SCION PRICES FR-S SPORTS CAR LOW TO LURE YOUNG BUYERS

When Scion unveiled the sexy, sweet little sports car that will become the centerpiece of the brand, it said it would cost less than $30,000.

But we doubt anyone expected the starting price for the 2013 Scion FR-S to be this low: $24,200, plus $730 delivery fees. That's with the six-speed manual transmission, which is how we expect a lot of the brand's young customers will want it. With the six-speed automatic, the price is still only $25,300.We don't normally gush --at least to this degree -- but Scion, Toyota's bargain brand for twenty something’s needs a turnaround vehicle. And this one could be it. That price wil put in reach of a lot of buyers who otherwise might turn to a Hyundai Veloster, Honda CR-Z, Kia Soul or other youth-oriented vehicle. The Scion goes on sale within weeks.

"Scion's goal was to create an affordable sports car that true driving enthusiasts could enjoy," said Jack Hollis, a Toyota vice president in charge of Scion, in a statement. "We accomplished that goal with the FR-S starting under $25,000." Hollis calls it "a total home run."

FR-S stands for front-engine, rear-wheel drive. The S is for Sport.

To further attract younger customers, the FR-S will come with an eight-speaker AM/FM/CD/USB 300-watt maximum output Pioneer audio system. It will have HD Radio and Bluetooth for the gadget-inclined.