The Scion United Commercials Are Here!

 

 

Scion United

 

 

 

For those of you that don’t know, Scion United was an event/ad shoot for Scion Owners. 500 Scion owners from across the nation were invited to a secret desert location for a weekend of, at the time, unknown activities. While we were out partying and chillin’ on the strip, Scion was putting our cars together for the new “United By Individuality” Ad campaign. It consists of the following:

• Print ads in the September issues of Vice, Tokion and Revolver magazines. Each will be a spread with the phrase: “Individuality runs in the family.” An aerial shot of 200 Scion owners’ vehicles is on one page, and 100 more are shown in profile on the facing page.
• BillBoards in 22 markets with a picture of a Scion, and the owners name written on the board
• Thirty- and 60-second TV spots, breaking Aug. 4, will air on Comedy Central, MTV, MTV2, Spike and other lifestyle-oriented networks.

Here’s an excerpt from adweek.com outlining the purpose of the “United By Individuality” campaign:

“The principle of this campaign is community,” said Simon Needham, creative director at Attik. He noted that over the years, the number of owners who customize their cars has grown, especially younger drivers. Scion has always offered customization; ready-to-apply parts can be purchased at dealers and include shifters, panels and lighting.  
        

But since customization has become more popular among owners of other cars, Scion tweaked its consumer pitch. “We thought about how to stay ahead of the crowd,” Needham said. “And it was [a] sense of community . . . that these are all owners who want to differentiate themselves.”

 

Full article here.

 

Scion nailed it on the head. A lot of my friends always ask me why I’m so gung ho about my car, especially when I come to class with my Scion Backpack, T-shirts, Hats, and other accessories. I always say the car is great, but it’s the COMMUNITY that makes me love the brand. I’ve never felt so involved or appreciated as a car buyer. Scion is always throwing some kind of event and showing love back to their customers, and it really makes me feel like I’m part of a family. I don’t think any other car brand has had this type of support from the brand launch. 

 

With Scion moving thousands of vehicles each month, and becoming the most popular brand in its demographic, a lot of the new owners aren’t even aware of the community behind their cars. Most of us can remember when Scion was almost cult-ish… back when you had to sit on a month waiting list to get one, and even the cops didn’t know how to pronounce the name of the car or who made it. Scion making it known to all of these new owners who simply bought the car because it was affordable and had a nice style, is genius. They know that the enthusiasts create excitement for the brand and bring in new customers.

 

The commercial reminds of the Civic Nation commercials that ran a few years ago, only our cars look less ricey lol. What do you think?

 

 

 

Some ricey civics in that vid! Here’s the Scion United Video:

 

 Seeing the commercial definitely brought back some fond memories from the Scion United weekend! I’ve been to many Scion events, and this was by far the most fun! In the next few episodes, I’ll be featuring everything Scion United, including a few surprises, so don’t forget to download the latest Scion Underground shows via iTunes or your favorite Podcast Aggregator Software!

Chris Rado and World-Racing Receive Top Honors at Redline Time Attack

 

Chris Rado at the Redline Time Attack

 

 

Recently, Chris Rado and the World-Racing Team competed in the first Redline Time Attack of the season at the Autoclub Speedway. Chris and team walked away with the fastest lap time in the Unlimited FWD class of the weekend! Here’s the breakdown:

Day 1

 

• 1st Session: 1.53 (7th out of 200!)
• 2nd Session: 1.51 (Fastest FWD spot)

Day 2

• 1st Session: 1.47.3 (5th overall, and not even one tenth of a second behind the M-Works 350z!)
• N/A (Scramble Boost caused a Boost hose to blow right after the practice lap)

Overall, Chris and World-Racing took 5th and held down the fastest FWD lap time. As the season moves forward, I’m sure we’ll see Chris and team taking 1st place OVERALL and putting all the RWD and AWD cars in their place! You can read the Official World Racing Press Release by clicking here. You can also see a video of the winning lap below! Check out that shift light!

 

 

You can also see pictures of the event over at Autoblog. If you’re new to Scion Underground, I interviewed Chris Rado in episode 2. You can download the episode by clicking the iTunes link in the upper right hand corner.

Scion… What PWNS You! 

Throwback Thursday

It’s Thursday again, and for some reason I STILL don’t have Internet access. Thank goodness for my iPhone and this cool WordPress app!

Anyway, I saw The Dark Knight yesterday and REALLY enjoyed it. Definitely one of my top favorite movies of the year so far. In honor of the number one movie in America, this week’s Throwback Thursday is none other than Batman: The Animated Series!

