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Custom coupes and stretch boxes: The many sides of Scion at SEMA (pictures)

The FR-S was Scion's darling of the 2012 SEMA Show, but this year the 2014 tC takes center stage with three custom examples going head-to-head in a tuner challenge.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
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1 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Scion WSD tC by Josh Croll

LAS VEGAS -- The FR-S was Scion's darling of the 2012 SEMA Show, but this year the 2014 tC takes center stage with three custom examples going head-to-head in a tuner challenge.

This custom 2014 Scion tC features a one-off wide-body kit, special BASF paint, and the requisite wheel and suspension mods that are the hallmark of any show car. Astute viewers may notice that the instrument cluster hump is on the wrong side; that's because tuner Josh Croll has converted this tC to right-hand drive. It's the first RHD tC in the world and a nod to the automaker's Japanese roots.
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Turbo upgrade

Under the hood, the WSD tC's engine has been upgraded with a Garrett T3 turbo, part of a Dezod Motorsports turbo kit, and a custom cold air intake. Look at the rear bumper and you'll notice something is missing: the exhaust tip.
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3 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Custom hood exhaust

A custom fabricated exhaust and turbo wastegate dump exhast gases through a pair of openings in the tC's hood. I'd love to hear how that sounds, but it must make it hard to keep the windows clean. The turbocharged engine nets 349 horsepower at the wheels with 296 pound-feet of torque.
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4 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Scion L-DZ Concept by Walter Franco

Every good custom car is built around some sort of theme. This 2014 Scion tC Seattle area designer Walter Franco is built around a luxury/VIP theme. The car's exterior features a custom wide-body kit built by DTM Autobody and front spats and side skirts by frequent Toyota/Scion collaborator Five Axis.
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Air suspension

Under the hood, the engine is upgraded with a nitrous system and custom-built stainless headers by ASP. Exhaust gasses exit through a TRD stainless muffler. The car crouches atop its 20-inch, concave F410 Avant Garde wheels on an adjustable Air-Zenith suspension.
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Familial resemblance

The interior features diamond leather and alcantara surfaces by Torres Upholstery and a wood grain dashboard with aluminum trim created by Wise Concepts Hydrographics.

From this angle, it's surprising how much the tC resembles another Toyota family vehicle, the 2014 Toyota Corolla.
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7 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Simpli-tC by Young Tea

The third entry in the Scion tC Tuner Challenge is the Simpli-tC by the cleverly named Young Tea. As the name implies, the Simpli-tC shows an effort to keep things simple, enhancing the attributes already present in the 2014 tC.
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AirRex Air Suspension

The Simpli-tC's custom molded fender flares have been blended into the tC's existing character lines and the AirRex Air Suspension system settles the bodywork right down to the carpet of the show floor. The Lite Teal Pearl Paint from House of Kolor that coats the body is a gorgeous color that plays interesting games with the light.
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Simpli-tC's Interior

Color-matched interior details brighten up the dark cabin, which has been upgraded with custom audio components and a racing wheel by Sparco.
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Small changes, big differences

The result of these many, subtle changes is a street stalker that doesn't look dramatically different from the stock tC, yet is significantly cooler.
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Strictly Business Cartel Scion xB

The boxy xB also makes a single appearance in Scion's booth, but it's a long one. The Strictly Business Cartel Scion xB has been stretched into a limousine.
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Rear seating area

The rear seating area receives the benefit of this stretching, gaining a ton of legroom and having its bench upgraded into a pair of very comfy buckets.
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Touch-screen controls

A touch-screen panel between the rear buckets puts control of entertainment at the passengers' fingertips.
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Rear entertainment

Where most limos have a small window into the front seating area, the Strictly Business Cartel Scion xB has a gigantic display that is fed media from a Mac Mini fitted into the floor.
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15 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Bulletproof FR-S Concept One

The FR-S wasn't forgotten by Scion; it also makes four appearances in Scion's booth.

The Bulletproof FR-S Concept One has the appearance of a hard-core track racer with a wide body kit, color-contrasting aerodynamics all around, and a gigantic rear wing.
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16 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Power upgrades

Under the hood, the boxer 4-cylinder engine is fed intake charge by a Powerhouse Amuse Turbo Kit with a BorgWarner turbo. After being mixed with E85 or 91 octane fuel and being combusted in the engine that's been strengthened by way of upgraded pistons, rods, and ACL bearings, exhaust gases are forced back through the turbo via a titanium downpipe and full exhaust system.
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17 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Retrimmed interior

Where a true track star would have a gutted cabin, the Bulletproof FR-S Concept One features an fully retrimmed interior that's been finished in red, black, and gold.
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18 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Urban GT Sport Coupe

In my SEMA preview, I said that the Urban GT Sport Coupe's front end resembled a Volkswagen Scirocco. After seeing it in person, I still say it.
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Matte silver

However, when paired with the FR-S' body, the look is certainly unique. Matte silver paint makes the bodywork and character lines really pop.
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Interior

Inside, the interior has been upgraded with diamond-quilted seats finished in white leather.
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Rear end

Large swaths of matte black unify the FR-S taillights into one element and draw attention to the rear diffuser.
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Steve Aoki x Scion FR-S

This custom FR-S was designed by renowned DJ and producer Steve Aoki and features eye-catching graphics that stand out against its black paint.
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DJ mixing station inside

This FR-S includes a fully operational mixing station that sends audio through a custom Pioneer sound system.
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Rear entertainment

Lift the trunk lid and you'll find multiple component speaker packages, a deck lid-mounted LCD display, a fog machine, and strobe lighting.
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Five Axis wheels

Wheels and tire upgrades are a must. These rollers have been designed and provided by Five Axis.
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GReddy Racing Scion FR-S Prototype

GReddy is no stranger to the Scion FR-S. The aftermarket parts manufacturer was one of the first to start modifying the coupe when it was announced two years ago.
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In place of the Subaru-built boxer four-cylinder, there's a Toyota-built 2JZ-GTE inline-six engine breathing through a GReddy turbo. Output is estimated at 750 horsepower and 730 pound-feet of torque.
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G-Force GSR 4-speed transmission

Power flows through a G-Force GSR four-speed transmission and out through the rear wheels via Rays Gram Lights 57XX wheels wrapped in Hankook Ventus R-S3 tires. I guess with 730 pound-feet of torque, you don't need a lot of forward gears to get the job done.
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Rocket Bunny V.2

The Rocket Bunny V2 body kit gives the car a wide, aggressive stance. Black text callouts all over the glossy gray paint draw the viewer's attention to the vehicle's many upgrades.
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Scion 10 LED badge

Like the Scion 10 Series vehicles announced at the New York auto show earlier this year, the GReddy Racing Scion FR-S Prototype has LED backlit exterior badges.

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