Scion is a
marqueA marque is a brand name, especially in the automobile industry. For example, Chevrolet and Buick are marques of their maker, General Motors . A company may have many marques: GM has used more than a dozen in the North American market alone.-Differentiation:There are huge economies of scale in...
of vehicles produced by Toyota Motor Corporation for the
North AmericanNorth American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
market. Founded in 2002, Scion's long-term goal is to appeal to Generation Y consumers. The first Scion models, the
xAScion xA was a five-door hatchback subcompact marketed in the US from 2004-2006 — as an export model of the Japanese Domestic Market Toyota ist. Based on the first generation Toyota Vitz hatchback, the xA shared a platform with the Toyota Platz sedan.The xA received a minor facelift for the...
hatchback and
xBThe Scion xB is a vehicle made by Toyota for the United States market and sold under their youth-oriented Scion brand. It is a box-shaped, 5-door compact station wagon.-First generation :...
wagon, went on sale in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
in 2003, followed by a sports coupe, the
tCScion tC, based on the Toyota Avensis platform, is a compact coupe introduced by Japanese automaker Toyota in 2004 as a concept car under its recently introduced Scion brand name....
, and a nationwide U.S. launch in 2004. A successor to the xA, the
xDThe Scion xD is a five-door hatchback subcompact marketed in the US by Japanese automaker Toyota beginning with the 2008 model year — replacing the xA. The Scion xD and the second generation xB were first shown to the public on February 8, 2007 at the Chicago Auto Show...
, premiered in 2008, and the Scion marque expanded to
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 2009. The Scion lineup uses a one-trim, simplified purchase process, and the marque has relied upon
guerrillaThe concept of guerrilla marketing was invented as an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Typically, guerrilla marketing campaigns are unexpected and unconventional; potentially interactive; and consumers are targeted...
and
viral marketingThe buzzwords viral marketing and viral advertising refer to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer...
techniques. The
Scion name, meaning the descendant of a family or heir, refers both to the marque's cars and their owners.
History
In 1999, Toyota launched
Project GenesisProject Genesis was a plan by the Toyota Motor Sales USA to attract more youthful buyers to the company's products. Though widely considered by the media to be one of Toyota's worst flops, the experiment provided the foundation for Toyota's successful Scion marque.Launched in 1999, Project Genesis...
, an effort to bring younger buyers to the Toyota
marqueA marque is a brand name, especially in the automobile industry. For example, Chevrolet and Buick are marques of their maker, General Motors . A company may have many marques: GM has used more than a dozen in the North American market alone.-Differentiation:There are huge economies of scale in...
in the United States. This project aimed to create a "marque within a marque" in sales and advertising strategy for compact and coupe models sold by Toyota. The effort, which included the introduction of the
Toyota EchoThe Toyota Echo is a model name previously used by the Toyota Motor Corporation on the export version of two different models.
The Echo is a compact, entry-level model that is perhaps most popular for its fuel efficiency...
economy car, along with late generation Toyota MR-2 and
Toyota CelicaThe Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of popular coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
models, was judged unsuccessful and cancelled in 2001. In response, Toyota chose to launch a separate marque, an effort called Project Exodus. This project became known as Scion.
Scion was first introduced in March 2002, at the New York Auto Show. There were just two concept vehicles, the bbX (which was to become the xB), and the ccX, which was to become the tC. The 2004
xAScion xA was a five-door hatchback subcompact marketed in the US from 2004-2006 — as an export model of the Japanese Domestic Market Toyota ist. Based on the first generation Toyota Vitz hatchback, the xA shared a platform with the Toyota Platz sedan.The xA received a minor facelift for the...
and
xBThe Scion xB is a vehicle made by Toyota for the United States market and sold under their youth-oriented Scion brand. It is a box-shaped, 5-door compact station wagon.-First generation :...
were unveiled at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show on January 2, 2003. They were available only in 105 Toyota dealerships in California at their initial launch on June 6, 2003. The subsequent rollout of the brand to the South, the Southeast, and the East Coast occurred in February 2004. Scion vehicles were available nationwide in June 2004, coinciding with the release of the 2005
tCScion tC, based on the Toyota Avensis platform, is a compact coupe introduced by Japanese automaker Toyota in 2004 as a concept car under its recently introduced Scion brand name....
