2008 Scion Xb 5 Speed, Manual Transmission And Blue Ox Towplate Installed on 2040-cars

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Mazda CX-5 named Japan's Car of The Year, Subaru BR-Z wins "Special Award"

The Mazda CX-5 stamped its Kodo design and SkyActiv technology authority all over the Japan Car of the Year awards, taking the top prize ahead of the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT 86. It is Mazda's second victory in the last ten years, the 2005 MX-5 claiming the same trophy, and the fourth time the Hiroshima company has won.
The award is decided by 60 local "automotive experts and journalists," and open to any passenger car released in Japan from November 1, 2011 to October 31, 2012 that has sold more than 500 units. Each judge gets 25 votes, his or her top vote getting 10 points, the rest of the points being spread among the judge's choice for the next best four cars.
The second-place getters were the Toyobaru twins with 318 votes, the surprise being they didn't beat or get any closer to the crossover. The Subaru BRZ did claw some mojo back, earning the Special Award given to cars that have made "an exceptional impact." The BMW 3 Series was third overall and won the Import Car of the Year award with plenty of room between it and the second place Range Rover Evoque.

2016 Scion FR-S gets slight price increase, updates

Scion has bumped up the starting price of its rear-drive FR-S for the 2016 model year, although as the manufacturer tells it, an improved interior and more standard equipment makes the extra cost easier to bear. The FR-S with the six-speed manual has gone from $24,900 to $25,305, while the automatic's former $26,000 entry price has received an identical $405 bump. Those prices do not include a $770 destination charge. Offsetting the price increase is a new audio interface with a standard seven-inch touchscreen display and integrated rear-view camera. Scion's designers also touched up the cabin, adding bright silver accents throughout, while the customers can opt for two new exterior finishes. There's a blue named Oceanic, and a new red, called Ablaze, which you can see in the gallery. Check out the gallery up top, and then scroll down for the full press release. Related Video: New Style, Safety, Sounds and Sales Price For 2016 Scion FR-S April 30, 2015 TORRANCE, Calif. (April 30, 2015) – Scion's FR-S performance sports coupe is getting its style on for the 2016 model year. With interior improvements, two new colors, a new standard audio system and a rear-view back up camera, the next FR-S also sports a new price. The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the six-speed manual transmission FR-S is $25,305 while the six-speed sequential automatic transmission with paddle shifters and Dynamic Rev Management technology is $26,405. This price excludes the destination, processing and handling (DPH) fee of $770. The 2016 FR-S has a new premium feel with bright silver interior accents on the steering wheel bezel, shift bezel, door grip, and along the sides of the center console. Also inside the FR-S is a new standard audio system with a large 7-inch touch-screen display and voice recognition technology. For added safety, comfort and convenience, a rear-view backup camera has been integrated into the FR-S, as well. Adding to the new look, two new colors will be available with a new red called Ablaze and a new blue called Oceanic. The 2016 FR-S will be available in dealerships beginning in June.

Toyota gives dealers permission to drop Scion, shows them FR-S droptop, Juke rival first

We recently heard that Toyota could be looking to shrink its network of Scion dealerships, and now Automotive News is reporting that the automaker has officially given its dealers the green light to dump Scion without any penalties. Currently, Scion has about 1,000 dealers, yet our report from August 8 quotes an industry analyst as suggesting a healthier figure would be between 350 and 500 outlets. But before its current dealers make a decision on whether or not to get rid of the youth-oriented brand, Toyota also showed off a couple potential future products in the pipeline.
The FT-86 Open Concept shown above was revealed back in March at the Geneva Motor Show, and AN says that an FR-S convertible was driven on stage at a recent national Toyota dealer meeting in Atlanta. There has still been no definitive word one way or another as to whether the droptop model will be built, but it could be a good way to follow up to the popular FR-S coupe. Another possible future product is a subcompact crossover, which was shown in drawing form at the meeting, presumably aimed at small CUVs like the Nissan Juke and the upcoming Honda CUV based on the Fit, a model recently previewed by the automaker's Urban SUV concept.