TORRANCE, Calif., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Scion, of Toyota Motor Sales,
U.S.A., Inc., announced pricing today for the 2007 tC and new tC Spec
Package.
"We brought this model to the market specifically for the tuner who
wants to start modifications with a clean palette," said Mark Templin,
Scion vice president. "Personalization has always been one of Scion's
original core values and the tC Spec Package will help give our customers a
solid foundation to transform their tC into something exceptionally
unique."
The tC Spec Package model will come as a blank canvas for the tuner
community to express its creativity. This tC rides on steel wheels with
unique wheel covers and 205/55R16 tires and features special front-end
treatments. It comes in four exterior colors, Super White, Flint Mica,
Black Sand Pearl and Classic Silver Metallic. Inside, the tC receives a
fixed glass panorama roof, unique upholstery, and urethane steering wheel.
Aside from the new Spec Package, the tC carries over for 2007 with
updated seat fabric, a sun visor with a sliding extension and a tire
pressure monitoring system.
The tC Spec Package will have a manufacturer's suggested retail price
(MSRP) of $15,000 for models with manual transmissions and $15,800 for
models with automatic transmissions. The base MSRP for the Standard tC with
a manual transmission is $16,400, and $17,200 for an automatic
transmission, an increase of $100 for each.
The tC and tC Spec Package will hit dealer showrooms beginning in June.

Because of its style, excellent handling and torquey 2.4-liter motor, the Scion tC has developed a cult following in the tuner community. Scion club members and tuner shops asked Scion to deliver a minimalist tC that's a clean starting point for a radical tuner car. Tuners don't want to invest money in factory alloy wheels that they'll immediately replace, or in excellent Monospec seats and interior trim they plan to reupholster with a suede or leather aftermarket kit. Tuners want the body, suspension, drivetrain--all the basics--and nothing else.

The 2007 tC Spec Package doesn't have all the features of the standard tC. Instead, it's optimized to suit the wants and needs of the tuner community and costs less than the standard tC. Tuners might consider the aggressive price as a head start on financing the creation of a radical tuner Scion. Of course, all accessories available on the tC are also available for the tC Spec Package.

The tC Spec Package is optimized for and aimed at that one customer in a thousand who intends to build a radical tuner Scion, for the buyer who will spend 15 or 20 thousand dollars on aftermarket engine, suspension, audio and style modifications after he's bought a tC Spec Package. The optimized features of the tC Spec Package give the most aggressive Scion tuners an edge.

How has the tC Spec Package been optimized? With a few major changes and a wide range of smaller ones. The Panorama Moonroof is replaced by a single fixed pane of glass, saving cost and weight. The 17-inch split six-spoke alloy wheels have been replaced with simple steel wheels that wear seven-spoke graphite wheel covers: when building a tC that will be like no other, tuners want to pick their own alloys from the aftermarket. Seats are covered in simple material and the driver's seat has fewer controls and adjustments. The engine immobilizer, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, passenger-side key cylinder, accessory power outlet and a number of other small items are shaved off the tC Spec Package features list.

Members of the Spec Package fraternity will have their own 'secret handshake': tC Spec Package features headlight and front grille surrounds finished in matte black, with no brightwork, giving the tC Spec Package a distinctive appearance on the street--a subtle difference Scion tuners will recognize.

Exterior Features

Headlight: The aluminum brightwork on the headlight surrounds and "eyebrow" have been removed, leaving the surrounds matte black.

Wheel: A 16 x 6 inch steel wheel with a seven-spoke wheel cover in graphite is standard on the 2007 tC Spec Package, replacing the 17-inch split six-spoke alloy wheel of the standard tC. A smaller-diameter steel wheel provides a cost-savings over the standard 17-inch split six-spoke alloy wheel of the standard tC. A tC Spec Package owner can invest the savings in aftermarket alloy wheels that fit his or her own sense of style.

Tire: A 205/55R-16 tire is standard on the 2007 tC Spec Package, replacing the P215/45ZR-17 tires worn by the standard tC. A tC Spec Package owner can invest the savings in larger-diameter aftermarket alloy wheels and performance tires.
Front Grille Surround: The chrome-plated front grille surround is replaced with a matte black, non-plated grille surround.

Exterior Colors: The 2007 tC Spec Package is available in four colors: Classic Silver Metallic, Super White, Flint Mica and Black Sand Pearl.
Passenger-Side Key Cylinder: The passenger-side door handle does not feature a key cylinder.

Fixed Panorama Moonroof Glass: The multiple panels of the standard tC's Panorama Moonroof have been replaced on the tC Spec Package by a single fixed pane of glass. There is no longer an opening moonroof. The moonroof controls, electric motor and rails have all been removed. Without moonroof electric motors, rails and controls, the tC Spec Package is both less expensive to produce and also slightly lighter.

Immobilizer System: The standard tC immobilizer system has been removed from the tC Spec Package. Tuners intent on building a performance tC engine in most cases prefer the engine in its simplest form, without cruise control, engine immobilizers or engine covers.

Engine Cover: The engine cover of the standard tC has been removed on the tC Spec Package. Tuners like to dress an engine to reflect their own personal style.
Interior Features

Moonroof Controls: Because the multiple panels of the standard tC's Panorama Moonroof have been replaced by a single fixed pane of glass, tC Spec Package does not need moonroof controls.

Driver-Seat Adjustment Levers: The tC Spec Package does not include walk-through function on the driver's seat, or walkthrough memory. The walkthrough lever on the shoulder of the seat is no longer needed. The headrest cannot be adjusted forward and back, and there is no tilt function for the seat's bottom cushion. Scion tuners are likely to install aftermarket seats (e.g., Sparco racing seats) or reupholster the interior with an aftermarket suede or leather kit.

Cruise Control: Cruise control is not offered on the 2007 tC Spec Package. The control lever located behind the wheel is not needed on the tC Spec Package. The foot pedals do not incorporate the sensors used in the cruise control system of the standard tC.

Steering Wheel: The tC Spec Package features a steering wheel formed in urethane. The wheel does not incorporate audio system controls. The wheel retains the very same dual-stage driver-side front airbag as the standard tC. Tuners often want to install specialty aftermarket racing wheels with small, simple rims. Though these aftermarket steering wheels are for off-road use only and eliminate the driver-side front airbag, some tuners prefer this approach.

Power Window Switches: The tC Spec Package retains the auto-down function for the driver-side window, but it is not included in the passenger-side window controls.

Seat Upholstery: Seats in the tC Spec Package are stitched up in a simple jersey fabric similar to the material used on the door panels of standard tCs. Scion tuners are likely to install aftermarket seats (e.g., Sparco racing seats) or reupholster the interior with an aftermarket suede or leather kit.

Door Trim: The trim around the door opening is Thermo Plastic Olefin (TPO). This is a simple and strong material that allows Scion to offer tC Spec Package to sport compact tuners at a lower price.

Glove Box: The glove box is not lined with fabric.

Headliner: The headliner is made of simple synthetic non-woven fabric. Scion tuners are likely to reupholster the interior with an aftermarket suede or leather kit, which can include the headliner.

Console Box & Accessory Socket: There is no fabric lining of the console box. Its one-step lid is formed in simple resin. Also, the 12-volt accessory socket in the console storage box has been removed.

Sun Visor: Sun visors are formed in PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride), and are not covered in fabric as in the standard tC.