A day after the debut of the Toyota GT 86 and the Subaru BRZ at the Tokyo Motor Show, the third version of the shared sports coupe has been revealed at a private event in Hollywood, CA. Sold under the Scion brand in North America, the car will wear the FR-S badge.

Sharing Toyota‘s stage with the production Prius Plug-in Hybrid at the Tokyo Motor Show are two eco-conscious concept cars that give a clear hint as the the automaker’s future green car plans. The FT-EV III Concept is a near production electric city car, that will go on sale next year (branded as a Scion in North America). Moving several years beyond is the FCV-R fuel cell concept. Looking like something that actually might make it to production, Toyota has said it plans to offer a fuel cell vehicle to fleets by 2015.

Years of anticipation have all lead to the debut of Toyota‘s new compact sports car at the Tokyo Motor Show today. Referred to by many different concept names, at its word premiere company CEO Akio Toyoda called it, simply, the 86.

Three years of rumors, concepts and leaks have come to this: the debut of the Toyota 86 sports car at the Tokyo Motor Show. Introduced by company CEO Akio Toyoda, a man dedicated to rebuilding Toyota’s enthusiast base, he launched an all new slogan, boldly proclaiming that the giant Japanese automakers is, “Fun to Drive, Again”.

Proof that Toyota is serious about launching its own electric car is the FT-EV III Concept, unveiled today at the Tokyo Motor Show. The third in a string of such concepts this will be the last, as the near-production vehicle shows. A telltale sign of the vehicle’s roadworthiness is an interior not unlike that of a production model, sporting design cues from other Toyota products, while adding unique EV touches.

Just hours after the first photos of Toyota‘s game changing sports car first broke cover two videos of what we now know is called the GT 86 have been released.

It’s been two years since Toyota first revealed the FT-86 concept, and after numerous leaks, and even more concept teasers, the production version of the most highly anticipated car in years has been revealed. The very first photos of the production model also come with an announcement of the car’s name: the GT 86. Revealed in Euro-spec, the GT 86 will come with a dual exhaust, a rear spoiler, 17-inch wheels and an ’86 piston’ logo on the fenders.

In a week’s time at the Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota will unveil what might just be the most important car it will launch in decades. Sure the Camry makes the Japanese automaker plenty of cash and the Prius points to the future of the automobile, but if Toyota is going to succeed it needs an enthusiasts following, and that’s just what the FT-86 was designed to create.

Billed as having the lowest center of gravity of any production car, with 200-hp and a 2,700 lbs curb weight it promises to be a back-to-basics type of motoring, giving enthusiasts exactly the car they’ve been asking for. And all at a very reasonable price.

In a new video released today, Toyota teases a little more of what is presumably the production version of the FT-86, looking a lot like the original concept. One big difference, however, are the circular taillights, much like the Nissan GT-R or Corvette.

While plenty has already been leaked about the FT-86 (Scion FR-S), stay tuned for the official reveal with AutoGuide’s coverage from the Tokyo Motor Show starting here November 30th.

Watch the video below:

More and more news and info on the Toyota FT-86 ( Scion FR-S) continues to slip out ahead of its upcoming debut at the Tokyo Auto Show, and rather than spoil all the fun, it’s continuing to build anticipation.

In the midst of launching its iQ mini-car and in preparation of the massive spike in exposure the brand will get from the FR-S sports car, Scion VP Jack Hollis is already looking into the distant future. “We are currently working on several different concepts,” he says sitting in the back seat of a highly customized xB at the SEMA Show.

If you are a college graduate and had ever caught yourself thinking that you could have afforded a car if only you had $1,000 less in student loans to pay, then you’re in luck!

Jon Sibal’s Scion iQ won this year’s edition of the Scion Tuner Challenge, beating out a mid-engined iQ as well as a race prepped example to take home the prize.

The Scion iQ has still yet to go on sale, but Scion came out in full force with their new subcompact, presenting a multitude of concepts aimed at all corners of the aftermarket segment.

