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52-466: Toyota offered three individually designed cars, based on the mechanicals of existing Toyota models. The series was intended to appeal to markets that were not covered by Toyota's mainstream range, and to discover how commercially feasible such unusual designs were. The American Scion range is based on a similar concept. All WiLL vehicles were only sold in Japan, and only at Toyota Vista Store locations. When

104-481: A cult following, the model was never released overseas. Production of the WiLL VS was stopped circa 2004 and a replacement model was never announced, much to the disappointment of its fans. Nevertheless, some would argue that there was no need to replace the WiLL VS for at least another decade given its futuristic design that some of the newer cars were only beginning to adopt. This would include trend-setting features such as

156-486: A low of 45,678 for the 2010 model year, compared to over 170,000 for 2006. The management tried to resuscitate the brand, hoping to sell 35,000 to 45,000 tC in a year after the model was redesigned for 2011. In October 2011, the iQ , an ultra-compact city car , debuted as a 2012 model. In April 2012, Jack Hollis (Vice President of Scion) announced that the xB and xD would be dropped after 2012, supposedly in favor of all new models from Toyota's hatchback division, Daihatsu ;

208-581: A new season of Power Rangers . In 2002, Saban sold the Power Rangers franchise to Disney 's Buena Vista division, who owned it until 2010, broadcasting Power Rangers on ABC Kids , ABC Family , Jetix , and Toon Disney . On 12 May 2010, Saban bought the franchise back from Disney, moving the show to the Nickelodeon network for 2011 with Power Rangers Samurai . On 25 July 2014, Shout! Factory announced that they would release Zyuranger on DVD in

260-586: A parody on the USA Network television show Night Flight . In 1993, American production company Saban Entertainment adapted 1992's Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for the Fox Kids programming block, combining the original Japanese action footage with new footage featuring American actors for the story sequences. Since then, nearly every Super Sentai series that followed became

312-509: A premium because of their packaged options and scarcity. 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 In 2007, the median age of a Toyota consumer was 54 years old. Comparatively, Scion's average buyer age at that time was lowest in the industry, at 39. Initially, Scion's first two cars (the xA and xB), while unusual for American roads, were well received among consumers not interested in standard entry-level vehicles. The tC

364-553: A project in Japan with other Japanese companies who attempted to market products to younger buyers. Toyota manufactured three vehicles under the WiLL brandname, which were exclusive to Toyota Netz Store Japanese dealerships. Scion was marketed as a youth brand and was first introduced in March 2002, at the New York Auto Show . There were just two concept vehicles, the bbX (which became

416-568: Is a Japanese superhero team metaseries and media franchise consisting of television series and films produced by Toei Company and Bandai , and aired by TV Asahi . The shows are of the tokusatsu genre, featuring live action characters and colorful special effects, and are aimed at children. Super Sentai airs alongside the Kamen Rider series in the Super Hero Time programming block on Sunday mornings. In every Super Sentai series,

468-473: Is one of the few concept vehicles that went into production, albeit only in small numbers, only 15,000 were ever produced. In the years to follow, several other vehicles have taken styling cues from the WiLL VS, most notably the 2004 Opel Astra and the Renault Mégane . WiLL Cypha was produced from 2002 to 2005. It shared many of its mechanicals, including the 1.3-litre 2NZ and 1.5-litre 1NZ engines, with

520-550: Is the unit in the higher spec Toyota Celica. The VS joined the revised Vi, renamed the Cypha , and offered WiLL buyers the choice of a wider car with a more powerful engine. The width dimensions of the VS exceeded Japanese Government regulations that taxed vehicles based on exterior dimensions, which buyers of the VS were liable. In spite of its success in the Japanese market, where the WiLL VS had

572-453: The 2001 Los Angeles Auto Show , as a precursor to the introduction of Scion to North America, and sales in the Japanese market in April of that year under a massive publicity campaign with British electronic group Underworld . The TV commercial featured their hit, " Born Slippy ," originally released six years prior. The WiLL VS was manufactured at Kanto Auto Works . Inspiration for the design of

