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Scooby power, RWD for Toyota

Scion, Toyota’s youth-oriented US brand, is to benefit from Subaru technology and usher in rear-wheel drive.

As a differentiated marketing brand – very similar to the Lexus strategy – Scion vehicles are designed to appeal to generation Y buyers in the US.

Considering Toyota's strategic partnership with Fuji Heavy Industries (of which it owns a 16.5% stake), Subaru engineers have been called onto the job. The innovative all-wheel drive company has been forced to do the unthinkable in combining one of its boxer engines with a rear-wheel drive configuration.

Due to be released in the North American market late in 2010, the Scion tC is to be built on an all-new rear-wheel drive platform, featuring a two-door coupe body shape and powered by a 2l, 148kW Subaru turbo motor.

Quite how Toyota can justify an all-new rear-wheel drive platform for a brand which sells preciously low volumes in the US (part of the initial residual protecting strategy) is nearly unfathomable… Unless it is the precursor to a serious Celica revival.

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