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Why we won't get a faster Scion FR-S


RC K9
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"The biggest complaint about the car is its lack of power," according to a bunch of vocal but financially irrelevant internet broke-dicks who want to buy the car used 10 years from now.

 

The average age of new car buyers is north of 50, and I'd wager that for niche models it's even higher. Scion is supposedly about a decade lower, but enthusiasts don't drive the market. The Miata was a sales success not because it had a whopping 130hp, but because it was cute, and the fact that it was reliable and fun to drive helped to secure the brand as a secondary function. The V6 Mustang was slow as shit until the new one (which is probably still not any faster than an FR-S), but they sell enough of those to justify it.

 

FR-S/BR-Z sales are weak because it's a car that fails to evoke any emotion in anyone. It's a competent little sports coupe that is a hoot to drive and fast enough for 99.99% of the population, but Toyota and Subaru were silly for thinking it would sell on those merits alone. In this segment, it's all about style.

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The car appeals to a very small subset of the population...

Nobody wants to spend 30K on a "sports car" to have it get violated by mom's v6 camry.

The .02% of the population who appreciate it for what it is have bought them. The rest will rot away, eventually become cheap enough for kids to buy an put ebay turbo kids on.

 

Most people are in love with horsepower...

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The car appeals to a very small subset of the population...

Nobody wants to spend 30K on a "sports car" to have it get violated by mom's v6 camry.

The .02% of the population who appreciate it for what it is have bought them. The rest will rot away, eventually become cheap enough for kids to buy an put ebay turbo kids on.

 

Most people are in love with horsepower...

 

If people wanted an FR-S with more horsepower, they can easily do what Doc did and still probably walk away for under $30 grand without so much as turning a wrench. "Oh noes, my warranty," says nobody. Problem is, it's a cheap, spartan interior, and then people will say, "I'm spending 30 grand for a shitty interior like this?" So then it costs 35 grand with an upgraded interior and people say, "35 large and It's only got 300hp?" like they do about the STi and Evo, and then they just buy a used C6 or something. These people were not serious about buying the car in the first place, because they're reducing to numbers what's inherently an emotional decision. The reason they're doing that is because the GT-86 fails to evoke emotion.

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The V6 Mustang was slow as shit until the new one (which is probably still not any faster than an FR-S), but they sell enough of those to justify it.

 

Nope. Mustang is almost 2 seconds quicker than the FR-S in the 1/4 mile. I own a Mustang, and have driven the FR-S. FR-S is more fun in the corners though.

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2 seconds seems a stretch, but .8 I'd buy. Point conceded.

 

Pulled up the review of each from Car and Driver. They have the difference at 1.8 in the 1/4.

 

Killer for the Mustang is the near 3600lb curb weight.

 

I'm surprised though. These things were very well welcomed by the community. Didn't expect the sales numbers to be that low. I agree with the pricing aspect though. You'd think a mid to upper 20k car would have slightly more power.

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I feel like it was marketed more towards the tuners in their 20's to early 30's.

who probably don't have money to mod something that new just to keep up with a Civic.

 

Sure it looks cool, but who really buys a car strictly on appearance?

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kinda reminds me of a buttaface chick. the car is a blast to drive, just like a girl who is cool as hell to talk with an be around.

 

The car looks great, not perfect inside but pretty cool. Just like the girl with a great rack and damn nice ass.

 

However, the engine is like the same chicks ugly ass face that you'd have to bag twice and bury deep in a pillow to nail.

 

Heaven forbid you take that car to the drag strip too. Just as you wouldn't take that same chick to your company part and introduce her as your soon to be spouse.

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I have driven the FRS and really enjoy it. The steering feel and seating position in relation to the wheel and shifter are amazing. You could do things in it that would require much much more speed to do in my FD. My problems were that the seats are too narrow and the materials aren't great. Now if they made a Lexus version that had a lot more luxury and comfy seats as well as some really nice materials for around $40K I would be all over it.
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I'll tell you why I would never buy one: Wheezy flat-four. Fucking hate the sound of it, hate the feel of it, and it doesn't have the spirit of the '86 to me. Otherwise the car checks all the other boxes for me. One day I'll own one, and it'll get a Beams 3S with ITBs.
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I'll tell you why I would never buy one: Wheezy flat-four. Fucking hate the sound of it, hate the feel of it, and it doesn't have the spirit of the '86 to me. Otherwise the car checks all the other boxes for me. One day I'll own one, and it'll get a Beams 3S with ITBs.

 

This is the reason I haven't bought one. I'm a Toyota purist, and I hate that they put a Subaru motor in it. Hell a 2AZ 2.4 would be a blast in that car. They could have thrown any newer Camry or Corolla motor in this thing and I'd probably have one.

 

It's not an 86, it's a 86 wannabe, I could have 4-5 nice AE86's for the price of it.

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