April 30 Weekly Open Thread--The Show (Cars Week) Must Go On
by Cookie the Dog's Owner
on April 30, 2012
Last week's show cars theme proved to be too big to fit in one week, so we'll be finishing it up over the next few days.
In the meantime, this is the place for you to talk about what's on your mind.
toronado455 on April 30, 2012 at 09:35 AM
Well, since you posted a photo with Scions in it, how do people feel about Scion discontinuing the xB? Personally, I would rather seem them improve the fuel economy in a new version rather than just dropping it completely.
That Car Guy (Chuck) on April 30, 2012 at 09:59 AM
I think the new xB lost the character of the first one. So I'm not sorry about its demise.
Cookie the Dog's Owner on April 30, 2012 at 11:33 AM
I'm inclined to agree. The gen-1 xB was a cool little design; the gen-2 had all the coolness sucked out of it with a large bore hypodermic needle.
Yankee on May 01, 2012 at 06:43 AM
Honestly couldn't care less. The Xb always reminded me of a rolling toaster designed for the young hip-hop tennis-shoes-in-a-dryer music crowd that wore way too much gold jewelry, their baseball hats sideways and wore their pants just a little too low. Good riddance.
tigerstrypes on May 01, 2012 at 07:17 PM
WHAT?! They're discontinuing the xB?! When I think of Scion, the first thing that pops in my head is that little box. Oh well, I'm more partial to the discontinued first-gen than the second. I still remember seeing the "Black Box" in an import car magazine...
The only thing that grinds my gear about the Scion is the fact that it has Toyota Echo/Yaris running gear, meaning that they're stuck with the measly 1.5L engine and trans. In fact, the losers that street race said econo-cars lust after the xB's transmission because, due to the gearing to compensate for its weight, it helps with launch. I also dislike that centralized instrument cluster.
And just for the record, Scion is also discontinuing the xD, a Yaris in drag and a conventionally located instrument cluster.
The spirit of the original xB lives on as a Chinese copy. Great Wall Motor Coolbear, anyone (look it up)?
Cookie the Dog's Owner on May 02, 2012 at 06:57 AM
The latest "National Review" has a Chevy Volt review (http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/297445/ask-me-about-your-volt-daniel-foster) which you may find interesting. The NR writer got a whole weekend to play with it, and he pretty much agrees with what I wrote a couple of months ago--interesting engineering, absurd economics.
toronado455 on May 06, 2012 at 12:37 PM
@tigerstrypes
Oh yeah, who could forget the Great Wall Coolbear?
That thing looks like a 1st gen xB with a 2nd gen front end. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery don't they? :-)