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Here's the 2017 Toyota 86: Don't call it a Scion

After we heard the bells toll for Scion yesterday, we told you that the Scion FR-S will transform into a Toyota. That's right: just a rebadging. The practical question is, which badge? The philosophical question, which we can't answer yet, is where it'll sit in the pantheon of front-engined, rear-drive Toyota sports cars, of which the Supra was the last one to visit our shores, from 1992 until 1998 in its fourth generation. And as if summoned by this conversation, this camouflaged prototype appeared. Our best guess is that this is going to be the US-bound, Toyota-badged version of the Subaru BRZ and all the other 86-badged variants: the Toyota 86 (in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and South Africa), Toyota GT86 (in Europe and New Zealand again), and Toyota FT86 (in Nicaragua and Jamaica). For simplicity's sake, let's call it a Toyota 86. Peer into the 86's swirly camo, and it looks like the car is going in for a light refresh. The lower intake in the front fascia, if it's representative of a production part, adopts a different shape and is considerably wider and narrower than either the BRZ or FR-S units. It also appears that the turn signal and its surround are reshaped, different than any of the current variants. Changes out back appear mild. The area around the license plate seems to be smoother, and there is likely a predictable light restyle of the bumper skin and defuser under the camo. We don't expect a significant power increase, and certainly not a turbocharger (sorry!), but crossing fingers wouldn't do any harm. Related Video:

Scion grabs Franco and Urkel in Weird move to sell iM and iA

Scion is prepping the advertising campaign for the new iA and iM and as so many automakers have done before, it's recruited some celebrity talent. It's choice of actors, though, is kind of strange. First, we have Mr. James Franco, star of This Is The End and generally weird dude. He pitches both the iA and iM, playing two different roles. While in the iA, he's James Franco The Actor, while the iM sees him shift into an "experimental artist." Along with talking about how strange it is that "someone so complex" would drive a "practical" car, Scion's narrator goes as far as admitting that it's kind of weird that the budget manufacturer was even able to scoop the Hollywood talent. The second spokesman, though, is even stranger. It's none other than Jaleel White, best known as Steven Q. Urkel from 1990s sitcom Family Matters. He stars alongside, um, Urkel (not to mention a rather annoying laugh track). In a rather weird spot that highlights the dual-zone climate control, White stars alongside a wax figurine of his iconic television character, even dropping one of his famous lines at the end. And finally, while this one doesn't have a celebrity endorsement, Scion prepared a third spot to support its new iA. Featuring a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man, it's perhaps the weirdest of the three videos. We have Franco's video at the top of the page, while the Urkel/White spot and wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man clip are available below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Scion Brings the 'Weird' with James Franco and Jaleel White New Ad Campaign for Scion iA and iM Celebrates Everything Out of the Ordinary September 14, 2015 TORRANCE, Calif. (Sept. 14, 2015) – Scion has always been a little weird. With no-haggle pricing, standard premium features and cars shaped like toasters, Scion has proudly done things differently. Now, actors James Franco, Jaleel White, and an inflatable tube man take the all-new Scion iM and iA for a spin in the brand's newest ad campaign, titled "Weird, Right?" This is the largest marketing campaign for Scion since the brand's launch in 2003. The wave of weird contains three :30 TV spots.

Toyota updates Euro-market GT86 suspension, appearance

While we were busy ogling the Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0 with its Yuzu yellow paint and a workover by Toyota Racing Development, and the Japanese Toyota 86 buyers were trying out their Playstation-compatible Sports Drive Logger telemetry system, the European 2015 Toyota GT86 got fitted with some new parts of its own. New on next year's model are stiffer mounts for the front suspension and rear shock absorbers, and new shocks in the back for better damping and less friction. Toyota says the result is sharper steering and less body roll.
Inside, the instrument panel and center console get decorated with a "carbon-fiber motif." There are new shades of pearl white and silver to dress up the outside, and the roof gets a shark-fin antenna for sharper looks and aero. It goes on sale this summer, and you can read everything we just told you in the press release below. We've reached out to Scion to see if we'll get the same upgrades on the FR-S this summer, too, company PR rep Nancy Hubbell telling us, "The European changes are among those being considered for the US model FR-S and we'll have final confirmation soon."