunk and not a hatch, and lack of a turbo option. I really want to like the FRS/BRZ but silly stuff like this 1.0 Edition keeps pushing me away.
Jeez so many haters in here. I don’t care for the color, or the price, but I’m digging the body kit and suspension tweaks. Quad tips look fly. Sure a turbo would be the bees knees, but this is a good development. I’ve always been a fan of the Scion release series; my faves are the bright green and color changing root beer xbs. They always do something different: interior mods, exterior mods, paint… who knows what the next one will look like.
More show, same go. No thanks.
No way! A TRD logo cargo mat, I am in for one!!