A few weeks after standing idle at the SEMA show, Toyota lit the ignition on the Scion 01 Concept at the ceremony of the updated proving grounds in Arizona.
I saw it blast down a dusty red carpet of sorts before parking under a tent. Idle again, Don Federico, Vice President of Vehicle Performance Development at Toyota, stood next to it and offered a lot more detail about this side-by-side concept.
Off-the-Shelf Powertrain
Mounted behind the second row sits the Tacoma hybrid powertrain, the more powerful of the two offered on the midsize pickup. Using a turbocharged 2.4L inline-four and eight-speed automatic transmission with electric motors nestled inside, it makes the same 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque.
And to feed electricity to those motors, Toyota plucked the same 1.87kWh battery pack from the shelf as well, albeit with a few modifications. First, it’s mounted above the engine, behind the passengers; there is no cargo space to stick it under.
Second, it’s actually air-conditioned. Federico explains, “We know these things run in rough environments, so it’s actually a fully sealed, air-cooled battery. It’s the first one in Toyota where we use a small air conditioner to circulate air to keep it cool.”
For good measure, that battery also allows the Scion 01 to run on electricity alone a few miles at a time; Toyota calls it “Silent mode.”
Moreover, while the Scion 01 is one-of-a-kind, Toyota built it with multiple powertrains in mind. And that’s frame up. “When we started this development, we really imagined creating a platform that we could use to adopt many different powertrains,” Federico said.
”In the powersports segment, usually each vehicle is bespoke,” he continued. “We want to carry over as much of the great engineering as possible, so this very rigid platform using rectangular tubing, one, gives us a super-strong base, allows our suspension to do the work, but also gives us cover range to be able to package many different solutions.”
In other words, Toyota developed the Scion 01 to run with multiple powertrains at multiple price points.
Legit Chassis
More parts plucked from the shelf include the hubs from the Highlander, power steering from the Corolla, brake rotors from the Camry, and brake calipers from the GR Yaris.
Looking at the Scion 01, Camry and Yaris brake parts seem insufficient, but this UTV actually only weighs around 3,000 pounds, according to Federico, well below the curb weight of its mainstay sedan.
They also play an important vehicle dynamics role. “With side-by-sides, we want to push knuckle as far in as possible to allow as much suspension stroke as possible,” Federico said. “[That leaves us] a very narrow package to put brakes in.”
That work paid off in the form of 26 inches of suspension travel. “And there’s no trickery here,” Federico said. “That’s a full 26 inches, no tire squish; you get that full stroke on there.”
Complementing near Trophy Truck levels of articulation, the Scion 01 sits a full 17 inches off the ground and wears 35-inch Maxxis Carnivore tires. And no Camry suspension here, just long tube steel links and massive Fox Shocks.
Rough, Purposeful Interior
While the Scion 01’s inside looks the least sorted out, I see plenty of function and potential. Four racing seats with four-point harnesses secure the driver and passengers. Those passengers also grip a grab handle for when the going gets bumpy.
The driver holds the steering wheel instead and uses familiar switchgear to operate things. Toyota plucked both the shifter and the mode selector from the Tacoma, not to mention several USB ports and an A/C power switch. Federico told me the Scion 01 includes a 1,500W inverter.
One piece definitely not pulled from any Toyota I know of: the rear-hinged, front-opening front doors. By the way, the Scion 01 seats four, two seats in each of the two rows.
Wanna Race?
In addition to the modular frame built to accept different engines. I also quickly noticed the robust rollcage with two tubes to make up the A-pillar and a lot of other structure.
Federico liked what I noticed and added, “When we benchmarked the competition, we found some opportunities in cage strength. Obviously, this is a safety device. And if Toyota is going to enter this market, we are going to make it safe. This frame is several times stronger than the competition and is already SCORE and FIA compliant. You can race this.”
I mean, why not?
Is Scion Back?
Federico kept mum about pricing and, indeed, whether we will see a production version of the Scion 01. But the Japanese brand is certainly at least considering it. Using the Scion name hints at its return, this time in the powersports segment. Building the 01 Concept to accept different engines offers variety when selling a production version. Not to mention how often Federico brought up safety. All the above point to serious intentions.
I know I want Toyota to build this. It certainly looks quite capable. And — most importantly — it’s cool.
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