Toyota’s Scion brand has been a runaway hit for the Japanese automaker ever since being launched in 2003. Designed to appeal to Generation “Y” buyers, the autos are popular, edgy – some people might say hideous – and have given Toyota an important toehold with young buyers. GM, Ford, and Chrysler are preparing to reply to Scion, but in different ways. GM is planning to import more vehicles from its Daewoo subsidiary while Ford and Chrysler are expected to build all new Scion fighting cars in Mexico, excellent news for motorists looking for reasonable and quality autos. Let’s take a look at what’s coming down the pike.
For the record, Scion isn’t the sole auto made for the Generation Y crowd. Honda’s Element and shortly to be released Fit subcompact are Scion competitors while the Chevy Cobalt, Dodge Caliper, and Saturn ION are also targeted toward young drivers. With that said, Dodge [Chrysler] and Ford must reply and it would appear that both automakers will be fielding Scion fighters within the next two years.
The Dodge Hornet
Lo and behold, Dodge is nearing the finalization of its plans to build the Dodge Hornet. According to industry sources including Edmunds, the Wasp will be based on the VW Polo, a subcompact auto built by Volkswagen and popular in the ECU market. This deal is astounding as Volkswagen and Mercedes [a DaimlerChrysler division, as is Dodge] compete fiercely, especially in Europe. VW has a plant in Mexico that likely will produce the Wasp as the company has excess capacity and the cost advantage that no American manufacturing plant can offer. For its part, VW gets to sell rebadged versions of the Dodge Caravan minivan.
If based on the Polo, the Wasp is predicted to use the Polo’s 1.6L engine and be paired with a VW transmission. Beyond that, look for the auto to be closer in appearance to the Scion xA design, sport a five door hot hatch design, and seat five passengers. Now , the xA sells for just over $13,000, so expect the Dodge to compete at or below the Scion price.
The Ford Bronco
Don’t expect Ford to relax and watch from the sidelines as the market trends toward more Scion-like autos. In 2004 an idea Ford Bronco, taking styling cues from the 1966 Bronco wagon, made its appearance at auto shows. Now, Ford appears ready to go ahead with the Bronco which will be built in Mexico.
Featuring a boxy design, the Bronco will be similar in design to the xB and to the Hornet and will likely be built on the existing Fiesta platform to hold costs down. Indeed, Ford hopes that a budget Bronco will sell for less than $10,000 as it battles cheap imports expected from China as well as other Generation “Y” autos on the market.
Yes, the automobile wars never end and more battles are certain to ensue. Both Nissan with its Versa and a tiny Toyota by the name of Yaris will shortly be released and competing on the market before the Wasp and Bronco arrive in 2008 as 2009 models.
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