Breaking little new ground, Scion had tuner company Five Axis do a makeover on a Toyota iQ microcar and presented it as a new concept at the 2009 New York auto show.
Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Scion has made New York its venue to launch new concepts, and 2009 was no different. At a press conference, Scion had the tiny iQ concept lowered from the ceiling.
The iQ concept is based on Toyota's iQ microcar, launched at the 2007 Tokyo auto show. For the concept, Scion had tuner company Five Axis remake it, adding 18-inch wheels and wide fenders.
Toyota managed to keep the iQ short by using a front differential and compact steering rack, and a flat gas tank mounted beneath the floor. Toyota has not yet made a decision whether to market the iQ in the U.S.
Scion had some other modded cars on display, including this xD customized by Drag Cartel Industries. On this car, the B pillars have been removed and the top has been dropped 4 inches.
