1998 Toyota Supra Hardtop on 2040-cars

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Scion pondering move upmarket?

Scion is simultaneously celebrating its ten-year anniversary with the 10 Series models and trying to figure out what to do with itself over the next ten years. Once a go-to consideration for young, first-time buyers who wanted something cool and different, in 2013 it has a model everyone is still talking about in the FR-S, a model few are still talking about in the iQ, and three models in between in the tC, xB and xD that make everyone wonder, "What happened?"
Automotive News spoke to Toyota's North American CEO, Jim Lentz - he was the VP in charge of Scion when it launched - about the options, and Lentz said one of them could be a move upmarket to challenge the established luxury brands that are moving downmarket. "There's going to be a big need in the $25,000 range for a fun-to-drive, nice-looking, value-oriented product," he said, and the FR-S, which starts at $25,255, could provide the platform for Scion to climb up a notch or two in price and perception. An idea like this could conceivably work in tandem with a proposal to move entry-level Scion products over to the Toyota brand - but remember, this is all just ideas on a whiteboard at the moment.
As opposed to an "entry-luxury fighter," the brand could swing back to the other option that was considered when it was formed, directly challenging the Korean makes that have usurped its cachet with first-time buyers. Lentz said Scion could go either way, and the tone of the piece seems to indicate that the final direction is still a ways away from being resolved.

Oh Buoy! Toyota sinks to Spongebob depths with custom Highlander

The launch of the 2014 Toyota Highlander is being assisted by Bikini Bottom's number one resident, SpongeBob SquarePants. The new crossover has been wrapped with SpongeBob's square mug all over it as if he's saying "I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready," from every direction. Inside is a cabin that Toyota says "captures all of the beloved character's high-octane energy," but might make you question whether this is really the world you want to live in.
Revealed on SpongeBob Day at the San Diego Padres vs. San Francisco Giants baseball game in San Diego, CA on July 13, the Highlander will go from there to seven locations nationwide on a "Happy Driving Tour," ending at the LA Auto Show in November.
You can read all about it in the press release below, as well as ways to fill your life with more SpongeBob than is probably healthy.

2014 Toyota Corolla to bow before LA

We've sort of been wondering when Toyota would finally debut the next-generation Corolla sedan, especially since the current car is getting very, very long in the tooth. We got a glimpse of the new compact's design at this year's Detroit Auto Show in the form of the Furia concept seen above, but we figured we'd see the production car by now.
According to Edmunds, Toyota will be unveiling the new Corolla sometime soon, and it won't wait until the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Officials from the Japanese automaker did not state a specific location or date for the new car's unveiling, but said that the 2014 Corolla is expected to be on sale before the LA expo later this year and that it will be revealed "somewhere in the US."
Toyota did not divulge any details about the new Corolla, and we're willing to bet that the aggressive lines of the Furia concept will be dulled down quite a bit for the production model. Still, news that the new car is coming sooner rather than later is indeed a good thing.