Scion

Unless you live on that island from Castaway, you know what the Nissan GTR is capable of... We all know it goes, stops and turns as well as almost anything on the planet today. Its computer system is so advanced it could probably give you an MRI while taking you around the Nurburghing in under 8 minutes. Well the guys at Motor Trend may have found its achilles heal; drifting. Teamed up with Scion's drift team and Streetfire.net, Motor Trend is pitting Godzilla against purpose-built Formula D cars. The video shows you what happens when the Nissan GTR tries to emulate two of the best purpose-built drift cars around, and how well those cars fair against the GTR in Motor Trend's standard performance tests. Check out the video after the jump...

A couple weeks ago we wrote about the new Scion xB Release Series 7.0 that debuted at the 2009 LA Auto Show. As a follow-up, Scion released a great online game called Murasaki Street Racer where you can hurl the xB through a downtown metropolis at night. Jump in right away and play a practice game or sign-in via Facebook and challenge your buddies. Those capturing high scores will have access to special badges and bragging rights on top of the leader boards.

This is a fun game that is pretty basic but becomes addicting after just a few rounds. Rolling solo gets old fast, so we encourage you to connect on the Scion Release Series FB page and get in on the action with your friends. We have quite a lively competition going here at Sub5zero! If our productivity has seemed lax today this is specifically why...

Each year it seems that the LA Auto Show serves as the launch platform for the unveiling of a new special edition model from Scion. This year the company dropped the xB Release Series 7.0, a revitalized and jazzed up variant of their popular sport-ute. Only 2,000 limited editions will be built with each uniquely numbered. The show car, designated number 007, features a special purple hue known as "Murasaki" that has elicited visceral reactions, both good and bad.  

The Scion xB Release Series 7.0 comes with lowered TRD springs that drop the vehicle's height by a full inch. A four-piece DAMD body kit adds a lower front and rear lip, side skirts with a rear spoiler optional. A new sport exhaust system also is included with double-walled tailpipes.

Scion always seems to wow us at every auto show. Not only is their display area usually the most creative, but since customization and tuning is woven into the very fabric of the brand, they throw out some really amazing automotive presentations. The 2009 SEMA Show was no different. This year featured xB Tuner Challenge Cars from Mummbles Marketing, Eneri Abillar and Bowls along with a pair of xD customization from 0-60 Mag and Kogi. Scion also featured our favorite car on display, the Epic Cartel tC (shown above).

Jotech Motorsports is no stranger to extreme. Renowned engine tuner Kenny Tran has been putting out cars with insane horsepower since 1994. Nitto Tire, a subsidiary of Toyo Tire, has been a proud sponsor for some time now, and this dynamic team has produced some record breaking vehicles. Their car of choice is none other than the Scion tC, a vehicle that has its very DNA grounded in total customization and tuning possibilities.