It’s wider, longer, and faster! The 2008 Scion xB is 167.3 inches in overall length, which makes it a foot longer than the first generation xB. It’s also 3 inches wider and rides on a wheelbase that’s 4 inches longer than the previous incarnation. The 2008 Scion xB maintains it’s Scion heritage and it definitely breaks the previous xB mold. The cause of the expansion of the xB’s dimensions have led the car to have 100.8 cubic feet of passenger volume. That’s 10.7 more cubic feet than the older car!

Enough with dimensions - let’s see what’s under the hood. A major gripe for owners of the first generation xB was the lack of power; and with a 108 hp engine, the older xB was a “putt-putt” car. The 2008 xB is fitted with the tC’s 2.4L engine that puts out 158hp and 162lb-ft of horsepower, the only difference compared to the tC’s engine is a difference of 2 ponies. I haven’t had a chance to take one for a test drive but most road tests categorize the xB as a decent handler. An improvement in the handling of the xB was attributed to the 2 inch decrease of the height of the car. The decrease gave the xB a lower center of gravity and thus better handling characteristics. Continue Reading…

Scion showed off their redesigned tC Coupe at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show, which will be released as a 2008 model. It has a slightly modified front-end, including headlights with black trim, which look great (similar to the Toyota Camry SE.)

Also included in the update are modified taillights with round combo lights, similar to some of the aftermarket taillights available for the current models. Interior enhancements include new orange combination guages, silver enhancements to the doors, a Pioneer subwoofer, and new seat fabric. Keep reading for a gallery and more… Continue Reading…

We recently got back from the 2007 Chicago Auto Show. While a lot of the bigger auto sites already have some posts reviewing the cars, little old me is still sifting through and editing the hundreds of pictures and notes. You should expect to see many more posts regarding some of the awesome cars displayed and revealed. In the mean time, here is an overview of the show in general.

Altogether the show was a great experience this year. While it lacked in some of the “wow-factor” of previous years, there were some very interesting unveilings this year, as well as some very cool concept cars you have to see.

Audi showed us the gorgeous R8 pre-production model, which should be released to it’s first customers in the second quarter of this year. Boasting 420 horsepower from a high-RPM V8, the R8 should run 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds with the help of a Launch Control feature and R-tronic sequential gearshifting.

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I just received my press pass in the mail today for the Chicago Auto Show! Man, this really snuck up on me. I can’t believe the show is only a few days away! With everything ready to go, there are some more cars that will be there that I’m really excited about, and I would like to share a few with you. Please also see my first post on cool cars that will be there.

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Scion announced that they’ll be debuting their most recent variation of the tC at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. Called the tC Release Series 3.0, it features quite a few modifications; most noticeably a very different front body kit that gives the car a much more aggressive, lower stance. Another thing you should notice right away is that they removed the front badge from the grill. While popular with a lot of the the tuner crowd, it’s very strange to see a brand do that right from the factory. Keep reading for more info…

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Apparently, Scion is deciding to stick with “Ugly” as their motto by getting rid of any wedge-like or curvy design features (in other words: Good design features,) and stick with the box. Scion boss Mark Templin says: “We should always have a box. The box can evolve and improve, but the concept of a box will not change.”

Both the xA and the tC are going to loose their curves and wedges in favor of the almighty box. The tC was the only good looking vehicle they had, but they are going to replace it’s good looks with something resembling the Fuse Concept, shown above. Click here to check out an article on the Scion Fuse Concept with pictures.