Jalopnik
Scion is known for trying to be hip with the kids, but I have a feeling its latest concept, the Hako, is a couple steps too far, even for the spikey haired, angsty kids of America. Hako means box and this is very boxy, even more boxy than the xB. If you remember, Scion originally teased the Hako Coupe concept two weeks ago, but here she is in all of her ugly glory. Original speculation suggested that this could take the place of the xA, but something tells me that wouldn't fly too well.
The Hako Coupe was designed by Scion's Tokyo design division and it was supposedly inspired by the emergence of American vintage style among young Japanese trendsetters. If this is American vintage, then I don't know if I want to be American. I'm sorry, Scion, this is a bit much. Oh and if you are wondering, on the rear, the right circle on the lower side is the exhaust, and the matching one on the left is the reverse light. Yes, very strange.
This inside of the Hako Coupe is a bit more valid than the exterior. The inside is chock full of futuristic doodads including a trackball-like interface on the steering wheel. The passenger side has two LCD displays where media can be controlled. The backseat of the Hako also includes screens that are connected to video cameras placed on the outside of the Hako. Let the YouTube hoonage commence.
Scion Reveals Hako Coupe Concept At The 2008 New York International Auto Show Related Media*
03/19/2008
March 19, 2008 - New York - Scion unveiled its Hako Coupe Concept vehicle at a press conference today at the New York International Auto Show.
Scion's Hako Coupe was developed by Tokyo Design Division, which studied global, youth-inspired trends. Japanese and American youth cultures often influence each other and are interpreted with a unique twist. The Hako Coupe Concept was inspired by the iconic xB and the emergence of American vintage style among young Tokyo trendsetters.
"Scion's Hako Coupe Concept embodies a distinct global perspective on today's youth," said Jack Hollis, Scion vice president. "This type of forward thinking complements the Scion philosophy of intently listening to our customers and being willing to take risks to help us see where our brand should be. We took the xB's iconic boxy shape and explored something more vivacious, yet just as emotionally appealing. This concept is the sporty version of a box."
Tokyo Design developed the Hako Coupe with classic American coupes in mind. The car's geometric profile conveys a powerful stance in a compact and bold package. Its trapezoidal LED headlights lie parallel with a large and aggressive, rectangular upper grille. The lower rectangular grille anchors the front fascia and continues to communicate the Hako's aggressive attitude. Round fog lights, symmetrically placed high on the front bumper, have integrated turn signals.
The Hako's silhouette is accentuated by slim, race-car-inspired side mirrors that also feature integrated turn signals. Powerful, flared fenders add dimension and contrast to the concept's boxy shape and smooth surface planes. The Hako concept hugs the road with custom 18-inch deep dish five-spoke wheels and tires with a "Scion" custom tread.
The Hako Coupe features a vertical windshield as the concept sits upright and ready to attack the road. A high linear beltline along with a blackened and chopped greenhouse seamlessly wrap around the rear to provide a mysterious profile. As an example of potential personalization, the concept is equipped with a flat, panorama roof that features a random, barcode-like pattern that can be seen on the exterior and from the interior.
The rear features LED taillights that echo the shape of the headlights. To complete the package, the rear bumper has an integrated fog and back up light on the left and exhaust on the right.
Inside, the Hako is accented with orange and metallic detailing that exudes a modern environment with entertainment possibilities. The front and rear seats are covered with urethane and rubber-like upholstery for easy cleaning. The contemporary front bucket seats flow to the floor and incorporate a geometric design on the seatback. The seats are separated by a center console that features a large storage crevice for storing magazines, cell phones, and other small items. Two cockpit-like rear seats also share a storage crevice.
The orange driver's seat has a gaming theme. Instrumentation and warning lights cascade from the art inspired instrument panel to the steering wheel. The shifter, located on the center console, resembles a large joystick. On the steering wheel is a simple button to start the engine and a track-ball type control for the Hako's entertainment system located on the passenger dash. The entertainment system consists of two video monitor screens mounted on the dash for radio, video, and music capabilities. Users can upload their videos and music through a Bluetooth® connection. The front passenger controls the system using a large rollerball mounted on the center of the dash. A black seat differentiates the front passenger area.
Video monitors located on each door and on each side of the rear seating area project distorted fish-eye images from orange filtered cameras mounted beneath the A-pillars. While the vehicle is parked the driver and passenger can edit the scenes captured by the cameras to show their friends where they have been and perhaps even post the clip online for others to see.
"As you know, polarizing style fits in well with our lineup," said Hollis. "And of course we love a good box. We'll listen to the feedback from this concept to help us determine how our brand could evolve and grow over the next five years."
Comments
It looks like an appliance, and it stole the wheels from Matchbox . . . yet I'm strangely drawn to it.
This is what happens when Japanese art school kids are raised on Nintendo and try to emulate American Hot Rods. Is this the future you envisioned?
That looks like some kinda kitchen appliance...sold at Williams ans Sonoma...
Hako means box? Like in "My girlfriend has a tight hako"?
BTW; that car blows. It looks like a PT Cruiser that stopped waaaay too fast.
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!
Damn.
Kind of reminds me of an old '32 Coupe or something, I dig it.
This thing oozes style, I'm also drawn to it. Sadly:
- It won't make it into production with the vertical winshield, the strong wheel arches and the minimal greenhouse
- We won't see it up North 'cause Scion don't like rough lumberjack love
I'd love to know how it performs in a wind tunnel.
That takes ugly to new levels.
Well they found a way to make an even uglier Scion.
