Posted By SHAUN KEENAN, SUN MEDIA

Posted 5 hours ago

Toyota’s youthful Scion brand doesn’t arrive until 2010, but that’s not to say the party can’t start early. Rest assured. It has. Oh, and it’s pronounced sigh-on” NOT sky-on.”

Since arriving in the U. S. market in 2003, Scions three-vehicle line-up has become a mainstay of California’s automotive tuning culture. Each model — the xB, xD andtC– has its own group of followers. Private owners and aftermarket businesses have all flocked to Scion. As a result, we’ve seen everything from fully-built show and rump-shaking car audio competition vehicles to high-power turbocharged street cars and ultra-quick time attack racers.

So, while the Americans have been pulling apart and rebuilding Scions for a few years, Canadians will have some catching up to do when they reach our showrooms next year.

In the meantime, Toyota Canada has been using this one-off show car–the Scion Fuse sports coupe concept–to create buzz at the auto shows in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

Developed by Calty Design Research, Toyota’s North American design studio in Newport Beach, Calif., and Scion’s Advanced Product Strategy Team, the Fuse was built by Five Axis of Huntington Beach.

The Fuse is a styling exercise with the sole purpose to push the limits of a Scion sport coupe by combining entertainment, digital technology and versatility into one sinister-looking package. Its bold Japanese-anime-meets-1920s-Windy-City-styling makes a strong statement about the company’s intention to crack open the performance envelope among affordable, entry-level sport coupes.

Calty designers Alex Shen and Bob Mochizuki came up with the exterior design, which is inspired by the Super GT or Hako” racing cars of Japan. The strong performance statement is bolstered by the Fuse’s low and aggressive stance, further enhanced by a cool wraparound windshield that looks like it came straight off a helmet.

A quick glance reveals a menacing presence with slim, high-mounted, deep-set headlamps that communicate a serious attitude. A large intercooler is clearly visible behind the large rectangular intake vent on the front fascia, which hints at a turbo-or supercharged powerplant. There’s a tiny LCD screen set behind the front badge, which can be used to display either video or images just for fun.

Two sizable glass panels that run the length of the roof open and slide in both directions. A speed-activated spoiler is found in the back where the widebody fender flares wrap around the whole rear fascia. Deep-set vertical tail lamps enhance the look and LED-encircled dual exhaust tips are both stylish and functional as fog and reverse lamps.

These aren’t the only lighting tricks either–those 20-inch custom wheels feature tiny LEDs on each spoke that operate as turn indicators, while headlights and fog lamps illuminate in various colours. Everything is programmable.

And, then there’s the interior!

Here, Calty designers Alan Schneider and Ichirou Mukai have taken advantage of the long wheelbase and high beltline to create a welcome interior that revolves around the driver and yet offers occupants their own intimate experience.

Sensor-operated butterfly doors open to reveal an interior that merges technology, function and racing inspired elements in an asymmetrical pentagon where the driver is positioned at the apex of the surround.

The racing tub” influence in the overall design is obvious. Steering controls, for instance, utilize a traditional drive-by-wire steering setup though the actual wheel is cutting edge thanks to influences from race cars and video game controllers.

Another major highlight of the interior is the built-in media centre that takes up most of the dash. This allows passengers to watch movies, play video games, or do both, on a pair of 10.5-inch monitors found on the right side. The left side of this arrangement is a vehicle system/communication interface” where all audio, video and climate systems are controlled via a touchscreen.

Additional interior features include more accent lighting on all seats, doors and headliner. Seats are upholstered in soft-to-the-touch Mythos” fabric for max comfort.

Referred to as one plus stuff” design, the Fuse interior offer even more surprises. In fact, there are different modes (or configurations) into which the vehicle can be put.

In video mode, the front passenger seat folds flat and serves as a table or footrest, and rear occupants can utilize the aforementioned video screens for movies, games or to get on line and communicate with friends via onboard Wi-Fi. In cargo mode, utility is maximized as the front passenger seat and rear seats fold down. In driving mode, the video screens off to the right are turned off while the multi-informational display remains accessible to the driver.

The cabin comfortably seats four but can actually seat more when the car is parked, thanks to a super trick tailgate that converts to provide outdoor seating. A simple sweep of the foot over an infrared sensor located on the lip of the rear bumper opens the rear tailgate and sliding hatch, allowing the tailgate to drop down into a curb-high bench. A pair of rear foldout speakers and portable drink cooler can be used for picnics and/or tailgating.

All in all, the Scion Fuse Sports Coupe concept is a true reflection of the boundless limits and creativity that embodies all of the vital personalization options of a Scion product. To learn more, visit scionnation.ca and fiveaxis.net.

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No, a full blown press conference is more likely reserved for an all-new model. But which one?

Well, current Scion VP Jack Hollis told Automotive News last month, “Within the next two years, we will have a replacement tC” coupe.