. On December 16, 2006, Scion unveiled the next-generation
xBThe Scion xB is a vehicle made by Toyota for the United States market and sold under their youth-oriented Scion brand. It is a box-shaped, 5-door compact station wagon.-First generation :...
, based on the
t2B concept, and the new
xDThe Scion xD is a five-door hatchback subcompact marketed in the US by Japanese automaker Toyota beginning with the 2008 model year — replacing the xA. The Scion xD and the second generation xB were first shown to the public on February 8, 2007 at the Chicago Auto Show...
, successor of the xA, at an invitation-only, no-camera event in Miami. Both cars were then publicly unveiled on February 8, 2007 at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show.
Scion stems from Toyota's well publicized use of "Value Innovation", a series of articles in
Harvard Business ReviewHarvard Business Review is a general management magazine published since 1922 by Harvard Business School Publishing, owned by the Harvard Business School. A monthly research-based magazine written for business practitioners, it claims a high ranking business readership among academics, executives,...
later encapsulated in the book
Blue Ocean StrategyBlue Ocean Strategy is a business strategy book written by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne of INSEAD, an international business school, that promotes creating new market space or "Blue Ocean" rather than competing in an existing industry. It contains retrospective case studies of business success...
. Key factors of Toyota's strategy canvas were never published but include "Price," "Factor Options," "Performance driving metrics," "Confidence in buying," "21st Century Radio."
Toyota Canada Inc. announced that the Scion brand will be available in Canada by 2009 as 2010 models starting in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and later the other cities. Launch models include tC, xD, xB The first new Scions will be shown in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the 2009
Montreal International Auto ShowThe Montreal International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in for 10 days in mid-to-late January in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It usually takes place at the Palais des congrès de Montréal....
.
Lineup
Scion currently has three models:
tCScion tC, based on the Toyota Avensis platform, is a compact coupe introduced by Japanese automaker Toyota in 2004 as a concept car under its recently introduced Scion brand name....
, a 3-door liftback based on the
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
an-marketed
Toyota AvensisThe Toyota Avensis is a large family car built in Derbyshire, United Kingdom by Japanese automaker Toyota since the 1998 model year. It is the successor of the Carina E and is available as a four-door saloon, five-door liftback and estate...
; the second-generation
xBThe Scion xB is a vehicle made by Toyota for the United States market and sold under their youth-oriented Scion brand. It is a box-shaped, 5-door compact station wagon.-First generation :...
, a 5-door box-shaped compact wagon sold as the Toyota Corolla Rumion in the Japanese market; and the
xDThe Scion xD is a five-door hatchback subcompact marketed in the US by Japanese automaker Toyota beginning with the 2008 model year — replacing the xA. The Scion xD and the second generation xB were first shown to the public on February 8, 2007 at the Chicago Auto Show...
, a 5 door-subcompact car that is sold as the Toyota ist in Japan, which is based on the Yaris 4 door platform with the 2009 Toyota Corolla's engine.
- xA launched in 2003, sold until 2007
- xB launched in 2003, produced through 2009
- tC launched in 2004, produced through 2009
- xD launched in 2008, successor to the xA
Pricing, accessories, and availability
Scion uses sales tools such as "Pure Price" and monospec
trim levelsA trim package is an automotive package composed by a set of cosmetic embellishments to a vehicle. In some cases the trim package may include a specific model or ending name...
with a wide selection of factory and TRD accessories. Extensive
market researchMarketing research is the systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of data about issues relating to marketing products and services. The term is commonly interchanged with market research; however, expert practitioners may wish to draw a distinction, in that market research is concerned...
and testing with Generation Y consumers formed the basis of the Scion badge.
