[smartcar111]

Marketing and selling a very small car in the United States is a challenge; just ask Daimler subsidiary Smart, the brand responsible for the Fortwo. But Scion is pushing forward with the new 2012 iQ, so what sort of sales volumes is Toyota’s youth brand projecting?

As we learned during last week’s press launch, it appears Scion is keeping its expectations tempered and doesn’t foresee the iQ running away with a sales title, ultimately envisioning volume to track figures produced by its xB and xD. Predicting individual model sales can be a crapshoot depending on the vehicle, but assuming the iQ breaks into the market closer to xD numbers (the xB sold 20,364 units to the xD’s 10,110 in 2010), that would put the tiny Scion on pace for over 800 per month.

Why use last year’s sales numbers? Through June, xB sales are off 13.5 percent year-over-year, though part of the blame may lie with the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan earlier this year. The xD is up 9.1 percent but the 2011 tC, still fresh from its second-gen launch, is 98.1 percent ahead of its position last year and reigning volume king. Being the latest and greatest has its perks, and newness will be one of the iQ’s big selling points.

But as we’ve been following for years and months, the tone isn’t as upbeat over at iQ-competitor Smart. In 2010, the German carmaker recorded 5927 Fortwo sales. The best documented month in 2011 so far is May with a grand total of 492 units, but even if Smart managed those 492 sales per month for an entire year it wouldn’t breach the 2010 total. Sales have stagnated since the three-cylinder city car arrived on our shores, and given the Fortwo’s gloomy outlook, can the iQ swoop in and clean up this small-car segment?

Pricing may be the biggest hurdle. With 11 airbags, Bluetooth, and HD Radio as standard equipment and a marketing campaign aimed at trend-setting youths and the young-at-heart, the iQ is jumping into battle with a base price of $15,995 (includes a $730 destination charge). It’s understandably not a bargain-basement price, but the modern-day content-obsessed subcompact and compact genres are more competitive than ever. Scion is confident its premium entry will find a receptive audience and notes that over 70 percent of Scion owners are new Toyota customers.

The iQ enters production at the end of August and goes on sale in October on the West Coast first, followed by the Southeast and Gulf states in January 2012. It then moves on to New York and the rest of the East Coast in February before wrapping up in the Midwest in March.

Source

 

[vwW12]

Just on dealers alone the iQ can sell up the wazoo when compared to the ForTwo.

 

[HGB]

When the IQ arrives Toyota will be there to back it up with advertisement. I'm pretty sure about that.
Smart...well you know, the car is still a mystery to most folks.

 

[jwight]

M-B USA would kill to match the low estimate of 800 per month for smart sales.

 

[Brand Manager Kamaal]

But... they're still... front... wheel... drive... front... engine... nevermind. We're still smarter than their IQ.

 

[VinceLA]

Majority of the folks don't care if it's FWD or not. As long as the car moves, that's all it matters.

If the CVT drives smoother, then pple will go for the iQ.

 

[forestacademy]

But CVT's are no fun


CVT makes me.... Sad

 

[VinceLA]

But CVT's are no fun

CVT makes me.... Sad

Tru dat. I really hope they will offer stick shift.

 

[kennyrayandersen]

But... they're still... front... wheel... drive... front... engine... nevermind. We're still smarter than their IQ.

FWD is superior, almost ever 'regular' car sold is FWD. It's better in the snow or rain. It's a kinematic thing.

 

[Periclaws]

FWD is superior, almost ever 'regular' car sold is FWD. It's better in the snow or rain. It's a kinematic thing.

When it comes to important things rwd trumps front wheel drive,fun is important.

 

[forestacademy]

FWD is superior, almost ever 'regular' car sold is FWD. It's better in the snow or rain. It's a kinematic thing.

That's why Pickup trucks and Muscle cars are front wheel drive, right?

The Biggest advantage to having the engine over the wheels, whether it be front or back, is extra space gained in the interior of the car. Any other advantage is a side effect of that engineering step

 

[orngandblack]

Comparison Test: Front-Wheel Drive Vs. Rear-Wheel Drive - Popular Mechanics

(the report is 7 years old)

 

[HGB]

