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Scion rules out roadster, turbo versions of FR-S

Ever since Toyota and Subaru released the sports car alternatively known as the GT86, 86, BRZ and Scion FR-S a couple of years ago, rumors have circulated that even more exciting variants could be in store. But at least as far as Scion is concerned, those rumors are apparently nothing more than wishful thinking. Speaking with WardsAuto at the LA Auto Show last week, Scion chief Doug Murtha said that the prospect of an FR-S roadster has been taken off the table entirely. Apparently Scion lobbied parent company Toyota to produce just such a model, but after failing to find other markets interested enough in the model to put it into production, corporate HQ said no. "I think we were pretty aggressive on our (submitted plan), but we looked at what we would have conceivably lost on the product and said, 'We're not going to even push it further,'" Murtha said, going on to note, "Nobody was more disappointed than we were." Murtha further shot down the idea of a turbo version of the FR-S, dismissing it as a prospect the blogosphere (that's us) wanted to happen but "that's not something that's coming." Either variant might have helped Scion and Toyota boost sales of the model (which are predictably dropping after their first two years on the market), but the investment also might not have paid off their development, tooling and marketing costs. Of course, Murtha can only speak for Toyota, but we'd be surprised to see Subaru go it alone on either model, as costs would be that much more prohibitive without a partner. Bummer.

Recharge Wrap-up: Honda FCV Concept comes to Detroit, Toyota seeks young green energy fellows

Honda will bring its FCV Concept to the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. The hydrogen-powered concept made its Japanese debut in November, and will now make its way to North America for the first time. The FCV concept improves upon the design of the FCX Clarity with a more striking appearance and roomier interior. Its smaller powertrain packaging means more space for people, and the FCV Concept seats five passengers. Honda also expects the next-generation fuel-cell car, which is scheduled to go on sale in Japan in March 2016, to cost less and have a range of over 300 miles. Read more in the press release below. The Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive has been awarded an environmental certificate from the TUV Sud technical inspection authority. The certificate is based not just on the vehicle's operation, but the entire lifecycle of the car, including production and recycling. The B-Class Electric Drive produces 24 percent less CO2 over its lifecycle than the Mercedes-Benz B180 when using the EU electricity mix, and 64 percent less when powered by hydroelectricity. Mercedes credits not just the use of electricity, but also the car's energy management system - such as its radar-based regenerative braking - for its carbon reductions. Read more in the press release below. Scania will test a wirelessly charged plug-in hybrid bus in Sweden. Beginning in June 2016, the bus will be put to daily use in Sodertalje. One of its stops will have a wireless charging station where the bus will recharge for six to seven minutes before continuing on its route again. The charger is located under the road surface and the bus positions itself above it to charge inductively. About $1.3 million will come from the Swedish Energy Agency to fund the test project, which could save up to 90 percent of fuel costs. If expanded to a fleet of 2,000 buses, it could save up to 13 million gallons of fuel each year. Read more at Green Car Congress, and in the press release below. Sandia National Laboratories and Linde are teaming up to expand hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The two groups have signed an agreement to research and develop new hydrogen stations, as well as ways to make fuel cell vehicles more desirable for consumers. They are looking at ways to incorporate hydrogen into existing fuel stations where possible, and make sure that it is able to be done safely.

Toyota, Suzuki partner on hybrids, EVs, building cars for each other

NAGOYA, Japan — Toyota and Suzuki on Wednesday said they planned to produce electric vehicles and compact cars for each other to better compete with fast-changing technologies in the global auto industry. The agreement follows an initial R&D tie-up announced by Japan's No. 1 and No. 4 automakers in 2017, and will see more vehicles produced by Suzuki for Toyota, one of the world's biggest carmakers. Although Suzuki is far smaller, it is a dominant force in the fast-growing Indian market. The two automakers have been pooling their strengths. Toyota is a leader in hybrid technology and is investing heavily in automated driving, while Suzuki specializes in affordable compact cars — as many automakers struggle to keep pace with ballooning investment in EVs and self-driving cars. Under the latest agreement, Suzuki will source gasoline hybrid systems for cars it sells worldwide from Toyota, which pioneered hybrid vehicles with the Prius more than 20 years ago, the companies said in a joint statement. In return, Suzuki will produce two compact models for Toyota in India based on its Ciaz and Ertiga models. Further cooperation with Suzuki will help Toyota expand its presence in India, the world's fifth-largest passenger car market where it has struggled to grow sales due to lean demand for its lower-cost models. The deepening partnership between the two automakers will enable cost-conscious Suzuki to tap into Toyota's R&D firepower to develop lower-emission vehicles and self-driving cars — areas which Suzuki has admitted it is struggling to keep up. "We believe that the expansion of our business partnership with Suzuki ... will help give us the competitive edge we will need to survive this once-in-a-century period of profound transformation," Toyota President Akio Toyoda said in a statement. The two automakers will deepen their cooperation in India, where Suzuki's hybrid vehicles will be made using engines and batteries locally produced by Toyota. They will also join forces in Europe, where Toyota will produce electric vehicles based on its RAV4 SUV crossover and Corolla wagon for Suzuki, while Suzuki will supply Toyota with gasoline engines for compact vehicle models sold in the region. Suzuki will also produce its Baleno, Vitara Brezza, Ciaz, and Ertiga models for Toyota which will be rebranded and renamed as Toyota models for the African market.