The time frame seems a little long, but we went digging anyways. The U.S. Patent and Trademark website makes things easy, and when you’re looking for the next-generation tC it doesn’t take much imagination to figure out where Scion might be going with the naming convention.

Sure enough, we found a Toyota trademark for the name “tD”. Does it guarantee that’s the name? Nope. Does it sound considerably more marketable than tB? Yep.

The only question left now is what kind of coupe it’ll be. Let’s hope it takes after the Fuse, and not the Hako.

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In 2009, the CIAS celebrated the Corvette with several dozen original, restored and custom Vettes from every era on display throughout the show. The GTA in Motion area, Cruise Nationals and Nascar pavilions are also great features.

Those who frequently attend the CIAS may be familiar with the sport compact revolution area inside the Rogers Centre (formerly Skydome). It’s been an important fixture of the show for almost a decade now, giving local tuners and businesses a forum to interact with auto show attendees; and, a chance to start the year with some momentum.

Now known as the “Red Zone”, this year it was a fusion of art, music, fashion and the automobile. For starters, the Scion Centre Stage came alive with live performances by the World Wushu Performance Team, fashion shows and live DJs, breakers and more.

Not far from the stage was the Scion Fuse Sports Coupe concept car. Following a warm welcome in Montreal, this stunning showpiece was drooled over and breathed heavily upon by attendees. Though it’s just a concept and Scions won’t be available here until 2010, the company did have reps on hand tossing out free music and answering questions on the concept and the brand. Even I learned something – those lights on the wheels are actually turn signals! How cool is that?

Of course, there were some cool tuners as well. Teknotik, for instance, had a pair of sweet Honda S2000s in its display. The North Toronto JDM specialist was in the Red Zone “…to show support for the tuning scene and lifestyle and to show people what can be done to their import vehicles,” says Eric Daoust.

“The black S2000 is a full Spoon car,” he explains, pointing to the hardtop roof, racy front fenders and rear under diffuser.” Spoon is a well-known and respected Japanese tuner of Honda and Acura vehicles. Even before I’m told this ‘02 model has a 400-hp supercharged engine do I already want one. Daoust also owns jdmrides.ca, Canada’s largest online JDM community.

Parked a few feet away, the other S2000 boasts a Mugen hardtop, some mix-matched carbon fibre aero pieces and a more potent 440-hp powerplant with which owner Chris Hui will compete in Canadian Sport Compact Series (CSCS) time attack events this season at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ont.

MS Auto Body, another local tuner, had several nice rides on hand too, including a clean GT-style wide body Acura NSX that was flanked by a tuned R32 Nissan Skyline as well as a pair of EK Civic hatchbacks in both right- and left-hand drive configurations.

Up-and-coming drifter Dave Briggs used the Red Zone to show off a new urban camo design and Vertex USA body kit on his Nissan Silvia S14 drifter built by SG Motorsport. The car has been built to compete in the 2009 Castrol Drift Mania Canadian Championships, though it was on display in the CSCS booth. Watch for the car to make appearances in both venues.

Of course, local retailers were on hand too. And, both First Image Car Audio and Wheels Direct all had staff and cool stuff, namely a modded Civic for the former and an Escalade and Ferrari for the latter. Even Jeff Gould’s over-the-top Batman-themed Project Gotham Ford Explorer was brimming with all the latest I.C.E., including a massive LCD monitor in the cargo area, with newly crowned Miss SCR Alisha Lynn putting her John Hancock on poster handouts, when not striking poses for the shutterbugs.

There were lots of great new vehicles at the CIAS, and every manufacturer has something to offer this year. But, while sales of new vehicles struggle to get off the line, I’m confident the aftermarket will be there for us during these tough times.

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The Montreal show also marks the launch of the Scion CD Sampler Volume 23, Kitsuné Pioneer, available free to the public attending the show while supplies last. It can also be downloaded through iTunes.

Developed by Calty Design Research, Toyota’s North American design studio in Newport Beach, California, and Scion’s Advanced Product Strategy Team, the Fuse was designed to be the new Scion sports coupe icon. The goal is to push the limits of a coupe concept by combining entertainment, digital technology and versatility into one package, and to expand the performance envelope among affordable, entry-level sport coupes.

“Last fall, Toyota Canada Inc. announced that the urban, street-savvy Scion would hit three key urban centres across Canada, including Montreal, in spring 2010, so we wanted to give Montrealers an example of the next Scion’s potential when it arrives,” said Larry Hutchinson, director of Scion in Canada. “The idea of the all-new Fuse Sports Coupe is a reflection of the boundless limits and creative envelope that embodies all the vital personalization components of a Scion product.”

The Fuse interior is referred to as “one plus stuff”, focusing on the driver by offering video, driving and cargo configurations. In video mode, the front passenger seat folds flat and serves as a table or footrest, while occupants use video screens or Wi-Fi connectivity to send instant messages to friends. In driving mode, the video screens turn off, and a multi-information display is used for driver information. In cargo mode, the front passenger and rear seats fold down to form a flat surface.

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