Prototype Issue
Scion-tology: Conversations with four owners of the world’s first digital cult car
By Peter W. Frey
(page 1 of 2)It started with an experiment.
Reacting to a serious case of ‘age creep’ among its ever-growing army of customers, Toyota created the new Scion division as a rolling laboratory designed to identify and fulfill the desires of that 15% of byte-crazed, early-adopting Gen Y’ers for whom cars are as much about personal expression as about getting from point A to point B.
The element of surprise was essential to the Scion marketing plan, and so when the brand made its debut with two models, the xA and xB at 105 dealerships in California in 2003, they came finished to a very nearly Lexus level and fitted with a list of standard equipment as long as your arm—from side airbags to high-powered audio systems. Scion offerings have since expanded to include the two-door tC coupe and new sub-compact xD.
Almost right from the start, however, the experiment went interestingly awry. Scion’s laser-focused appeal scattered across the spectrum to include all ages, both sexes and every ethnicity. And among the Y’ers they were aiming for, it was the boxy and unlovely—but ultimately cool—xB that achieved star status. Almost overnight it became a favorite of the tuner/customizing crowd, despite its standard 1.5-liter, 103hp engine, and transformed tens of thousands of former “auto as appliance” buyers into evangelical enthusiasts.
Of course, the sub-$15,000 MSRP—and the availability of more than forty factory options, from custom wheels and suspension upgrades to body kits, high-powered audio systems and even lighted cupholders—had something to do with it. As did the new camera/cellphones that allowed recently-converted Scion-tologists to transmit images of their new passion to everyone in their similarly digitized circle of friends.
Through a comprehensive cultural marketing program that includes heavy doses of hip-hop artists, art exhibits, film festivals, car shows, local and national clubs, a lifestyle magazine and a stylish website, the Scion-nomenon turned the xB into a multicultural digital cult car almost overnight. Think we’re kidding? Google “Scion” and you get 16 million hits. Scion social sites like ScionLife.com and ScionEvolution.com have tens of thousands of members across the country.
So where does it all go from here? Though the smart money never bets against Toyota, it is vanishingly rare for a company to capture the lightning twice in a row and only time will tell if the new 2008 Scion xB, a foot longer, 3 inches wider, less boxy and powered by a 2.4-liter, 158hp engine, has the charisma to keep cult members loyal to the cause.
At 31, he’s too young for a midlife crisis, but Jovan West definitely knew that after years of working at a property insurance company and driving a modified but never-gonna-be-cool Chevrolet Celebrity, he was ready for a change. An L.A. resident and off-hours R&B musician, he wanted something stylish but not outlandish and found it with his “stealth style” Xb. Custom touches are subtle, including 18-inch rims, smoked taillights, chrome exhaust tip and a billet front grille. Inside, the Scion logo is stitched into the leather seats and amber-colored underdash lighting and illuminated cup holders add a little aura of mystery to after-sundown cruising.
Insurance company and Chevrolet Celebrity sounds sort of Clark Kent. Is the Scion your Superman suit? Pretty much. This is the first car I ever owned that I didn’t compromise on. It was exactly what I wanted, tricked out just the way I wanted and it really reflects who I am. I drove it home from the dealership the same night I saw it.
So it was your right brain that signed on the dotted line. How’s that working out? Great! It turns heads, which appeals to the performer in me. And I get waves and thumbs-up from other Scion owners, so there’s a feeling of community. A tank of gas lasts two weeks and it only costs about 25 bucks to fill it up.
Any surprises? A couple. It feels really light to drive, like its floating somehow. And even though I’ve had it up over 100 on a trip to Las Vegas, it’s not very powerful, so it’s taught me to enjoy cruising instead of jamming around all the time. And there’s so much room inside that people say they don’t know what to do with their hands. That’s when I jack my 3,000-song iPod into the audio system and pretty soon I’ve got a car full of drummers.
Robert Aguirre, 30, and his audio-centric tuner/show-style Scion are something approaching celebrities in the digitally powered Scion-o-sphere, that online global community of hard-core owners who’ve managed to turn a stylish box on wheels into a lifestyle. For the moment Robert, who lives in Garden Grove, is keeping his day job at SAVV, a company that manufactures the kind of automotive electronic gear that has transformed his Scion into a 2,000-watt rolling concert hall with five LCD video screens.
Can you hear me? I like to listen to my music loud, but not that loud.
Just how much electronic gear do you have in there anyway? What’s it all worth? If the guys who built the Space Shuttle decided to build an audio system, this would be it. I got most of the gear for free from the manufacturers because I compete in car shows and its good advertising for them.
When and how did you get involved with the custom car scene? Back in about 1996 I was into lowriders. Then my interests evolved into mini-trucks, which is where I got most of my ideas that went into building my Scion.
Why are Scions so popular? It’s not like they’re particularly fast or furious. Because people can afford it and there’s a lot of custom gear that bolts right on so you can really personalize it. Besides, when was the last time you were able to go fast in Los Angeles? It’s better to look good…and sound good.
Hollywood denizen Jessica Vaillancourt occupies the opposite end of the Scion spectrum—an eclectic lifestyle and a completely stockcar. She’s an actress/background artist/photographer with hundreds of movie credits— 74 last year alone—including Batman and Pirates of the Caribbean. And she spends several months each year in India with her husband/documentary filmmaker Andre. Her arrival in the Scion fold was preceded by ownership of a series of classic Cadillacs, Chryslers and Mustang convertibles. Jessica’s found her switch from land yachts to “the box,” “very liberating.”
Your Scion would probably fit in the trunk of the cars you used to own; was it hard to adjust? Au contraire. What I love most about the Scion is that everything is easy; easy to get in and out, easy to put the seats down and haul furniture, easy on gas. In many respects it’s the ideal woman’s car.
And what don’t you love? Years ago I was in an accident in Mexico where the car went off a cliff, so I’m a little bit of a touchy driver. You sit up so high in the Scion, and the windows are so big, that you feel sort of exposed. It took me a while to get used to that.
What an adventurous life you lead. So will you look at another Scion when the lease on this one is up? Probably, but like they say in India, “You can never enter the same river twice.”
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