Suddenly there are a lot more gay dragons in the world...
You know the old saying about if my dog was that ugly? Well if my dog was that ugly I would take it out back, shoot it, and bury it in a very deep grave. Then I would move to another state.
I am mixed on this. I am an amatuer auto designer, and I think the industry needs to have some black sheep. That said, I like the original xB. if I ever decide to get a Scion, it will be the xB. This looks cool, but they need to tone down the color, change the shitty wheels, and the grill and lights.
yikes! I almost expect to see midget ZZ Top impersonaters pile out with "Sharp Dressed Man" blaring
Your move, creep.
"And of course we love a good box."
Gee, no rake in the windscreen. When was the last time I saw that- 1930. What's old is new again.
Hako sounds like a involuntary sneeze. Why not use "bento"? more user-friendly. It does have a hint of a hot rod... just enough to get me to take more than a glance, but once I do I'm no longer interested. It's got too much going on, doesn't know what it wants to be. Maybe it's fitting for the intended target audience.
Ah...the Aztec lives
Oh, sweet Jesus. Yikes.
looks like a cross of the ford SYN US and a hotwheels demon.
i really like it! (and i'm an old fart, wutz wrong with you guys?)
The grill and lights make it look like a pokemon... I hate it
That's not a hot rod, it's a hot wrong.
Are you all blind its a god damned short bus!!!!
Eddie Munster, your car is ready
I doubt that vertical windsheild would make production. Can you say rock chip magnet.
If this is small and light it could be cool, and not a fat pointless exercise like the latest xB. Ford should license the Solstice/Sky platform from GM (they share 6 speed autos, why not?) and make a real deuce coupe redux. 2 seats and a cheap v8!
Make it AWD/RWD with a 300hp V6/hybrid setup and a raked windshield (for fuel economy) and it will sell, oh I don't know, hundreds at least.
anyone notice the sign in back?
"hako coupe" does this mean there is a sedan too??!?!?
I will say, I kinda like it. shoot it primer black and it might be kinda handsome...
you know... the way that some people find that killer dude from "no country for old men" to be handsome.....
Oh hell.
I sort of like it, in a way. I like the idea of it more. Even a tiny bit of rake on that windshield would help the whole thing, though. Also, NO MORE ORANGE. YOU HEAR THAT, AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY? NO MORE ORANGE.
However, like I mentioned before, it probably weighs five tons and requires a mortgage.
I dig it. Totally hints at a old A-model ford rat rod.
It needs flat black.
And a convertible.
(that being said, previous comments about being a rock-magnet and never making production are all probably true)
viva la difference!
Instead of aiming for the "cool kids", they must be aiming for the "short bus kids"
Eek. Hideous. Might be entertaining if you had the only one. Maybe.
And speaking of hideous, what's up with the Jalopnik layout today? Everything's all wonky and overlapping.
i actually have a design i made a few months back that's very similar. side view has no-rake windshield but it's actually a curved semi-circle when viewed from the top.
you get that flat front look with sweet aero. i think that treatment would make this stunning.
So I looked at the press shots, and they do make it look better. The more I look at it the more I see the hot rod influence. I'm not sold on the design, but the idea is unique, and maybe with a few changes it would not be so bad. The specifics on this thing don't really matter, it is obviously not ready for production. They said they wanted to gauge interest. I hope they are listening
What, did they replace all the Toyota Design Staff computers with Etch-a-Sketches? At least it's ah, different.
Roger Rabbit in a zoot suit would drive this.
My favorite part of this design is how it appears to only have one continuous roof element going from the a pillar, back to the rear roof line, swooping around and coming back to the a pillar. It almost looks like a carry handle.
And everyone talking about the windshield rake and rock chips, my friend with an xB has cracked 3 windshields in about 18 months of ownership of it, so I don't know how much a minor tweak would do anything. Perhaps they can play with how the air flows over the hood to have the wind strike at the peak of the roof line or something.
@sliderule:
I agree...it's as if Granpa Munster...were to be reinvented as Pokemon
This thing would have epic wind noise at highway speeds...
@SwatLax: it doesn't
doesn't look too bad from this angle
thought it's hard to tell for sure which way it's supposed to be going.
Hmmm... the more I look at that, the better it looks for going backwards. Spin the seats around, slap the dash in under the rear window, and you have a suicide-doored, rear-drive, rear-engine oddball little machine. I think I like it that way! Maybe even put a little chrome luggage rack on the hood/engine cover.
The way they designed it, not so much.
Mmm... cheese.
@Ω βгåғғ™: Hahahahaha!
I dunno, I stared at it for about 6 minutes and decided that I really like it except for everyone forward of the windshield. The wrap-around window and retrotivity actually make it a good looking car to me.
This thing is an abortion. Good god. The lower half looks like Chinese copy of a PT Cruiser. The top half looks like a piano case. If they redid the top at least it could be looked upon as a Chinese PT Cruiser/HHR Rip Off.
God, no
Am I the only one to notice that they put the top on backwards?
Hmm... Scion Hako....
Vertical windshield?
Strange "American" styling
What were they thinking?
It looks like a 32 Ford Phaethon with a chopped hardtop attached with a sprint car front end. Needs running boards for hoonage!
Jeez kids, you can buy an H1 or Jeep with a nearly vertical windshield. Scion was Toyota's attempt to attract younger buyers... somehow they shit another "Gold Brick" and everyone loves Scion. Guess the designers have carte blanche. God bless Toyota for not wuss-ifying & bean-counting bold designs out of existance!