09 SCION TC TURBO KIT WINDOWS

Under normal driving conditions, the tC is a satisfyingly quick and fun-to-drive hatch. And remember, the blown Mini starts at $20,449. It's even with the Mazda 3 s and just 0.4 slower than the supercharged Cooper S, which is the only one of the group to outgun the tC to the quarter-mile, nipping it by 0.2 second. To 60, it is quicker than the Civic Si (8.0) and the Mini Cooper (8.3). Talk about 'hardly shabby.' Against its natural rivals, the tC is equally competitive. Moreover, because the tC is geared fairly short-final drive is 4.24-its 30-to-50-mph top-gear time of 8.5 seconds is a 10th quicker than the six-cylinder IS's. The sporty Scion scoots from 0 to 60 in 7.4 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.7 seconds at 88 mph, only 0.1 and 0.2 second, respectively, behind the IS (' $35,000 Sports Sedans,' March 2004). Speaking of the Lexus IS, the tC is nearly as quick as its 215-hp luxury cousin.

The tC's suspension setup is similar to the Civic Si's-McPherson struts up front and multilink in back-but the tC wears larger 17-inch split-spoke alloys shod with Z-rated 215/45R-17 Bridgestone Potenza RE92 tires, the same spec rubber used on some Lexus IS300s. Disc brakes are standard at every corner and feature ABS with electronic brake-force distribution. The Camry also donates to the tC its buttery five-speed manual, albeit with a revised linkage and shorter gear ratios and the optional four-speed auto. The Civic Si and the Mazda 3 s have as much horsepower, but they can't match the tC's twist, mustering 31 and 13 fewer pound-feet, respectively. Hooked to a low-restriction, two-way muffler, the 2.4 generates 160 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. Powering the tC is the Camry's 2AZ-FE 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a sophisticated engine with an aluminum block, a magnesium cam cover, electronic throttle control, and variable intake-valve timing. In addition to the Avensis, the tC borrows readily from another, more familiar Toyota product. Our test car came with such items as a Bazooka subwoofer ($449) and an interior light kit ($250) that casts blue Luxaura light under the dash and in the cup holders. Scion believes in allowing its patrons to customize their vehicles, so the tC can be fitted with a variety of add-ons. The only factory-installed options are front-seat-mounted side airbags and curtain airbags ($650) and a four-speed automatic transmission ($800).ДЄlthough the tC's options list is short, its dealer-accessories list is long.

09 SCION TC TURBO KIT WINDOWS

At a low $16,465, the tC is equipped with a panoramic sunroof with front and rear glass panels, the former power retractable a Pioneer CD player with MP3 and satellite-radio capabilities dual front airbags and a driver's knee airbag keyless entry cruise control A/C power up and down windows and an outside-temperature gauge. As the first vehicle developed exclusively for Scion (the xA and the xB are rebadged Japanese-domestic-market cars), the tC, like its cute siblings, is offered in monospec form and comes more loaded than a frat boy in CancГєn.

That recently cultivated sparkler is the Scion tC, a sporty hatchback comprising a catalog of standard features that should frighten the competition. Luckily, Scion-er, Toyota-has been holding in its Japanese mine a diamond in the rough, one whose pressure cooker produced a gem of similar vein nearly two decades ago. Sure, they're affordable, practical, and entertaining, but they're not exactly the small cars we leadfeet clamor to redline. Since its debut last year, Toyota's youth-oriented Scion brand hasn't offered us much in the form of jewels, lest you believe the doorstop xA and the toolbox xB to be of the precious variety. It's no surprise, then, that we labeled the GT-S 'an excellent, well-rounded little GT' that was 'as playfully satisfying as anything we've recently driven.' Our conclusion: 'It's no wonder the Japanese have been keeping such little jewels to themselves.'

A Chevy Camaro Berlinetta needed 10.0 seconds to reach 60 and a Nissan 300ZX required 9.2. Our test GT-S went from 0 to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds and reached a top speed of 113 mph-results we referred to as 'hardly shabby.'ДЄlthough those numbers would be 'hardly acceptable' today, back then they made us take notice. It also came with rear disc brakes instead of drums, a high-performance 14-inch wheel-and-tire package, and a firm sport suspension. Chief among its list of attributes was the new 4A-GE engine-a 1.6-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve beauty that put out 112 horsepower and 97 pound-feet of torque. That hatchback was new for the 1985 model year and promised big excitement in a small package. Just a month shy of 20 years ago, in September 1984, we got our hands on Toyota's latest and greatest pocket rocket, the Corolla GT-S.

09 scion tc turbo kit