"Pure Price" means that the price posted, whether on the vehicle, in an advertisement, or on a menu display board in the dealership, is the price customers will pay. This includes vehicles, accessories,
financeFinance is the science of funds management. The general areas of finance are business finance, personal finance, and public finance. Finance includes saving money and often includes lending money. The field of finance deals with the concepts of time, money and risk and how they are interrelated...
and
insuranceInsurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a premium, and can be thought of as a guaranteed and known...
products. Pure Price is designed to ensure a shorter and simpler process, eliminating all negotiation. The concept aims to be open and consistent to all customers. The concept is not new to the American market, having been introduced in the early 1990s by the
GeoGeo was a brand of small cars and SUVs marketed by General Motors as a subdivision of their Chevrolet division, introduced in 1989. Their original slogan was "Get to know Geo." Originally formed by GM to compete with the growing small import market of the late 1980s, the line continued through the...
and Saturn marques of
General MotorsGeneral Motors Company, often known as simply GM, is a United States based automaker with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. GM was the world's 18th largest corporate entity and third largest automaker as ranked by 2008 revenues on the Fortune Global 500. Ranked by global unit sales for 2008, it...
.
Scion's sales approach thus differs greatly from that of the larger Toyota entity. In the United States, for instance, the
Toyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a mid-size car, formerly a compact car manufactured by Toyota since 1980. The name "Camry" is an anagram for "my car", a sneaky marketing ploy that taps into the consumer's subconscious and locks them into an enternally binding contract with Toyota...
offers several trim levels: the Camry grade CE "Classic Edition" (for budget-conscious drivers), LE "Luxury Edition" (popularly equipped), SE "Special Edition" (for sporty drivers), and XLE "Extra Luxury Edition" (for luxury-minded drivers). In contrast, all Scions have one standard trim level (monospec) and are designed to be uniquely customized for the driver.
Post-production accessories
Scion offers about 40 different accessories; other after-market companies through the Optimize Scion program offer to add other accessories, as well. For example, one can add a
subwooferA subwoofer is a woofer, or a complete loudspeaker, dedicated to the reproduction of bass audio frequencies, from 80 Hz down as far as 20 Hz, or in rare cases, lower. Also known as "subs", these are used to augment the low frequency performance of main loudspeakers. Subwoofers are...
as well as different types of
decalA decal or transfer is a plastic, cloth paper or ceramic substrate that has printed on it a pattern that can be moved to another surface upon contact, usually with the aid of heat or water. The word is short for "decalcomania." The word Decalcomania is derived from the French word "decalquer,"...
s. The tC had offered an optional
superchargerA supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine. The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally-aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be provided and more work to be done per cycle,...
to increase power from 161 to 200 hp (120 to 150 kW), but was since discontinued in 2007. All accessories are sold individually, and do not require special packages. However, some options, such as Ground Effects, do prevent other accessories (such as mud flaps) from being installed.
Companies that participate in the Optimize Scion program include
GReddyis a Japanese automotive aftermarket company specialising in performance tuning parts for cars. The company is widely known for its subbrand of tuning parts GReddy and the turbochargers under this brand.-The Trust Company:...
,
OBXOBX may refer to:*OBX Index, the benchmark index of the Oslo Stock Exchange.*The Outer Banks, a stretch of North Carolina coastline.*Oberheim OB-X, a polyphonic analog synthesizer....
,
RÄZORaso is an islet of 7 square kilometers in the Barlavento archipelago of Cape Verde. Raso is flanked by the smaller Branco islet on the west and by São Nicolau island on its eastern side.It is uninhabited and is now the only home of the Raso Lark...
, a few car detailing companies, and others.
Release Series vehicles
Beginning in late spring 2004 with the launch of the 2004 Scion xB RS 1.0 (Release Series 1.0), followed by the Scion xA RS 1.0, Scion decided to create limited edition vehicles pre-packaged with exclusive accessories in limited quantities. Limited Edition vehicles from a marketing standpoint were used to create a buzz for the brand name, with their exterior colors tending to be loud or bright hues (e.g. orange, yellow, red, blue, green). Because of the growing popularity of the Scion product line and the scarce production runs (most dealers only get 2-3 of each RS model), these limited edition vehicles quickly sell out. Pre-ordering is available at each dealership on a first-come, first-served basis. To the customer's benefit, Scion's "Pure Price"
MSRPMSRP may refer to:* Manufacturer's suggested retail price, in business* Message Session Relay Protocol, an IP network protocol...
bounds dealerships against market-demand vehicle mark-up. Naturally, resale values of Release Series vehicles command a premium because of their packaged options and scarcity.
