Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Scion, Toyota



With the introduction tonight of the 2013 Scion FR-S, the triumvirate of oh-so-similar sport coupes born of the joint venture between Toyota and Subaru is complete. The FR-S is what we Americans will get from the Scion brand, as opposed to the Toyota GT 86 that Europeans get and the Subaru-branded BRZ.

Believe it or not, but the FR-S will make Scion a five-car brand when it joins the xD, xB, tC and iQ next year. It is by far the most performance-oriented, thanks to its rear-wheel-drive architecture, relatively light weight and low center of gravity, the latter thanks to its Subaru-derived four-cylinder 2.0-liter boxer engine with Toyota's D4-S direct injection system. As with the GT 86 and BRZ, the FR-S will also produce 200 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 151 lb-ft at 6,600 rpm. Transmission choices are also the same with a six-speed manual or automatic with paddle shifters.

With its introduction, the FR-S also marks the return of some excitement to Toyota's lineup of products in the U.S., even if it is branded a Scion. The Japanese automaker hasn't offered a true performance machine in the U.S. since the MR2 Spyder ended production in 2007. The more hardcore Supra disappeared from American soil almost a decade earlier in 1998.

We're busy grabbing the first live shots of the FR-S at its unveiling in LA, so go ahead and hop past the jump to read the official word from Toyota, which is the same as it was for the GT 86 and BRZ, while we keep shooting.Continue reading 2013 Scion FR-S marks Toyota's return to performance in U.S.

2013 Scion FR-S marks Toyota's return to performance in U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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