Previews
The box gets bigger.
On the trip from the airport to the hotel at Scion’s recent press event, we spotted an old Scion xB with the bumper sticker that says “you just got beat by a toaster.” Of course, there aren’t many cars that the xB could beat in 103-horsepower stock trim, but that’s beside the point. What’s important is that Scion owners are so enamored with the boxy shape of the xB that they affectionately compare it to an appliance. So it’s no surprise that the new 2008 Scion xB is still boxy, but everything else has changed.
Youth-brand Scion itself hasn’t changed. Potential buyers still visit the Scion showroom section of a Toyota dealer to order a base car with no options. All of the accessories, including stereo and performance upgrades, are done at the dealership. The customization is a big part of Scion’s marketing image, to the point where the brand is selling a lifestyle as much as a car.
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