Review: 2013 Scion FR-S

The 2013 Scion FR-S manufactured by Toyota is a sports car, which the Japanese company has manufactured in collaboration with Subaru. The prototype of this car was built in 2007. Subaru’s flat-four and rear-wheel drive was used in the prototype and in 2008; Toyota decided to make it a powerful sports car. Subaru has done the major portion of the development of this car, while plans and objectives were contributed by Toyota’s engineer. This car features the platform and chassis developed by Subaru. The nose of this car looks similar to the Lexus LFA supercar.

2013 Scion FR-S

What does it offer?

The direct-injection 2.0 L 4-cylinder boxer engine used in this car has an output of 200 hp at 7000 rpm and it delivers 151 lb-ft of torque at 6600 rpm. The 53/47 weight distribution of this car is due to this unique engine. The center of gravity of the Scion FR-S is less than a Porsche Cayman and Nissan GT-R. The length of this sports car is eight inches more than Mazda MX-5 and its weight is also two inches more than the MX-5. The design of the FR-S seems inspired from earlier cars manufactured by Toyota. Toyota has taken design cues from the 2000 GT and used a flat engine, which we have seen in the Sports 800 in this car.

The beauty

The powertrain of this car is unique from other cars manufactured by the company because Toyota has used its new D-4S injection system in this car. This new technology allows direct injection together with port injection. This technology uses separate twin injectors for direct and port injection. The D-4S system generates a high compression ratio of 12.5:1 helping in increasing the power and torque bands of this sports car over different engine speeds. The best thing is that all these things are achieved without affecting the fuel efficiency of this sports coupe.

The powertrain

The powertrain of the sports coupe is include a 2.0 L four-cylinder engine that delivers a moderate 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque at a lofty 6600 rpm. That means, it won't disappoint you if we talk about the thrill.

The thrill

The Scion FR-S can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds.

Interiors

This car has got a luxurious interior with a 2+2 seating configuration. The front seats are mounted a little lower than in normal cars but they do not create any trouble for the driver. The positioning of the front seat is perfect to aid aggressive driving. The two rear seats are foldable, increasing the luggage space. A large center-mounted tachometer is also found in this car with a three-gauge cluster.

Picture Gallery

2013 Scion FR-S

2013 Scion FR-S review

Exteriors

The design of the production version of this car is little conservative than the design of the concept version. The look of this car however, is sleek and stylish and it looks every bit like a powerful and aggressive sports car. The design of the Scion FR-S seems to be inspired from the AE86 generation of the Corolla. The FR-S features a well-designed low hood and roof-line, adding to the aggressive and sporty stance of this sports coupe. The sharp lines and angular headlights together with wide mouth add to the beauty of this car. The front fenders protrude upward, while the rear fender lies low and surrounds the dual exhaust system. This car sports LED lights in the rear end just like the 86 and the BRZ. Toyota has used a new set of 17" alloy wheels in this car.

Should I buy one?

Going by the specifications, we can say that the Scion FR-S is a special car because it is the world’s first sports car to use direct-injection flat-four rear-drive. The look of this car is very attractive and it carries the brand name of Toyota, which is renowned for manufacturing high quality machine. This car is set to find many takers and it has the potential to emerge as a strong player in the sports car segment.

Price and availability

It is expected that this car will go on sale this spring. No official announcement has been made yet about the price of this sports coupe, but it is likely that it would be priced around $25,000.