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Nissan exec Andy Palmer derides Toyobaru coupes as 'midlife crisis' cars

Andy Palmer, Nissan's executive vice president, does not like the Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ. To us, that's like saying you enjoy barbecuing puppies, but we'll let him slide, because his statements about the Toyobaru twins are much, much more than just idle trash talk.
Speaking to Motor Trend's Nate Martinez, Palmer said, "Do we have any competitors [in the small, rear-drive coupe segment]? Are you talking about the Subaru [BRZ]? It was a car designed for a 50-year-old. It's for a midlife crisis. That's not what we do." Strong words, but what followed was even better.
"Are you coming to the Tokyo Motor Show? You'll see the answer to the midlife crisis. Except it won't be for the midlife crisis." So, if you were wondering whether Nissan is working on a competitor to the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ, the answer seems to be a resounding "yes."

2014 Scion FR-S and tC Monogram Series are some spruced coupes

Scion is in the unusual position of offering a pair of inexpensive sports two-doors, the rear-drive FR-S coupe and the front-drive tC hatchback. Despite offering outwardly similar size and form factors, the two have vastly different characters, chiefly because of their different drivetrain philosophies.
One area of commonality, however, is that both interiors have historically been underwhelming in terms of material choice and options. Oh, the FR-S has the basics nailed: a great driving position, grippy seats and properly businesslike wheel and shifter knob, but if you've been looking for premium-minded materials and high-end features from either model, they've been hard to come by.
The just-launched Monogram Series editions seek to rectify this somewhat, with each model getting additional features at a special price. In the case of the 2,000-unit FR-S limited edition, that means heated leather and Alcantara seats, heated side mirrors, high-intensity discharge headlamps, dual-zone climate control and BeSpoke audio and navigation, among other features.

Scion reveals SEMA concepts, Tuner Challenge finalists

Scion has become something of a tuner favorite, so it's only fitting that Toyota's youth-oriented brand have an array of show cars ready for SEMA each year. And this year will be no exception.
Scion itself is bringing five cars to SEMA this year, and as you might expect, they're mostly based on the FR-S. There's a black one done in partnership with DJ Steve Aoki with an onboard mixing station, another (in white and black) done with Bulletproof Automotive with a 500-horsepower engine and fresh bodywork, a grey one done up with GReddy with a 750-horsepower turbocharged engine and, the slickest of the group, the Style J concept (pictured above) with matte grey bodywork, a Scirocco-style nose and a full leather interior. There's also a stretched xB done up by Cartel Customs and laden with tech.
Aside from Scion's own show cars, the automaker has also released the details on three entries for its Tuner Challenge: one each from the East Coast, Pacific Northwest and Southern California. Scion gave each builder a stock tC, 90 days and $15,000 to build their concepts that will be judged by an expert panel at the SEMA show, with the winner taking home a $10,000 prize.