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624-563: The Ist . Its styling developed themes seen in the Vitz/Yaris , but has a more angular look, a continuation of the short-lived WiLL Vi. Notable features are the rear lights placed level with the rear window, giving a look of the Renault Mégane II, and the distinctive headlights which have four lamps per side arranged vertically. The interior used a rounded theme, with items such as the door pulls and

676-583: The Power Rangers franchise from Saban Capital Group for $ 522 million. Super Sentai has been broadcast in South Korea, dubbed in Korean. The first such series was Choushinsei Flashman which aired as Jigu Bangwidae Flash Man ( Earth Defence Squadron Flashman ), released in video format in 1989 by the Daeyung Panda video company; this was followed by Hikari Sentai Maskman and Chodenshi Bioman . Throughout

728-653: The Toyota Origin , the Subaru Vivio Bistro , and the Mitsubishi Minica Town Bee . The curve of the tail section is also similar to that of the second generation of the Renault Mégane . The car was equipped with MacPherson struts for the front wheels and a torsion beam axle for the rear wheels. The car was painted in a number of pastel colors, and the plastic wheel covers resemble sand dollars . One of

780-606: The Yaris platform with the tenth-generation Corolla 's engine. In September 2010, Scion expanded into Canada, with vehicles offered at 45 selected dealers starting in Toronto , Montreal , and Vancouver , followed by other cities. Launch models included the tC, xD, and xB. The first new Scions were shown in Canada at the 2009 Montreal International Auto Show . Sales of the Scion brand were down to

832-631: The financial crisis of 2007–2008 . Toyota abolished the Scion brand at the start of the 2017 model year in August 2016; the vehicles were either rebranded as Toyotas or discontinued. In 1999, Toyota launched Project Genesis , an effort to bring younger buyers to the Toyota marque in the United States. This project aimed to create a "marque within a marque" in sales and advertising strategy for compact and coupe models sold by Toyota. The effort, which included

884-435: The monster of the week before an enlarged version of the monster confronts them, only to be defeated again when the heroes fight it with their mecha . Each Sentai series is set in its own unique fictional universe ; various TV, video, and film specials feature a team-up among two or more teams. The first two Super Sentai series were created by Shotaro Ishinomori , then known for the 1971–1973 Kamen Rider TV series and

936-472: The tC was discontinued. The then-upcoming C-HR was also moved to the Toyota marque after originally being unveiled as a Scion. The change was not expected to cause disruption to service options, as Scion models were sold and serviced at Toyota dealerships. Scion used sales tools such as "Pure Price" and monospec trim levels with a wide selection of factory and TRD accessories. Extensive market research and testing with Generation Y consumers formed

988-459: The "United by Individuality" ad campaign, featuring over 300 Scion owners' vehicles in various magazine articles, commercials, and billboards. The latest commercial video showed a convoy of Scions parading through the desert in Boulder City , Nevada. These videos and ads could be seen on Scion's website. Super Sentai The Super Sentai Series ( スーパー戦隊シリーズ , Sūpā Sentai Shirīzu )

1040-588: The 1970s, multiple Super Sentai series, including Himitsu Sentai Gorenger and Battle Fever J , were brought to the Hawaiian market, broadcast in Japanese with English subtitles by JN Productions. In 1985, Marvel Comics produced a pilot for an American adaptation of Super Sentai, but the show was rejected by the major US TV networks. In 1986, Saban Productions produced a pilot for an American adaptation of Choudenshi Bioman titled Bio Man . In 1987, some episodes of Kagaku Sentai Dynaman were dubbed and aired as

1092-404: The 1990s, Dai Sentai Goggle Five , Dengeki Sentai Changeman , Choujyu Sentai Liveman , and Kousoku Sentai Turboranger were also released in video format. In the 2000s and early 2010s, Tooniverse (formerly Orion Cartoon Network), JEI-TV (Jaeneung Television), Champ TV/Anione TV (Daewon Broadcasting), Cartoon Network South Korea , and Nickelodeon South Korea have broadcast Super Sentai series