A quick synopsis on why I like a CVT. About 11 years ago I was given an A6 twin turbo Audi as a loaner. When I got the car and drove it home on the highway I was grinning ear to ear and laughing out load continuously, for when I depressed the gas pedal, this baby just moved and moved. This was the 2.7 liter motor. Well I was hooked and when the time came in 2002 at the end of the year I traded my old car in and bought a last year's model for a great deal. It wasn't the 2.7 which was much more money but the 3.0 liter front wheel drive only with a lot of features. This car had the CVT instead of the regular automatic.
I was intrigued and open minded about this concept because it worked on the same concept as some machinery I use. One pulley made out of different components can separate enough making it possible for the drive belt to move more inside towards the center, which gives more power at a loss in RPM and when the pulley contracts, the belt is forced outwards yielding a larger drive pulley. The larger diameter will give more RPM at a loss of torque yet--- that's not the point of my story. The CVT will do its job in a stepless fashion and change to various diameters as requested by the engine and of course the computer's input.
This CVT is encased is self contained small case completely sealed. A steel mesh belt in an oil bath rotates around the two pulleys within this case.
So what's good is that the engine relationship to the pulleys is determined as it is needed, it all depends if one steps hard or hardly on the gas pedal. It is all selected stepless in a continuous fashion. There is no loss in this type of transmission either. The only issue there is with such a transmission, is that it doesn't like high torque and high horsepower and it mates well with front drive cars. We don't have to be concerned about this issue with the smart either except for the fact it has rear drive.
So what do we have, a lighter than normal transmission which is self contained, giving a very smooth acceleration together with excellent efficiency.
I'm only familiar with such a transmission with my Audi. I also know that the Dutch company Daffodil had one of the first and primitive CVT's. That was many many years ago and we have come a long way since then. The 3 liter A6 gains almost 1 1/2 miles per gallon over the regular transmission. This is displayed on the Monroney sticker and the extra mileage adds up in the long run. So I'm delighted that I have this transmission in my car and not the 2.7 liter model which requires more fuel.
As for manual shifting, there is a feature that offers artificial gears, at specific set points by the Audi engineers-- simulating a real transmission when the gear shift lever is pushed over to the right. To accelerate or decelerate, one just quickly pushes the lever to the + forward or - and a limit switch selects the next gear. This is not unlike the smart, where we must push the shift lever to the left first and then use + or - to drive manually. I firmly believe anytime I do something manually-- more fuel is needed. This is especially evident when I turn on the cruise control on the A6, then the mpg's go up, as seen on a level road of course.
I just want to see someone at Daimler really design a small CVT which would solve many of the smart's issues. I don't accept that there is no room for such a tranny. I believe they are contend with the smart as it is.:2cents:

 

[forestacademy]

his CVT is encased is self contained small case completely sealed.[/B] A steel mesh belt in an oil bath rotates around the two pulleys within this case.
So what's good is that the engine relationship to the pulleys is determined as it is needed, it all depends if one steps hard or hardly on the gas pedal. It is all selected stepless in a continuous fashion. There is no loss in this type of transmission either.

Sealed is right. No repairs possible

You just trey and find a place that will touch it if something goes wrong. A complete replacement is required.
How do I know?
My CVT on my Versa started making a bad noise. Took it to my local guy who wouldn't charge me to locate the source of the noise. He took his little sound isolation device, A small funnel on a tube, and determined the noise was coming from the CVT.
I then took it to the dealer knowing I would not have to pay the $120 diagnosis fee. They had to ship in a new tranny for my car from Louisiana. It was the only one in the country.

It is smooth, except in cold mornings when it over revs regularly. and it is supposed to improve MPG, but I have not been impressed.

 

[Kermit]

CVT's will be loved by old people....

Here's a video review I got today from my Toyota forum.

 

[kennyrayandersen]

When it comes to important things rwd trumps front wheel drive,fun is important.

safety, for most people, is more important than fun or absolute handling. save a few performance cars, every car out there is FWD for a reason -- it is safer.

Sure, you got Vettes, Miatas, Lotus 7s, etc., but they are in another category than what 99.5 % of the people drive

 

[MB DNA]

More IQ from USA Today...
Scion iQ may lead new microcar revolution - Drive On: A conversation about the cars and trucks we drive - USATODAY.com

 

[Terry Stibal]

Rear wheel drive may be more "fun" (and something that I prefer myself), but most folks are not looking for "fun" as the first criterion of a car purchase.

Economic transportation usually comes first, although the car selling machine works hard to overcome this with the need for "excitement" and "fun".

Having said all of that, the most "fun" car that I ever owned was our supercharged Toyota Previa van. With a semi-mid engined layout and rear wheel drive, that sucker was a hoot to drive under any condition.

 

[kennyrayandersen]

That's why Pickup trucks and Muscle cars are front wheel drive, right?

The Biggest advantage to having the engine over the wheels, whether it be front or back, is extra space gained in the interior of the car. Any other advantage is a side effect of that engineering step

you need a hobby (to quote you! LOL)

You also lose the weight of the drive shaft and simplify the assembly process. Also, you put more weight over the drive wheels which is desirable for traction. It's cheaper.

With computers you can do a lot of things. we can make a airplane fly with the CG aft of the lift surface, which is highly unstable. We all know how bad steering from the rear is -- ever drive a fork lift?
It's a kinematic thing. Yet the land speed record is held by a rear-steering vehicle!! Can it be done? yes -- it took a lot of time and money. Muscle cars are made for performance NOT safety, pickups haul weight in the back which is where you want the load and the drive wheels -- putting the engine up front make more room for hauling in the back -- it's not even the same applicatigon...duh!.

You can do lots of thing, but it doesn't make it better [necessarily] but if you are going to make it simple without a lot of computer claptrap the FWD is safer for most folk. Sure there is a 'price' to paid for that as well, but for most folks it's the better compromise. again, in economy cars there is pretty much the smart that is RWD, and nothing else

Of course, if you own a smart, and it's the greatest vehicle EVER then RWD MUST be superior in ever conceivable way.... 10 X LOL cause God said let there be smart... it's just a dork car, get over it.

 

[smartcar111]

Muscle cars are made for performance NOT safety

Depends on the muscle car. Roll cage?