Following on from some images of the upcoming   Scion FR-S (Toyota FT-86 in other markets), detailed specifications have now been leaked from a reported actual Toyota training manual onto the web, via enthusiast site FT86Club.com

Just a day after the first leaked photos of the Toyota FT-86, numerous other pictures of the highly-anticipated sports car have hit the net. Even juicier than the last time, these pics appear to be of the official production car, and not of the Modellista version.

With photos leaking yesterday, today comes news of what the Toyota FT-86 is like to drive. But first, the specs. According to one of the journos at CAR Magazine, who had some seat time in the affordable sports car, look for the 2.0-liter to boxer 4-cylinder to develop around 200-hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. The car’s curb weight should be around 2,645 lbs, although the final production number has yet to be released and will differ from market to market. That said, look for a 0-60 time of around 7 seconds.

Every year at the SEMA Show, Scion always impresses with a fleet of customized models from the world’s top builders. This year will be no different, as a trio of customized iQs will face off in this year’s Tuner Challenge, while Scion will also show off a custom iQ from Cartel, a tC from Gruppe S/Dynamic Autosports, an xB from 686, and the xB from the Scion Canada Tuner Challenge.

Dying to know what the production Toyota FT-86 will look like? Here’s the closest look yet.

It usually only take a few days after the launch of a new sports car for rumors to begin swirling about a convertible version. But why wait until then?

Consumer Reports has released the details of its Annual Auto Survey, with bad news for Ford and good news for Jeep. And, as always, the Japanese remain on top when it comes to reliability.

Fanboys have been waiting for its arrival almost as long as Christians have been waiting for the second coming and now, lovers of Toyota‘s FT-86 sports car have a new way of passing the time until it arrives. Proving that there really is an App for everything, Toyota has just launched the “FT-86 World Report” App. Get ready to be disappointed.

It doesn’t let you race the FT-86 on the Nurburgring, or go behind the scenes of the creation or design of the car, or even have a great teaser of its exhaust note. Nope. Instead, the App let’s you digitally add a rendering of the FT-86 onto a photo you take and then upload it to the FT-86WorldREport.com website. Perhaps the only genuinely interesting part of this app is that you can see just how many others are as excited as you are about Toyota’s new affordable sports car.

Toyota will debut the FT-86 at the Tokyo Auto Show on November 30, with it’s sister car, the Subaru BRZ being unveiled the same day. The U.S. market Scion FR-S is expected to be unveiled at the New York Auto Show next spring.

Available for iPhone4, 4S and iPad2, download the app today here.

Watch the video after the jump:

Toyota is preparing to launch its much-hyped FT-86 sports car at the Tokyo Auto Show in just over a month’s time and new details may, or may not, be trickling out.

When the production versions of the Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ sports coupes are unveiled at this year’s Tokyo Auto Show neither could look anything like the concept cars we’ve been shown. That’s because according to one report both automakers have sworn to not reveal a single panel of production sheetmetal until the official debut. By default, that means everything we’ve seen up until this point will change. How significant the change, only time will tell.

The annual North American Car and Truck of the Year awards has just released its short list for 2012, selecting 17 cars and seven trucks that will compete for the prestigious prize.

In the running for the 2012 North American Car of the Year are three from Hyundai (the Accent, Elantra and Veloster), two from Audi (A6 and A7), two from Volkswagen (Passat and Beetle) and two from Toyota ( Camry and Prius v). Others on the list include two GM models, the Buick Verano and Chevrolet Sonic, while two Chrysler group nominees include the Chrysler 300 and Fiat 500. Rounding out the list is the Ford Focus, Kia Rio, Scion iQ and Subaru Impreza. Notably absent from the list is the all-new Honda Civic.

The 2012 North American Truck of the Year short list includes just one vehicle from seven different automakers: the BMW X3, Honda CR-V, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes M-Class, MINI Countryman, Nissan Quest and Saab 9-4X.

The three finalists in each category will be announced later this year with the winners being announced at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Last year the Chevrolet Volt took home 2011 Car of the Year, with the Ford Explorer as 2011 Truck of the Year.

See the full list of nominees after the jump:

Toyota‘s new styling chief, Dezi Nagaya, wants to abandon the company’s previous conservative design language for a new direction that is “…more dynamic, more masculine, sportier, with a more obvious design theme and a face to represent the company and the brand.”

