After months of inspired effort, Canada's top tuners – finalists in Scion's inaugural Canadian Tuner Challenge – have now completed their customization of three Scions. They'll be showing off their unique vehicles to the public for the first time at IMPORTFEST, which is presented this year by Scion Canada. The event will be held at the MTCC's North Building from noon to midnight.
"The essence of Scion is the expression of personal style," said Larry Hutchinson, Director of Scion in Canada. "We've given three extraordinary teams three months to unleash their talents and they now have three remarkable Scions to show off. We can't wait for the public to have a chance to visit the Scion booth to see just how unique these customized vehicles – and their creators – are."
A panel of judges will choose one winner from among the three finalists in Montreal on October 1st. The winning team and their car will be sent in early November to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. It's the world's premier automotive products trade show.
Among all entries, three regional teams were selected as finalists in May. They were each given a different Scion model to modify, along with $10,000 and unlimited access to Scion and TRD accessories for their modifications. The three finalists featured at IMPORTFEST are:
Team TDS (Toronto, ON) – Led by Arthur Chiang, this team of seven customized a Scion tC for their "Project Chocolate Love." TDS modifications show attention to detail, exquisitely presented engine bays, top quality parts, and a unique edgy style will be showcased in their dark brown and gold Scion tC build. Their modifications call for custom fabricated wheel arch over-fenders, rear diffuser, exhaust system with powder coated gold exhaust tip, trunk lid spoiler and turbo system, The entertainment system includes mobile video screens, head unit, speakers, amps and subwoofers.
SR Auto Group (Richmond, B.C.) – This team of eight led by Tony Yuen completed "Project Anarchy" by customizing a Scion xB. Their design features a minimalist approach with a military-inspired vibe. Outside, DL Style B-Magic Body Kit and Spoiler, team up with Modulare M23 19" Wheels and a host of custom touches, like hand painted Eccentric Blue Lug Nuts. Inside, a full black suede interior is set off by blue LED accent lighting, and features a 32" LED LCD TV. Performance modifications draw heavy on TRD, including a Big Brake Kit, Strut Tower Brace, Sway Bar, Exhaust System and Turbo System.
Camo Customs (Lachine, QC) – The tandem of Shawn O'Donnell and Benoit St-Cyr customized a Scion xD as they worked on "Project Kryptonite." Inspired by the notion of "wild mild," with the objective of creating a car with a big "wow" factor but still remaining a vehicle capable of day-to-day driving on city streets. Their mint green candy xD will feature a TRD Body Kit, Spoiler, Exhaust, and Air Intake, custom lighting inside and out, an in-dash multi-media centre backed up by a subwoofer with a custom box set-up.
In addition to unveiling the Canadian Tuner Challenge finalist vehicles, Scion also has some other special attractions lined up for IMPORTFEST. This includes the Scion booth having the first Canadian public display of the tC Release Series. Each year, Scion creates a limited edition for each series, complete with unique equipment and colours. This Release Series debut in Canada will be the tC Release Series 7.0 in High Voltage Yellow. There will only be 175 of these produced for Canada, with the following standard equipment:
· Exterior 05A3 High Voltage Yellow
· TRD Body Kit
· Smart Key with TRD Button Start
· 18" Alloy Wheel with Gloss Black Finish
· Color Tuned Seat Fabric with Accent Stitch
· Steering Wheel with Yellow Accent Stitch
· RS Numbered Badge
· Available Color Tuned Spoiler
Scion will also be offering test drives of all three of the brand's existing models – the xB, xD and tC. The test-drive route will start at the front door of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre North on Front Street.
For more details, please visit www.importfest.com