The Batman animated series ran on the FOX Network from 1992-1995, and won two Emmy awards. Despite being a cartoon with an after-school timeslot, the show had a very adult tone. The art style was heavily influenced by classic film noir, and depicted actual gun fire from firearms. This hadn’t been seen in years, and I can’t think of any animated show with children included in the demographic that does today!

The series took a different approach to many of the characters as well. For example, Dr. Freeze was so devastated by the condition of his wife, that he continually sought to inflict that same pain on the citizens of Gotham City. His seemingly stoic nature, dignified speech, and statuesque appearance made you feel sorry for the villian and in some ways, even show empathy for his evil acts. This deeply dramatic portrayal was unsuccessfully applied to the Batman and Robin film, and instead of Mr. Freeze being a character of real pathos, he was reduced to a mockery of bad puns and a far too busy costume.

The Batman Animated Series proved that just because a show was animated, didn’t mean it couldn’t have an engaging story, characters with depth, and smart writing. The dark and realistic portrayal of the Batman mythology paved the way for Batman Begins and The Dark Knight by introducing the characters as real people with real psychological problems. Few animated shows today match Batman’s level of sophistication, and that unfortunately, is a shame.

Anyway, here’s the opening animation should you need a refresher!

Throwback Thursday

It’s almost the weekend, so it’s time for another throwback Thursday! Ghostbusters was HUGE in the late 80’s, and the marketed the franchise pretty heavily. One of the coolest in my opinion, was ECTO COOLER!

[YouTube=http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=KdARITpw_Y0]

I can still taste it… :p

I’m still here!

I know, I know, where’s episode 4?!?!

This weekend, I participated in one of the nation’s most cherished pasttimes… Moving.

/sarcasm

Unfortunately, I won’t have Internet until next week. I’m posting this from my iPhone! But to make up for the delay, I’ve got a nice treat… :p

Throwback Thursdays

As most of you know, Scion’s target demographic is young people somewhere between the ages of 17 and the mid 20’s. All of us that fall into that category grew up during the best time to be a kid… the late 80’s and early 90’s! Seriously, everything from cartoons, to toys, to the happy meals was better! 

Every thursday, I’m going to take a trip back to the days before we had cell phones, monthly car notes, and when you showed how much you liked someone by treating them like dirt…

This thurday, we have…. EUREEKA’S CASTLE!

Man, that’s good stuff.

Drifters Not Feeling the Formula D Rule Book

Drifting is quickly becoming the nation’s hottest motorsport, and since it’s so new, they’re still having a few growing pains. Apparently, some members over at Drifting.com have been upset about the Formula D rule book. 

The problems center around the the vaguenes of the suspension eligibility. The rule book states that any suspension mods must be approved by Formula D, but there’s no official listing of what’s ok and what’s not. As a result, a drift team could very well show up to an event, and be ineligible to compete when being looked over by a Formula D tech, or even nastier, a competitor could be using better equipment that are against the rules. Some even think that politics and sponsor money really determine what team’s mods are eligible and what’s not. This is what autoblog has to say about one of the more outspoken teams upset over the rule book:

The vocal team is the group behind the Super Autobacs Nissan Skyline, which was recently deemed ineligible for competition by Formula D. The series organizers claim the Skyline features illegal front suspension modifications by using the OEM parts off a Nissan Laurel. However, the RWD Scion tCcampaigning in the series is eligible despite also using suspension parts from another Toyota vehicle that shares the same chassis. The rules become particularly unclear when other vehicles are allowed to run with obviously altered suspension setups.

The following post on page 4 of the drifting.com thread perfectly sums up the controversy… with pictures!

Interesting how Formula DRIFT allows in an entire SCION FF car because it’s based on AWD euro-Toyota chassis and turns around to a Nissan and says they can’t use OEM parts from another Nissan with the same chassis.

Toyota Avenesis

Scion TC

Nissan Stagea (AKA Skyline Wagon)

Skyline

The Stagea even comes with both suspension setups…same part #’s and everything.  Here you go…same chassis, both Stagea engine bays, the car is available with both suspension setups.

Notice the Stagea is also RB26 powered?

Hmmmm

Did I mention it’s the Skyline Wagon?

So same chassis Scion is ok but same chassis Nissan is no good? Seems like Formula D has alot of explaining to do..

Pretty interesting and controversial stuff! You can read the thread for yourself here. We interviewed Ken Gushi, the driver of the RS*R RWD Scion tC, so look for it in a podcast soon!

Mishimoto Racing Radiators!