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1144-594: The Castle Hill Concours d'Elegance, showing him racing a custom painted yellow and orange xB on Cambridge streets. Scion also teamed with Gaia Online, providing the xB, xD, and tC as a choice for user cars, as well as other things across the site. Scion also used smaller, regional viral campaigns to reach niche demographics. Online campaigns such as Scion xPressionism allowed a user to modify and design their own Scion with graphics, decals, and aftermarket car parts. Online advertising , much of it quirky and offbeat,

1196-483: The United States. They have since been the official distributor of Super Sentai in North America, and as of 2024 have released all subsequent series up to Dekaranger , plus Jetman and Fiveman . Shout! also provides episodes on demand via Shout! TV since 2016. Super Sentai episodes are also available to watch on the free streaming service, Tubi . On 1 May 2018, toy company Hasbro announced they had acquired

1248-640: The WiLL VS was said to have been derived from the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter. It also has many appearance similarities to the Renault Avantime . The WiLL VS came in three levels of trim. The top of the range model came with alloy wheels, fog-lamps, body kit and tiptronic gearshift. Models are available in automatic transmission, tiptronic, and a six-speed manual, powered by Toyota's 1800 cc VVT-I engine offering 140 hp or VVTL-I engine offering 180 hp, which

1300-572: The WiLL project ended in 2004, Toyota stopped producing WiLL-branded vehicles, and renamed the Toyota Vista dealerships to Toyota NETZ , that coincided with the launch of the North American introduction of Scion, using lessons learned from the WiLL project. The WiLL Vi is a subcompact car, produced from 2000 to 2001, with distinctive styling combining elements of many cars. The WiLL Vi was designed by

1352-546: The basis of the Scion badge. "Pure Price" means that the price posted, whether on the vehicle, in an advertisement, or on a menu display board in the dealership, was the price customers would pay. This included the vehicle, accessories, finance and insurance products. Pure Price was designed to ensure a shorter and simpler process, eliminating all negotiation, though it was common for dealers to add aftermarket accessories and mark vehicles up to increase profits. The concept aimed to be open and consistent to all customers. The concept

1404-483: The bearings inside the centrifugal blower. All accessories are sold individually, and do not require special packages. However, some options, such as Ground Effects, do prevent other accessories (such as mud flaps ) from being installed. Companies that participated in the Optōmize Scion program include GReddy , OBX , RÄZO , a few car detailing companies, and others. Beginning in the second quarter of 2004 with

1456-419: The central console being circular. All Will VC' and WiLL Cyphas were manufactured by Central Motors at its "Headquarters plant" located at Ohira, Miyagi , Japan. It was announced as WiLL VC in 2001 but was released as WiLL Cypha in 2002. The Cypha (the words "cyber" and " phaeton " combined) was one of the first Toyota vehicles to be installed with their vehicle telematics system called G-Book . The vehicle

1508-428: The driver. Scion offered about 150 different accessories; other after-market companies through the Optōmize Scion program offer to add other accessories, as well. For example, one can add a subwoofer as well as different types of decals . The tC had offered an optional supercharger to increase power from 161 to 200 hp (120 to 150 kW), but this option was since discontinued in 2007 due to early failure of

1560-557: The few options was a canvas sliding roof, and the vehicle was installed with bench seats for both front and rear passengers, with the gearshift installed on the dashboard. Unfortunately, however, the WiLL Vi's sales were so disappointing, that the car was discontinued in December 2001, and was replaced by the WiLL Cypha. The WiLL VS was first introduced in 2001. It was formally introduced at

1612-430: The growing popularity of the Scion product line and the scarce production runs (most dealers only get 2-3 of each RS model), these limited edition vehicles quickly sold out. Pre-ordering is available at each dealership on a first-come, first-served basis. To the customer's benefit, Scion's "Pure Price" MSRP bounds dealerships against market-demand vehicle mark-up. Naturally, resale values of Release Series vehicles command

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1664-535: The iA as the Toyota Yaris sedan in Canada. On February 3, 2016, Toyota announced that the Scion brand would be phased out in August after the 2016 model year, stating that the company no longer required a specific marque to target younger demographics. The FR-S, iA, and iM models were amalgamated into the Toyota marque for the 2017 model year as the Toyota 86 , Toyota Yaris iA , and Toyota Corolla iM respectively, while

