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 vehicles are favored, edgy – some people would say hideous – and have given Toyota a vital toehold with young buyers. GM, Ford, and Chrysler are getting ready to reply to Scion, but in different ways. GM is planning to import more vehicles from its Daewoo subsidiary while Ford and Chrysler are anticipated to build all new Scion fighting autos in Mexico, good news for motorists looking for affordable and quality automobiles. Let’s take a look at what’s coming down the pike.
For the record, Scion isn’t the sole car made for the Generation Y crowd. Honda’s Component and soon to be released Fit subcompact are Scion competitors while the Chevy Cobalt, Dodge Caliper, and Saturn ION are also targeted toward fresh drivers. With that said, Dodge [Chrysler] and Ford must respond and it appears that both automakers will be fielding Scion fighters in the next 2 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 automobile built by Volkswagen and popular in the ECU market. This deal is fantastic 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 Hornet as the company has excess capacity and the price tag advantage that no Yankee producing 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 expected to use the Polo’s 1.6L engine and be paired with a VW transmission. Beyond that, look for the vehicle to be closer in appearance to the Scion xA design, sport a five door hatchback design, and seat 5 passengers. Now , the xA sells for just over $13,000, so expect the Dodge to challenge 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 a concept Ford Bronco, taking styling cues from the 1966 Bronco wagon, made its appearance at auto shows. Now, Ford would appear good to go ahead with the Bronco which will also be built in Mexico.
Featuring a boxy design, the Bronco will be similar in design to the xB and to the Hornet and will probably be built on the existing Fiesta platform to hold costs down. Indeed, Ford hopes that a budget Bronco will sell for under $10,000 as it battles inexpensive imports predicted from China as well as other Generation “Y” vehicles on the market.
Yes, the vehicle wars never end and more battles are sure 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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