Drive Wire: A Farewell to Scion

Big news for the automotive youth of America, the Scion brand is dead. Toyota has announced that Scion production would end this summer, with all remaining Scion models being rebadged as Toyotas, including the sporty FR-S coupe. In its short life, Scion was apparently successful in its goal of bringing in young customers, with an average buyer age of 36, by far the industry’s youngest. It was far less successful in being profitable, with sales falling off the table after the financial collapse of 2008. Toyota North America CEO Jim Lentz, who was a founding executive at Scion, said this was not a step backwards for Scion, but a leap forward for Toyota.