2004
- xB RS 1.0 only available in Hot Lava Orange with 2100 units produced (504 units w/5spd, 1596 units w/automatic)
- xA RS 1.0 only available in Absolutely Red with 1550 units produced
2005
- xB RS 2.0 only available in Solar Yellow with 2500 units produced
- xA RS 2.0 only available in Spectra Blue Mica with 1700 units produced
- tC RS 1.0 only available in Absolutely Red with 2500 units produced
2006
- xB RS 3.0 only available in Envy Green with 2200 units produced
- xA RS 3.0 only available in Stingray Metallic light blue with 2500 units produced
- tC RS 2.0 only available in Blue Blitz Mica with 2600 units produced
- xB RS 4.0 only available in Maziora Torched Penny (polarized goldish brown) with 2500 units produced
2007
- tC RS 3.0 only available in Blizzard White with 2500 units produced
2008
- xB RS 5.0 only available in Gold Rush Mica with 2500 units produced
- tC RS 4.0 only available in Galactic Gray Mica with 2300 units produced
- xD RS 1.0 only available in Hot Lava Orange with 2000 units produced
2009
- xB RS 6.0 only available in Absolutely Red with 2500 units produced
- tC RS 5.0 only available in Gloss Black with 2000 units produced
- xD RS 2.0 only available in Wasabi Green with 2000 units produced
Target market
The median age of a Toyota consumer was, as of February 2007, 54 years old. Comparatively, Scion's average buyer age is the lowest in the industry, at 39 years old.
Scion's first two cars (the xA and xB), while unusual for American roads, have been well received among consumers not interested in standard entry-level vehicles. The tC was also well received with brisk sales.
Advertising
To advertise Scion, Toyota began a new campaign for the Scion using a form of
guerrilla marketingThe concept of guerrilla marketing was invented as an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Typically, guerrilla marketing campaigns are unexpected and unconventional; potentially interactive; and consumers are targeted...
, using posters and ads in movie theaters and TV to direct consumers to the sites,
want2bsquare.org,
want2bsquare.tv, and
want2bsquare.info. Scion's marketing endeavors extended to sponsorships, such as that of VBS.tv's show, Thumbs Up!, which features David Choe hitchhiking across the United States. Scion has also teamed up with
Gaia Online, providing the xB as a choice for user car, as well as other things across the site.
Scion also uses smaller, regional viral campaigns to reach smaller demographics. Online campaigns like http://www.scionxpressionism.com allow the user to modify and design his own Scion with graphics, decals, and aftermarket car parts. Scion is also currently running its own viral-marketing website
Scion bB, to promote other artists and events that it sponsors. Shows like Slick's Picks go around the country interviewing artists, stores, and events; and puts short videos on the site. Scion Radio 17 is an internet-radio initiative which features 17 non-mainstream channels, ranging from rock and hip hop to electro and soul.
In August 2008, Scion released its newest ad campaign, "United by Individuality", featuring over 300 Scion owners' vehicles in various magazine articles, commercials, and billboards. The latest commercial video shows a convoy of Scions parading through the desert in Boulder City, Nevada. These videos and ads can be seen on Scion's website at
scion.com/scionunited.
Scion community
There is a strong base of clubs and organizations associated with the Scion brand used to exchange information and to plan Scion related events. Three major online communities include www.scionlife.com, www.itsmyscion.com and www.scikotics.com
In February 2009 Scion founded a monthly podcast called the "Scion A/V Podcast" located at
http://scionpodcasts.podbean.com/. The Scion A/V podcast series presents exclusive artist interviews, event coverage, and info about upcoming events & releases.
See also
- eBox
The eBox is a conversion of a Scion xB vehicle into a battery electric vehicle produced by the U.S. company AC Propulsion.-History:AC Propulsion executives announced their intention to convert Scion xBs to battery electric vehicles in October, 2003...
(a conversion of a Scion xB into BEVThe battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs....
)
External links
- Scion.com Official Website
- Scion A/V Podcast The Scion A/V podcast series presents exclusive artist interviews, event coverage, and info about upcoming events & releases.