Pricing for Scion‘s 2012 xD model has been announced with the five-speed manual set at $16,075 and the four-speed automatic at $16,875, including a delivery, processing and handling fee of $730.

There might not be much new about Toyota‘s FT-86 II Concept, but with the hype continuing to build around the production model it’s worth another look. After first debuting at the Geneva Auto Show back in March, it has received a new paint job and (we spied) some Brembo brakes!

Toyota promised a “lighter, faster and sportier” FT-86 II Concept would debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Is that true? Maybe. No one at Toyota was talking about it so it’s hard to say. Instead the brand’s press conference focused on its continued push of hybrid technologies.

As though there could be any more hype surrounding Toyota‘s upcoming sports car, a new version of the FT-86 II Concept is being teased ahead of its unveiling at the Frankfurt Auto Show next week.

Touted to be “faster, lighter and sportier” than in the past, it’s unclear why Toyota has then decided to refer to this latest version as II… and not III.

If the teaser gives us any indication then perhaps Toyota is looking at a more track-focused version of the car – in concept form anyway.

When it does officially debut in production form at the Tokyo Auto Show later this year, the FT-86 (sold in America as the Scion FR-S) will be powered by a direct-injection 4-cylinder boxer engine, putting torque to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission with a limited slip differential as standard. In Tokyo, Subaru is also expected to debut a version of the car, called the BRZ.

Watch the video teaser after the jump:

There’s no denying that the Nissan GT-R is an incredible performance machine, and considering what it’s capable of, an even better bargain. Still, it’s been criticized by many for being overburdened by electronics, for replacing driving feel with technology. In fact it’s so technologically impressive that it can make even the most inexperienced driver look like a star on a race track.

A Scion is about the last car you’d expect to see at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, but the FR-S concept has a design worthy of a six-, or even a seven-figure price tag.

There are few places you can buy a car on a Sunday, but that just means it’s the best day of the week to do a little online window shopping. In case you’ve missed any of the car reviews we’ve posted up over the past month, we’ve compiled the ones with videos below.

If you’re looking for an even more thorough analysis, click on the links to read the review as well. Featured vehicles this month include the Scion iQ, Audi S5, Nissan 370Z NISMO and the Mazda MX-5.

Watch the videos after the jump and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for all the latest reviews:

Some say that imitation is the best form of flattery, but this time around we don’t think the guys at Five Axis are flattered. Back in 2009, the creative team of designers at Five Axis produced one of the coolest concept cars yet, the widebody Scion iQ.

When the Scion iQ city car goes on sale this October it will be offered exclusively with a CVT transmission. That, however, is likely to change admits brand boss Jack Hollis

For the launch of the diminuitive iQ, Scion will hit the airwaves with a barrage of TV commercials illustrating the advantages of its small size. The ads will show off its ability to jam two cars in one parking space, or its 11 standard airbags. Pretty conventional stuff.

While being a leader in any industry is usually determined by having an idea first, in the auto sector, it’s often the case that success is based more on getting a product right. Toyota has in many ways grown to be the global juggernaut it is today, thanks to exactly that: perfecting modest transportation for the masses. And it’s looking to do so again with the iQ, launched in America under the youthful Scion brand.

As the official launch of the Toyota FT-86 approaches this Fall, details about the final production version of what is easily the most highly anticipated car of the year are starting to slip out. The details come from Moto Miwa, the founder of Club4AG, a site dedicated to the AE86 (the car that inspired the FT-86), after a conversation with Chief Engineer Tada-san and having seen what he claims is the final production version of the upcoming sports car.

There’s currently an embargo on the long-awaited Scion iQ, forcing us to wait just a little bit longer on official information, but this much has snuck out: the 2012 Scion city car will start at a not-insubstantial $15,995.

Collectively known as Generation Y or Millennials, those born after 1980 appear to be showing an even greater preference for ‘foreign’ brand cars in North America than even Gen-X members or the baby boomers before them.

Scion‘s new iQ mini-car hasn’t even made it to dealers, but already Toyota has announced plans for an electric version of the strange 3-seater.