1716-507: The introduction of the Toyota Echo economy car, along with late generation Toyota MR-2 and Toyota Celica models, was judged unsuccessful and cancelled in 2001. In response, Toyota chose to launch a separate marque, an effort called Project Exodus. A Los Angeles-based digital design company, Fresh Machine, was retained by Toyota to develop the brand, logo, and website. This project became known as Scion. Toyota had previously participated in

1768-420: The launch of the 2004 Scion xB RS 1.0 (Release Series 1.0), followed by the Scion xA RS 1.0, Scion decided to create limited edition vehicles pre-packaged with exclusive accessories in limited quantities. Limited Edition vehicles from a marketing standpoint were used to create a buzz for the brand name, with their exterior colors tending to be loud or bright hues (e.g. orange, yellow, red, blue, green). Because of

1820-468: The long-running manga Cyborg 009 . He developed Himitsu Sentai Gorenger , which ran from 1975 to 1977, and J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai , released in 1977. Toei Company put the franchise on hiatus in 1978, collaborating with Marvel Comics to produce a live-action Spider-Man series, which added giant robots to the concept of tokusatsu shows. The giant robot concept was carried over to Toei and Marvel's next show, Battle Fever J , released in 1979, and

1872-488: The lowest in the industry. To advertise Scion, Toyota began a promotional campaign using a form of guerrilla marketing , using posters and ads in movie theaters and TV to direct consumers to its various "want2bsquare" web sites. Scion's marketing endeavors extended to sponsorships, such as that of VBS.tv's show, Thumbs Up! , which featured David Choe hitchhiking across the United States. Scion sponsored two commercials featuring Concours race car driver Matt Verbin during

1924-471: The more profitable Toyota and Lexus lines, and Gen Y buyers were generally making more pragmatic car-buying choices than their predecessors due to economic factors. For the 2015 model year, Scion released the iM hatchback, based on the international Toyota Auris , and the iQ, xB, and xD were discontinued. Scion also introduced the iA sedan, a rebadged version of the Mazda2 ; however, Toyota opted to sell

1976-516: The new FR-S and redesigned tC did not equal sales of the tC alone during 2005 through 2008, and industry observers concluded that the FR-S was cannibalizing sales of the similar tC. iQ sales never met expectations, and by 2014, observers were characterizing it as a "disappointment." A primary goal of the Scion brand was to introduce young first-time buyers to Toyota products, but analysts found that relatively few Scion buyers were making follow-on purchases from

2028-449: The protagonists are a team of people who – using either wrist-worn or hand-held devices – transform into superheroes and gain superpowers – color-coded uniforms, signature weapons , sidearms, and fighting skills – to battle a group of otherworldly supervillains that threaten to take over the Earth. In a typical episode, the heroes thwart the enemies' plans and defeat an army of enemy soldiers and

2080-452: The rakish body shape, aerodynamic angles, projector-style headlamp cluster (regarded as revolutionary in 2001), illuminated speedometer and clear LED tail lights. The car was used as the police vehicle in the 2001 Hong Kong Film "2002" . The car was used as the police vehicle "Machine Bull" in the 2004 Super Sentai series Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger and was used in the intro for its American adaptation Power Rangers SPD . The WiLL VS

2132-514: The release of the 2005 tC . On December 16, 2006, Scion unveiled the next-generation xB , based on the t2B concept, and the new xD , successor of the xA , at an invitation-only, no-camera event in Miami. Both cars were then publicly unveiled on February 8, 2007, at the Chicago Auto Show. The xD, a five-door subcompact car that is sold in Japan as the second generation Toyota Ist , was based on

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2184-547: The same month, the FR-S sports car went on sale as a 2013 model. Later in 2012—despite the announcement of its imminent discontinuation—a facelifted version of the xB was unveiled. In late 2013, the xD and second-generation xB were in their seventh year without a substantial redesign, and Scion sales were still far short of their 2006 peak. Toyota began allowing dealers to drop the Scion marque without penalty. The recently introduced FR-S had strong initial sales, but combined sales of

