The FR-S doesn't fit into an existing category. It's rwd, so it doesn't compete against the Volkswagen GTI or MazdaSpeed3. It's lightweight and small, so it avoids comparisons to the heavier entry-level Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. But its $24,930 base price, including shipping, is competitive with those four nameplates.
The basics: The FR-S is the assembly line twin of the Subaru BRZ. The two share a Subaru four-cylinder boxer engine with Toyota direct injection that provides 100 hp per liter of displacement without turbocharging -- the benchmark for high-performance engines.
The FR-S has a lower center of gravity than a Porsche Cayman and sits four inches lower than a Nissan 370Z. The front-rear weight distribution is 53-47, which FR-S chief engineer Tetsuya Tada says is more controllable than the supposedly perfect 50-50 split.
The FR-S has softer spring settings in its front MacPherson strut suspension than the BRZ, but stiffer settings in the rear double wishbones. Toyota says that makes the car more compliant on bumpy roads, but more agile under racetrack conditions, while the Subaru has better overall stability.
Notable features: To save weight, high-tensile sheet steel is widely used. The fenders use a thinner sheet metal. The hood is aluminum.
The front and rear disc brakes are ventilated. They are precise under normal stopping conditions but prove a bit vague when pressed on the racetrack.
The traction and vehicle stability control can be minimized -- but not eliminated -- with two console buttons. Holding the traction control button for three seconds defeats traction control almost completely. But a Torsen limited-slip differential, which distributes torque to various wheels, can help keep the car from skidding out of control.
Oddly, the FR-S has the same tires as the Toyota Prius. The lower rolling resistance achieves better fuel economy than sticky tires; it also helps the car better drift through corners, for drivers who engage in such extreme behavior. Racers will slap stickier tires on the car for better grip.
The gear ratios of the six-speed manual are sporty, resulting in a 22 mpg city/30 highway fuel economy average, compared with the 25/34 mpg of the six-speed automatic. Scion expects sales of the two transmissions to be split 50-50.
The door windows are frameless, and lower and raise automatically when the doors open and close for a better fit on the roof molding. As on Porsches, the center gauge is a tachometer with a digital speed readout.
Standard features include 17-inch wheels, variable wipers, halogen headlamps, cruise control, engine immobilizer, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob, and a 300-watt AM/FM/CD sound system with HD radio, USB and Bluetooth connectivity and an auxiliary port. The price also includes two years of free routine service and roadside assistance.
What Scion says: "There were no pure performance models within the price range of most people," Tada said. "That's why I decided to create a responsive, driver-focused sports car for the everyday person."
Compromises and shortcomings: It's a compact 2+2 coupe, so rear seat room is negligible. Plus, the giant hatchback window bakes anyone brave enough to venture into the back. With the stick shift, the second-gear engine cutout happens at 59 mph, requiring a time-consuming shift into third gear to enter a freeway or hit 0-to-60 times.
Although Scion claims some testers have hit 60 mph in slightly less than seven seconds, the best that two seasoned journalists could achieve at a press event here was 8.3 seconds. Secondary vibrations on rough roads are transmitted through the steering wheel, resulting in some hand numbness. The instrument panel has cheap-looking plastic in places.
Scion Vice President Jack Hollis says special editions and performance accessories will be rolled out throughout the FR-S model cycle to juice sales.
The market: Sporty coupes typically sell like hotcakes for two years, then fall flat. Scion Vice President Jack Hollis says special editions and performance accessories will be rolled out throughout the model cycle to juice sales. The estimate of 15,000 to 20,000 annual sales would put it in the volume range of the VW GTI. And for the kids who can't afford an FR-S, the less expensive front-wheel-drive drive tC is available.
The skinny: In this lightweight, rwd package priced less than $25,000, Toyota has remembered how to manufacture fun.
Source:
autonews.com
