2005 Scion Tc Base Coupe 2-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Toyota profits up 23% on high US sales, despite mounting legal costs

Toyota earned $9.3 billion in net income in the financial year that ends next month. The number beats earlier forecasts and marks a five-year high for the automaker, with both operating income and revenue up by 9.5 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. Toyota saw quarterly profit enjoy a year-on-year jump of 23.4 percent, with the manufacturer earning more than $1 billion between October and December 2012. The good news comes in spite of the fact that the Japanese automaker actually endured an operating loss in North America, due in part to legal fees.
Toyota is set to pay more than $1 billion to owners who claim their vehicles decreased in value as a result of the company's recent spate of recalls. Even so, all three of the automaker's brands enjoyed a 13.5 percent sales increase in the US in the last quarter, beating the industry average. Toyota faltered in Europe, however, where it earned $99 million in operating profit last year, compared to $111 million in 2011. You can take a closer look at the company's full press release below for more information.

Scion gets weird with '70s-inspired xB and Slayer tC at SEMA

Scion certainly isn't afraid of taking a step into the bizarre at this year's SEMA Show, with at least two concepts that are probably the last thing you would expect from the brand.
First, the company is taking a step back into the 1970s heyday of custom vans with the Scion x Riley Hawk Skate Tour xB seen above. It's painted in an eye-popping shade of orange with an oh-so-retro white, yellow and card red stripe running down both sides. The fenders are connected by a streak of brown, and there's a pop-up skateboard holder on the roof in a matching color scheme to the rest of the body. The Cragar-look wheels trimmed in raised white letter tires and the throwback mirrors really sell the period look. The interior is similarly decked out in disco-era touches like shag carpeting, woodgrain trim and brown leather. In a nod towards the modern, there's a Pioneer media center in the back.
If the xB is too sunshine-feel-good for your style, then the Scion x Slayer Mobile Amp tC goes for an angrier vibe, with inspiration from the heavy metal band Slayer. The exterior is inky black with airbrushed skulls running over each side and the band's crossed-swords emblem on the hood. The motif is carried to the wheels with their blade-shaped spokes. When the custom's suicide doors open, you find a massive Pioneer sound system with a tower of speakers inside that should be loud enough to deafen anyone tempted to turn it up to 11.

Two new RWD Toyota sports cars to join FR-S?

Toyota as we know it could become a thing of the past. According to Australian site Car Advice, the Japanese brand known for bland cruisers like the Camry and Corolla is preparing to bring two new rear-drive cars to market that would slot above and below the Scion-badged FR-S. This is very, very good news.
Car Advice spoke to the GT86/FR-S' chief engineer, Tatsuya Tada, who claimed, "Akio Toyoda always says to me, Toyota sports car [family] should be three sports car brothers. 86 is in the middle." The oldest "brother" would be the spiritual successor to the Supra, even if it doesn't wear that name. Tada is in charge of that project, while a sub-GT86 project is being headed-up elsewhere.
Tada refused to comment on names (CA specifically mentions MR2 and Celica) for the new small car, but did say that, "Yes it is rear-wheel drive and that's Toyota's strong position - Toyota sports car must be rear-wheel drive." Perhaps the juiciest bit of information obtained from Tada's interview with Car Advice was his hinting that both new sports cars would be joint ventures, like the GT86/FR-S/Subaru BRZ triplets. Tada wouldn't say who Toyota was in bed with on the smaller model, but did mention that the Supra would be a product of the world's largest automaker's partnership with BMW.