Toyota Seeks to Draw Young Buyers With Its New Scion Line of Vehicles

The WSJ reported that Toyota Motor Corp recognizes that it has what is known in the auto industry as a "Buick problem." The Japanese automaker became one of the most powerful car brands in the U.S. by winning over millions of baby boomers. But now its most loyal consumers are entering their golden years, and senior Toyota executives worry young drivers aren't being lined up fast enough to replace them. In response, Toyota plans to launch a new brand called Scion, a youth-targeted nameplate that will roll out in the U.S. next year. Toyota is counting on a clunky box-on-wheels, the "bB microvan," to be the centerpiece of the initiative aimed at Generation Y. Under orders to loosen up, Toyota engineers designed the original bB to appeal to Japan's young drivers. Now, the company plans to unveil a modified bB and other Scion "concept" vehicles at the New York auto show this week before bringing them to market. According to people familiar with Toyota's plans, the second vehicle in the new Scion lineup is a version of the "ist" (pronounced "east"), a five-door hatchback Toyota unveiled last year at the Tokyo auto show. A third vehicle, now in development, is expected to hit showrooms in the new brand's first year. John Hanson, a Toyota spokesman, says he "doesn't deny or affirm" specifics about the new cars. "We will discuss our product plans in New York on March 27," he says