All I can say is, it’s about time!

For all of us TurboCharged tC’s, this is really a must have. Having a turbo setup dramtically increases the heat under the hood, which decreases performance and shortens the life of the engine itself. The stock radiator simply wasn’t intended to help dissipate so much heat. What’s worse is that we add a front mount intercooler which makes the stock radiator work even less efficient because you’re blocking some of the air flow!

Here’s where racing radiators come in to play. They’re purpose built for those who have added performance and heat. The Mishimoto racing radiators are made of aluminum, which on average provides 25-30% better heat dissapation. Not only that, the Aircraft grade aluminum is also lighter weight, and less weight in the front of the tC is right where you want it since we’re very front heavy. Equal weight distribution is one of the keys to great handling!

Best of all, this is a DIRECT BOLT ON. No modification needed. It still uses the stock fan shrouds and everything. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose! This is also a great mod if you have an N/A or Supercharged setup too. You can purchase it today from Prestige Racing for only $240 + shipping! Remember, whenever you buy something from them, don’t forget to mention us in the “comments about your order” section. Each time you do, Prestige Racing donates a small portion to the Scion Underground Podcast! If you have any questions, feel free to send an email to Sales@PrestigeRacing.net.

 

 

Mishimoto Radiator

Mishimoto Radiator 2

Chris Rado and WORLD-Racing Take 2nd Place at BOTI MIR!

Once again, Chris Rado and the team at WORLD-Racing are making it happen! Here’s the press release. Click here to see the original Press Release and pictures from the event! If you haven’t already, make sure to check out Episode 2 of the Scion Underground Podcast to hear our interview with Chris Rado! 

 

Chris Rado BOTI MIR

Chris Rado and the WORLD Racing team commenced the long weekend by testing the PRO FWD WORLD Racing Scion tCat Atco Raceway, in order to verify that the new clutch they installed was working properly. After fighting with the “clutch gremlins” as Chris said, the team finally got everything in working order and was ready to head south, to Maryland International Raceway for Battle of the Imports.

The WORLD Racing team was set to qualify on Friday evening. The team hustled to get the car to the staging lane, Chris did his burnout, and everything seemed to be in working order. The lights came down and he launched the car, but something didn’t feel quite right. Chris ended up aborting the run within three seconds of leaving the line. The team went back to the pits to figure out what the issue was. Turns out it was a spark plug issue that they immediately corrected.

The aborted run of 8.70 at 136 MPH – while lifting the throttle in third gear with only three cylinders – actually turned out to be not so bad. The team was optimistic about the next round.

For the next round of qualifying, Chris staged the WORLD Racing Scion tC up against Jason Hunt. For the first time of the weekend, the clutch was up to par and the Scion tC had the power to keep up with the GM. Chris received a 7.48 to Jason’s 7.42. This put Chris and WORLD Racing in third place of qualifying by Friday night.

The third and final round of qualifying would be on Saturday afternoon. The WORLD Racing team made a few changes to the Scion tC because they wanted to make sure they could get the clutch to lock up and Chris could get in a good run.

Unfortunately, Chris lit the red light while his foot was sitting still on the clutch giving him no qualifying time. This put Chris in the number four qualifying spot overall with the three GM’s in front of him.

Chris went into the first round of eliminations against Ed Bergenholtz. The two competitors left the starting line within 0.005 seconds of each other and proceeded to have a side-by-side race all the way down the line. Fortunately for Chris, he didn’t even see Ed’s car until after his shoot was deployed, so he was pretty sure that the Scion tC had won – and he was right. Chris’s ET was a 7.70 at 186 MPH to Ed’s 7.71 at 192 MPH.

Chris and the team knew they were going to have to make a number of changes to the Scion tC before the next round where they would be placed up against the number one qualifier, Jason Hunt.

After both cars were staged and ready to go, fortunately for Chris and the team, Jason lit the red light after taking off a bit early. Chris ran a safe 7.60 and was ready for the next round.

Going into the final eliminations against Marty Ladwig, the team decided they needed to throw in every ounce of clutch into the Scion tC as possible, along with a bunch of extra horsepower.

Unfortunately, the team had a staging problem in the finals. Chris couldn’t get the car on boost in time; he left the line right after he heard the first pop from the two-step to let him know that the Scion tC was on boost, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. The car bogged to about 1300 RPMs and then continued on its run. Chris ran a 7.60 at 190.1 MPH, which was not enough to take on Marty’s 7.26 at 199 MPH.

