Scion Gets Ready for Fourth Model

Scion may release the fourth model of its production lineup by 2011, Vice President Jack Hollis said, with the new vehicle especially supposed to replace the 7-year-old tC coupe. Even though he didn't unveil too many details regarding the new model, Hollis did mention the upcoming Scion will remain much less on the market, probably between three and four years. This way, the manufacturer plans to revamp its production line every once in a while, with its main goal to bring something new that could maintain its steady sales.

"Within the next two years, we will have a replacement tC. It will be different for each model. There are some that are going to be short. There are going to be three- to four-year life cycles. There are going to be some four to five, maybe five to six,” he was quoted as saying by Autonews.

Scion currently offers a range of three products, as it follows: the five-door xB hatchback, the aforementioned tC coupe and the five-door xD. The first tC model was unveiled in 2004 as a concept car. The company delivered 113,904 units in the United States in 2008, according to figures provided by Autonews, which represent a 12.5 percent drop compared to the year before.

"What we are looking at is: How can we add something fresh to the marketplace every year? We think there are a lot of opportunities for a [second] coupe," Hollis said. "We think there is room for a bigger sedan and smaller vehicles. We think there is even a possibility for a truck-based vehicle with an open bed. There are not a lot of coupe entries,” Scion's Vice President commented on the possibility to introduce a new coupe model.