Event: 2015 Scion SEMA Preview Night – by Joel Arellano
When: October 29, 2014
What: Scion is the brand if you want to stand out whether on the road or just parked in the driveway. From the diminutive iQ, the boxy XB to the head-turning FR-S, each Scion makes a statement. And these are just the stock models! At this year’s Scion SEMA Preview Night, tuners took Scion to new heights in customization to prepare for the largest aftermarket automotive show in the nation.
Seven custom Scions were presented during Preview Night in Los Angeles, California. The club atmosphere, with its DJs, blood-stirring music, dim lighting, and fashionably dressed crowds, just served to highlight Scions are in the car world.
- The orange-and-black Scion tC from Cartel Customs wowed crowd audiences twice: first, with its stunning good looks; and second, with the announcement that it would go into production next January. Scion planned to manufacture 2,000 units of the head-turning model.
- The blue FR-S Targa was also another custom job by Cartel. Many in the audience could not get enough its muscular form and custom 19-in tires.
- The Slayer-themed tC got a lot of attention with its backward-swinging suicide doors, massive speakers, mixer, and 32-in. monitor. Kudos to the tuners for the skull shifter and sword-covered parking brake! The heavy metal band planned to plug their instruments into their themed Scion at SEMA and bring the house down in a concert.
- The Riley Hawk xB brought back the 70s with its retro accruements. People couldn’t get enough of its shag carpeting, eight-track tape player (and tapes!) and skateboard storage unit on top of the crossover.
Also present were the three contenders for the 10th annual Scion Tuner Challenge. The audience got quite noisy betting which one would win the grand prize. Would it be the yellow Rocket Bunny by Super Street? The oh-so-functional steel gray FR-S from GT Channel? Or the vintage-inspired entry by Speedhunters? The debates got heated at times as tuners – between bites of finger foods — discussed the merits of each custom part.
Scion is a brand that Why This Ride? finds easy to answer when asked about. Each vehicle stands out by itself and for its owner. The easy customization that is Scion’s trademark further enhances its appeal. You can check the above models and many more this month at SEMA.