Chris placed second overall and was happy to keep the podium streak finish going from his 1st place win at the last Battle of the Imports at Englishtown Raceway. Next on the schedule for Chris and the WORLD Racing team – Battle of the Imports at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Chris and the team hope to keep this podium streak going, this time with a 1st place finish! Chris would like to thank his sponsors, fans, friends, and family for their amazing support.

Chris Rado and the WORLD Racing team commenced the long weekend by testing the PRO FWD WORLD Racing Scion tCat Atco Raceway, in order to verify that the new clutch they installed was working properly. After fighting with the “clutch gremlins” as Chris said, the team finally got everything in working order and was ready to head south, to Maryland International Raceway for Battle of the Imports.

The WORLD Racing team was set to qualify on Friday evening. The team hustled to get the car to the staging lane, Chris did his burnout, and everything seemed to be in working order. The lights came down and he launched the car, but something didn’t feel quite right. Chris ended up aborting the run within three seconds of leaving the line. The team went back to the pits to figure out what the issue was. Turns out it was a spark plug issue that they immediately corrected.

The aborted run of 8.70 at 136 MPH – while lifting the throttle in third gear with only three cylinders – actually turned out to be not so bad. The team was optimistic about the next round.

For the next round of qualifying, Chris staged the WORLD Racing Scion tC up against Jason Hunt. For the first time of the weekend, the clutch was up to par and the Scion tC had the power to keep up with the GM. Chris received a 7.48 to Jason’s 7.42. This put Chris and WORLD Racing in third place of qualifying by Friday night.

The third and final round of qualifying would be on Saturday afternoon. The WORLD Racing team made a few changes to the Scion tC because they wanted to make sure they could get the clutch to lock up and Chris could get in a good run.

Unfortunately, Chris lit the red light while his foot was sitting still on the clutch giving him no qualifying time. This put Chris in the number four qualifying spot overall with the three GM’s in front of him.

Chris went into the first round of eliminations against Ed Bergenholtz. The two competitors left the starting line within 0.005 seconds of each other and proceeded to have a side-by-side race all the way down the line. Fortunately for Chris, he didn’t even see Ed’s car until after his shoot was deployed, so he was pretty sure that the Scion tC had won – and he was right. Chris’s ET was a 7.70 at 186 MPH to Ed’s 7.71 at 192 MPH.

Chris and the team knew they were going to have to make a number of changes to the Scion tC before the next round where they would be placed up against the number one qualifier, Jason Hunt.

After both cars were staged and ready to go, fortunately for Chris and the team, Jason lit the red light after taking off a bit early. Chris ran a safe 7.60 and was ready for the next round.

Going into the final eliminations against Marty Ladwig, the team decided they needed to throw in every ounce of clutch into the Scion tC as possible, along with a bunch of extra horsepower.

Unfortunately, the team had a staging problem in the finals. Chris couldn’t get the car on boost in time; he left the line right after he heard the first pop from the two-step to let him know that the Scion tC was on boost, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. The car bogged to about 1300 RPMs and then continued on its run. Chris ran a 7.60 at 190.1 MPH, which was not enough to take on Marty’s 7.26 at 199 MPH.

Chris placed second overall and was happy to keep the podium streak finish going from his 1st place win at the last Battle of the Imports at Englishtown Raceway. Next on the schedule for Chris and the WORLD Racing team – Battle of the Imports at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Chris and the team hope to keep this podium streak going, this time with a 1st place finish! Chris would like to thank his sponsors, fans, friends, and family for their amazing support.

Toyota/Lexus/Scion June 2008 Sales Reports

Courtesy of ScionNews.net

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported half-year sales of 1,240,086 vehicles. For the month of June, TMS recorded sales of 193,234 units, a decrease of 11.5 percent from last June, on a daily selling rate basis.

Scion Division
Scion posted June sales of 11,870 units for the month. The xB urban utility vehicle led the way with June sales of 4,685 units, up 0.3 percent over the year-ago month. The tC sports coupe, in its fifth model year, reported June sales of 4,155 units. The xD posted best-ever June sales of 3,026 units for the month.

 

Head on over to ScionNews.net to read the full article and see how each Scion model has sold in comparison to this time last year.

Personally, I hope the tC slows down. It was nice having a car that not everyone recognized. Even the cops would ask what brand it was! Now, tC’s are as common as civics, and the owners are less friendly than they were in 05 and 06. You used to be able to wave at another Scion owner and get a peace sign or thumbs up. Now you’d be lucky if they even acknowledge that you have a nice ride!

Time for a change Scion. Hopefully, the concept vehicle they showed at Scion United makes it to production!