Toyota: No U.S. Scion FR-S strippos, for now
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TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp. won't offer a strippo version of the Scion FR-S when the sporty car arrives in the United States this year.
That contrasts sharply to marketing plans in Japan, where Toyota will offer a bare-bones edition, targeting tuners who want to customize. Toyota also will offer several higher grades of the car in Japan.
But Scion's one-trim-level U.S. policy precludes such marketing in the United States, at least for now, the car's chief engineer, Tetsuya Tada, says. The U.S. version will be akin to the upper-level GT version to be offered in Japan starting April 6. But a stripped-down U.S. version could be an option later, Tada says.
U.S. prices haven't been announced. But in Japan, where the car is dubbed the Toyota 86, the GT version will start at ¥2.8 million, or about $36,447, and top out at $38,843 for a GT Limited package.
The base RC trim level goes for $25,996. It gets detachable front and rear fascias and basic black 16-inch steel wheels without hubcaps. Inside, there's a big hole where the navigation-audio system normally would go. It also has plastic pedals, instead of the GT's aluminum ones, and no air conditioning.
Tapping the tuner crowd is a marketing ploy for the Scion FR-S/Toyota 86. During the launch event outside Tokyo, attended by President Akio Toyoda decked out in full race garb, professional drivers put on a screeching drifting show to prove the car's street cred.
You can reach Hans Greimel at hgreimel@crain.com. -- Follow Hans on 