The leader in hybrid technology, Toyota will make a big push into further electrifying its fleet when it begins retails sales of the Prius Plug-In Hybrid, as well as two fully electric vehicles, next year. Toyota has confirmed that along with the Prius PHEV, it will begin selling an electric version of the RAV4 compact crossover, as well as a fully-electric version of the Scion iQ mini-car.

Another year and another release for Scion’s now infamous xB urban utility vehicle. Much of what we’ve come to know about the second generation xB has been left untouched for their 2012 version, except for the addition of standard Bluetooth hands-free and HD radio technology. An option for a premium audio system with 5.8-inch touchscreen and Pandora Internet Radio is also available.

The focal point of a new marketing effort by the brand, Scion has just announced official details on the tC Release Series 7.0. The latest special edition of the Scion sporty coupe this model gets the usual list of add-ons like a TRD body kit and a custom color – called “High Voltage” yellow.

With the launch of Scion‘s new viral video ad campaign for the “High Voltage” Scion tC Release Series 7.0, the Toyota youth brand is hoping not just to sell cars, but to attract a more mature customer.

While the TV spot and YouTube clips, which feature the Greek god Zeus, are aimed at being the sort of thing you’d want to share with a friend, Scion is hoping both you, and your Facebook buddies, are of a slightly older demographic. The reason? Well, Scion’s core customer base (often touted as the youngest in the business) is broke. And we don’t mean broke like they can’t afford to buy a new watch, but broke like it’s time to move back in with mom and dad. Yikes.

It seems that while the economy is getting back on track, it’s taking a lot longer for those just starting out in the world of business. As a result, Scion’s new ads are targeted at 18-34 year-olds, compared to Scion’s traditional 18-24 year-old demographic.

As for the ad campaign, it’s less about selling the car, (a limited edition model of which just 2000 will be made) and more about selling the brand, with humor.

Watch the commercial after the jump, and click here for the humorous behind-the-scenes outtakes.

[Source: AdAge]

You can’t make a viral video, it just happens. But that doesn’t mean marketing agencies aren’t going to try and spend multi-million dollar budgets trying.

The latest such example is Scion‘s new ad campaign. It’s a comedic piece using the Greek god Zeus, who is credited for creating the limited edition “High Voltage” Scion tC Release Series 7.0.

Created by the minds at Attik, the idea, says Scion marketing manager Owen Peacock in an interview with AdAge, is to generate something people will want to share with their friends, thus created a viral sensation. Along with a more mainstream commercial, there are also a series of accompanying videos titled “On the Set with Zeus” that take a mock look behind the scenes at the making of the commercial, showing Zeus trying to fit in on a Hollywood set and failing at picking up women.

By definition, a corporate video made by an agency can’t really be viral. But is it funny? You be the judge. Watch all the commercial as well as all the related videos after the jump. And read AutoGuide’s 2011 Scion tC review here.

The Scion brand is still in its infancy in Canada and as with all things, getting the word out can be tough. If you’re in the marketing business, the perfect situation would be a captive and receptive audience; and one you can reach for very few dollars spent.

With that in mind, Scion Canada’s marketing agency Phlik Marketing, set about creating a flash mob on the streets of Montreal, coinciding with the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.

As part of larger activities by Scion Canada during the race weekend, if the whole event turns into a viral video then it will be a resounding success. Your welcome.

Watch the video after the jump:

Perhaps the fact that there’s more interest in the car’s name than what’s under the hood is a sign that the Toyota FT-86 will be a bigger hit with hard-parkers than track fanatics.

Spied last week sporting a rather suitable-looking Supra-esque spoiler, the Toyota FT-86/ Scion FR-S has been nabbed again, this time without the Fast & Furious flare.

Believed to be in the final stages of development, the FT-86 is powered by a 2.0-liter Subaru-sourced Boxer engine mated to a Toyota direct-injection system and is believed to make around 200-hp.

Look for the FT-86 to officially bow this Fall at the Tokyo Auto Show.

Toyota will never stop developing mutations of its FT-86 sports car, which will be released sometime between now and the real Rapture. Maybe.

After years of teasing us with concept car after tantalizing concept car, Toyota is finally set to unveil a street version of all those FR sports cars—but with one minor change: this one doesn’t have an engine.