2012 Scion FR-S Five Axis Concept

The rear-drive revolution is firmly upon us.

For a time, relatively inexpensive rear-drive “fun” cars were just not in production. Bravo to Mazda for keeping the torch lit with the Miata. Kudos to Nissan for bringing back the Z. We applaud Hyundai’s valiant first effort with the Genesis coupe. But we started wondering, when will “they,” the big T company that built the TE72, AE86, Supra and MR2, bring something back?

Well, it has finally happened. But now it’s called a Scion?

Before digging into that, let’s talk about the car itself. Formerly known as the FT-86, and then the FT-86 II, the car is now called the FR-S—that stands for Front engine, Rear wheel drive, Sport. That pretty much sums it up. The flat-4 engine is up front, and is shared with Subaru. The engine, dubbed D4-S, will sport two injectors per cylinder, just like on some Lexus products. One will inject directly in the combustion chamber, while the other will spray into the intake runner, above the valve, just like

in the pre-direct injection days. 
The D4-S will mate to either a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission, which sends power to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential—a definite bonus for this type of car. While the manual transmission would be our choice, the automatic transmission cars will have shift paddles on the steering wheel.
This Scion FR-S Concept shown at New York was built by Five Axis, a prominent show car and customization house in Southern California. The car features massive 20 x 8.5 in. wheels up front and 20 x 10.5 in. wheels out back. While we must say the FR-S looks aggressive and much more production-ready than the other concepts before it, something tells us the gigantic 20-in. wheels will not make it into production.

Something else that definitely won’t make it to production would be the massive 18-in. carbon-ceramic disk brakes and 4-piston calipers!
All told, the only remaining issue with the FR-S is the badge on the hood. Many folks feel the car should have been a Toyota. To them, I say this: Let’s wait until the car is available to drive. A rose is sweet no matter what it’s called. The same will likely be true with the FR-S.

Pricing and availability haven’t been discussed. Based on what we’re seeing in the advanced FR-S Concept by Five Axis, we suspect the car will be ready in about a year, priced in the low to mid $20,000's.

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