Exceptional features will now come at even more exceptional prices. The 2014 Scion FR-S and tC gain premium features with the competitively priced, limited edition Monogram Series™ models on display for the first time at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Monogram Series vehicles will be available in dealerships starting in February.

“Through this limited edition Monogram Series, Scion brought together extra comforts and conveniences in the FR-S and tC without sacrificing value,” said Scion Vice President Doug Murtha. “By incorporating these features as standard for a limited time, we provide a great price to go head-to-head with the competition and encourage more drivers to get excited about experiencing a Scion.”

High-end features like Alcantara® inserts in the FR-S and navigation technology in both the FR-S and tC set the Monogram Series apart. Vehicles will be available in all standard body colors and both transmission options. Just 2,000 of these limited FR-S models and 2,500 tC models will be available this year.

Scion FR-S Monogram Series Specifications
-Leather seats with Alcantara® inserts
-BeSpoke® Premium Audio with navigation and connected services
-Smart Key with push button start
-HID headlamps with LED daytime running lights
-Dual-zone automatic climate control system
-Heated front seats
-Heated outside mirrors
-Frameless rearview mirror
-Color-keyed rear spoiler
-Rear-seat center armrest
-Carpet cargo mat

Pricing: The MSRP for the six-speed manual and six-speed sequential automatic transmissions are $27,400 and $28,500 respectively, representing a value package of over $1,900. There is an additional $395 fee for the premium exterior color Whiteout.

Limited Scion Monogram Series Brings Premium Features to FR-S

Toyota motorsports partner Gazoo Racing has fielded plenty of Toyota GT86s in different racing series around the world and now they’ve taken what they’ve learned and applied it to the street.

Unveiled today at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the GRMN 86 Concept applies much of what the team has learned racing at the Nurburgring 24 Hour race and infused that technical expertise into a street-legal package. According to GRMN, the 86 Concept has achieved optimal weight reduction, a lower center of gravity, an enhanced powertrain and improved body rigidity.

Visually the GRMN 86 Concept features a carbon fiber hood, front lip, mirror caps and rear spoiler while subtle red touches hint that this 86 is far from stock.

Gazoo Racing will be making a return to this year’s Nurburgring 24 Hours race, and has an impressive display of various modified GT86s at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon.

Although there have been reports to the contrary, Scion is still investigating the feasibility of bringing a convertible version of the FR-S to market.

One of the challenges facing the car is that Subaru, co-creator of the FR-S, does not want a convertible version of its sports car, the BRZ.

“It’s something we’re looking at internally from both a manufacturing standpoint – where do we build something that’s relatively low-volume, if not at Subaru,” Doug Murtha, VP for Scion in the U.S told Ward’s Auto. “And from an engineering standpoint, where are those resources going to come from to do it,” said Murtha.

Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s parent company, builds both the BRZ and FR-S, so if Toyota wishes to build a convertible, they would have to do it themselves. “When you look at their [Subaru] global volume relative to our global volume and convert that to their potential share of the convertible segment, and it’s probably more in Toyota’s interest to pursue a vehicle like that,” said Murtha.

Toyota and Scion have requested that every dealer turn in projected volume targets if they wish to sell the convertible, just for a sense of exactly how many units the brand’s would be able to move.

Sales of the FR-S have been pretty strong so far, with 18,327 units moved last year. Still, that is short of Toyota’s goal of 20,000 sales in the US. The third year of sports car sales is usually when the numbers start to fall, so no doubt Toyota will be watching closely and weighing its options for more FR-S variants over the next year.

The 2014 Scion FR-S retails for $24,700 and comes with a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 200 horsepower and 151 lb-ft. of torque. The vehicle in this 0-60 MPH test was equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission.

A best 0-60 MPH acceleration run of 6.8 seconds was accomplished with the Traction Control turned "Off".