2236-620: The then newly formed Virtual Venture Company, headed by Jim Shimizu. The unique-appearing rear window had earlier appeared on the Mazda Carol , the Ford Anglia (1959–1968), and the Citroen Ami . The "neo-retro" look represented a period in Japan where vehicles took on the styling of historic vehicles from the 1950s and 1960s, such as the Nissan Be-1 , Nissan Figaro , Nissan S-Cargo , Nissan Pao ,

2288-400: The xB declined after the introduction of the second generation, from a peak of over 60,000 to 17,017 in 2011; sales of the xD fell to 9,573 in 2011 from 32,603 in 2006. By the time it was discontinued, over a million Scion-branded cars were sold. Over 70% were sold to people new to Toyota and just over 50% of the cars sold were to people under the age of 35; tC buyers had an average age of 29,

2340-803: The xB), and the ccX (which became the tC). The 2004 xA and xB were unveiled at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show on January 2, 2003. They were available only in 105 Toyota dealerships in California at their initial launch on June 9, 2003. The subsequent rollout of the brand to the South, the Southeast, and the East Coast occurred in February 2004. Scion vehicles were available nationwide in June 2004, coinciding with

2392-422: Was also promoted with a sales approach called "pay as you go" meaning that you were given the option not to buy the car with monthly payments, but to instead lease the car, and only pay a monthly bill based on how far you drove in a month. When the driver no longer wanted the vehicle, they returned the car to the Toyota dealership. Scion (car) Scion was a marque of Toyota that debuted in 2003 and

2444-410: Was also well received with brisk sales. The marque's best-selling year was 2006, with 173,000 vehicles sold. Sales dropped in the ensuing years, to 57,961 vehicles in 2009. By 2010, the tC was the mainstay of the brand, accounting for over 40% of all Scions sold since the brand was established. However, some sales of the second-generation tC were cannibalized by the similar FR-S. In the U.S., sales of

2496-428: Was available only in the United States and Canada. The marque was intended to appeal to younger customers: the Scion brand emphasized inexpensive, stylish, and distinctive sport compact vehicles, and used a simplified "pure price" sales concept that eschewed traditional trim levels and dealer haggling . Each vehicle was offered in a single trim with a non-negotiable base price, while a range of dealer-installed options

2548-608: Was not new to the U.S. market, having been introduced in the early 1990s by the Geo and Saturn marques of General Motors . Scion's sales approach differed greatly from that of the Toyota brand. In the United States, for instance, the Toyota Camry was offered with four different trim levels intended for different crowds (budget-conscious, mainstream, sports-oriented and luxury); all Scions, in contrast, had only one standard trim level (monospec) and were designed to be uniquely customized for

2600-705: Was offered to buyers for personalizing their vehicles. The Scion name, meaning the descendant of a family or heir, refers both to the brand's cars and their owners. In an effort to target millennials , Scion primarily relied on guerrilla and viral marketing techniques. The brand first soft launched in the United States at selected Toyota dealers in the state of California in June 2003, before expanding nationwide by February 2004. Sales peaked in 2006 with 173,034 units sold. In 2010, Scion expanded into Canada. However, Toyota's initial propositions of short product cycles and aggressive pricing based on low dealer margins became increasingly unsustainable as sales fell after

2652-504: Was part of Scion's marketing mix for both these campaigns and for the launch of new models. Shows like Slick's Picks went around the country interviewing artists, stores, and events and put short videos on the site. Scion Radio 17 was an internet-radio initiative that features 17 non-mainstream channels, ranging from rock and hip hop to electro and soul. Scion AV served as the brand's lifestyle marketing initiative, funding projects in music, art, and film. In August 2008, Scion released

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2704-709: Was then used throughout the Super Sentai series. The next two series Denshi Sentai Denjiman and Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan had Marvel Comics copyrights and co-productions, despite no influence. Subsequently, the remainder of the series has been solely produced by Toei Company . The following is a list of the Super Sentai series and their years of broadcast: Although the Super Sentai series originated in Japan, various Sentai series have been imported and dubbed in other languages for broadcast in several other countries. After Honolulu 's KIKU-TV had success with Android Kikaider (marketed as Kikaida ) and Kamen Rider V3 in

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