Scion Life

Some newbies out there might think of Scion as just another automotive manufacturer spewing out small gas saving cars designated by variations of 2 or 3 letters with alternating cases. For those who really know, it’s much more than that. Scion owners are a breed of enthusiasts that cannot be duplicated. Their passion for Scion is unparalleled. It’s not a hobby, it’s a life. It’s the Scion Life.

When the first xB was unveiled in North America back in 2003, Toyota took a risk to start a new brand and bring over their rolling box 
into our market. The quirky styling of the first generation Scions were different from anything available at the time. Were people ready for the xB? You bet they were. In the first year, almost 100,000 Scions were sold and hit a chord with every demographic. In the blink of an eye, you would see xB’s and xA’s being represented by tuners, fabricators, racers, hip hoppers, families, old people, and young people. It was at this point that everyone recognized the Scion Life and the industry would never be the same.

Fast-forward to present day and you can’t drive one city block without seeing a Scion, either stock or fixed up. In Vancouver, Mati Ma of 604 Scion saved up his money for nearly four years in order to buy the xB that he always wanted (that’s a lot of top ramen lunches and dinners). Mati enjoys the west coast cult status of Scion but sees it spreading quickly through Canada on the eastern borders. Canadians will have no trouble customizing their rides according to Mati, “There are tons of companies making parts for Scions in a gazillion styles so it’s easy to start fixing up your car right away, customized to your own style.” His rapidly expanding group provides support, event coverage and meet-up details to BC owners and enthusiasts.

There are thousands of diehard Scion owners that devote their lives to a brand that fully embraces their supporters, which is rare in this day and age. I guarantee that if I grabbed 100 Scion owners off of the street, their descriptions of the lifestyle would have miniscule variations, if any at all. In fact, we chased down a couple more Scion owners just to prove that point.

Martin Trujillo reminisces about his first encounter with Scion as “funky, cool, and different. Like nothing I had ever seen before.” He’s met so many people by modding up his Scion that he couldn’t get out of the Scion Life if he tried, not that he wants to. When we asked Kirby Quinto what set Scion owners apart from the rest, he said “We don’t steal from each other. To me, Scion owners are how automobile enthusiasts should be. We show togetherness and embrace any new owners that introduce themselves in the scene. It’s not about how your car looks or how fast. It’s about you as a person showing love for the Scion brand.”

Scion Life is more than just a trend, it’s a worldwide movement. And if you’re lucky enough to be reading this from the front seat of your new Scion this new world will soon open up to you in time. Just remember to continue spreading the Scion Life to everyone that you come in contact with to ensure that the daisy chain will never end.

Scion Life was originally published in Issue 3 of Scion Magazine. To read more, visit scion.ca/magazine

2015 Tokyo Auto Salon: Wide Bodies, Wheels, and Walking...Oh My.

To kick off our first post of the year, we are sharing our most recent trip to Japan for Tokyo Auto Salon (TAS).

While we love going to any car show, TAS is definitely one of our favourites. Not only because it involves a visit to Japan, but also because of the incredible cars that we find when we land.

TAS is an annual show that brings out the fastest, wildest and sometimes most curious vehicles from all across Japan. Held at Makuhari Messe, just outside of Tokyo. 879 customized cars were on display for the three-day show that attracted a record attendance of 309,649 people from all across the world.

On the way into the show, we spent some time in the parking lot and were pleasantly surprised to find a number of Scion’s including a couple tC’s (they are not available for sale in Japan), xB’s and iQ’s.

Inside, we navigated the aisles checking out the latest products and project cars from manufacturers and tuning shops alike. From wide-bodies to wheels, there was no shortage of modifications aimed to improve performance, styling or comfort. If you read our latest issue of Scion Magazine, you might recognize some of these builds from Kuhl Racing, Rocket Bunny and Weld Overdose.

We also stopped by the Area 86 booth and met Takaho Furukawa, Chief Designer of the Scion FR-S. He served us a cup of “86 blend” coffee, inspired by the legendary Hachiroku and available exclusively at the June Berry Café in Nagoya.

If 11 halls weren't enough for us, we stepped outside and braved the cold to check out the D1 Grand Prix Kick Off Drift demonstration. A select group of drivers performed synchronized drift routines and head-to-head races for the crowd.

With memory cards filled and tired feet, we returned home excited for the start of another year of great cars and exciting events. Be sure to follow us on instagram @scioncanada for more photos and behind-the-scenes coverage as show season shifts into high gear! #staytuned