NAIAS 2012: Scion Leader Still Wants a Pickup
Not long before the press conference in which Scion unveiled its sports car, we caught up with Jack Hollis, Scion's vice president and general manager, and asked him about the progress of a small pickup for Scion.
Last year saying he wanted one for Scion, but the brand faces some big challenges ahead, not the least of which is deciding how to be cost-effective about a platform.
"We know we can't be a heavy hauler or able to tow a mountain. … We have to be smart about making that vehicle a Scion," Hollis said. "But I still want a pickup in our lineup. … We're looking pretty hard in the obvious places, like the xB, but we still have to figure out how to make it work."
Hollis said he saw the Smart For-us, and if something like that could get attention at this show, Hollis believed Scion could do a vehicle with an open bed area that would be much more functional for Scion buyers. Whether that means a beefed-up Scion chassis or something off a sturdier platform, he wouldn't say.
"Our buyers like Scion because they can do a lot of things with their vehicles, and a little pickup could give them even more versatility," Hollis said.
We've heard a lot of conjecture over the years (we've even seen a few renderings) about what this vehicle could be, but until we see a concept vehicle show up at a future auto show, we're guessing this will simply remain a talking point for Scion. Still, it would be a nice addition to any corporate average fuel economy numbers Toyota might like to accrue.
