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Cheap Modern DeskAs many of you know I don’t post on the weekends, but that may change. I often have small projects or get to do things that don’t quite fit into the regular scheduled program of Plastolux. “Keeping up with Plastolux” will be a somewhat random post on the weekends where I can share these topics.
Two weeks ago I was invited by Scion to spend a couple of days with them to learn and test drive their new micro car, the iQ. We arrived in Manhattan Beach California with a meet and greet that night. There were a few faces I recognized, you will be able to see them in the pics below.
The next day was packed full of learning and driving. We first heard from Jack Hollis, Vice President of Scion, he gave us a brief overview of Scion which led into a Q&A about the iQ. We then split into three groups. Our group first met with Scion’s marketing manager Owen Peacock, he shared with us all of the marketing materials and concepts that revolved around the release of the iQ. The funny thing is that Owen and I were looking at each other through the whole presentation when we both realized that we had gone to high school together, small world.
The next stop was a 4D movie, that involved hand drawn elements from several artists. The 4D aspect was bubbles and smells, pretty dope if I don’t say so myself. We were also introduced to the Scion iQ Museum Project. The Museum’s purpose is to highlight influential cultural movements and individuals. Scion plans to open exhibitions about the East L.A. Chicano punk scene from the late 1970s and early 80s as to preserve these underground artifacts as part of our cultural history. Along with the Museum we were introduced to the Scion magazine, which I could really appreciate.
Click “READ MORE” to hear what I thought about the test drive!
Our third and final stop before the test drive was a review and walk through of the iQ with Paul Daverio, Kenny Jackson, and Korey Tsuno of Scion. There were some pretty cool features and design element that were really thought out but I won’t go into detail. You can get all of the details and specs here
We had lunch and then it was time for the test drive. We broke into pairs, Creede from GrassrootsModern was at the event so Creed and I teamed up on this poor little car.
This photo has not been altered at all, the iQ is just a little over 10′, mix that with a guy my size, and you can sing this “big guy in a little car”. At first I was very skeptical, I am 6′ 4″ and 250lbs. One of the phrases used by the people from Scion was “you won’t feel like you are in a micro car”. Guess what, they were totally right I did not feel like I was in a micro car. I felt like I was in a regular sub-compact car.
As you can see Creede and I were very serious about our test drive, not really. We didn’t take the recommended driving route, there were plenty of side streets and small back alleys in Manhattan Beach that we could run the iQ through. First off the iQ had surprising power and pull, it was like a go cart. The turning radius and maneuverability was really nice as well. Of course we had to find some modern settings to snap some pictures.
From left to right: Julia Gazdag from Hello giggles, Me, Erin Loechner from Design For Mankind and Creede Fitch from GrassrootsModern.
Another discovery about Scion that I was very impressed with was their involvement with Art, Music, Film and Lifestyle. They have a website that is dedicated to this, http://scionav.com
Their soon to be latest installation:
SCION presents
A PRODUCT OF DESIGN
Curated by Gluekit
Showcasing designers whose passion projects have taken shape in an array of products, this exhibition spotlights the blurred line between collectibility and function. A Product of Design celebrates a cross-section of companies and individuals whose work is graphic and inspiring.
After the test drive we had dinner and were privileged to hear some words from the legendary Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh. All in all I was very impressed with the iQ and with Scion.
http://www.scion.com
http://www.scion.com/#/iQ
http://scionav.com
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Comments ( 7 )
Jaime from Design Milk: Sep 06 11 at 7:32 amThis thing is awesome. It’s a shame I have a baby and two dogs otherwise, I’d rock this thing out.
Tyler: Sep 06 11 at 10:04 amJaime, that was exactly what I was thinking. Two kids and me in that little thing, not going to happen. I did really like the car though.
Denise Vilim: Sep 06 11 at 12:13 pmSounds like you had a lot of fun on your test drive!
I clicked your link on over to read more about the iQ and it sounds like a great, well-built and affordable little guy. If only were built to look a bit more like the mini cooper on the outside, it might just be the perfect, eco-friendly, miniature car! It does look like you had some breathing room in the pics though…great shots btw!
shoe: Sep 07 11 at 9:19 pmminis rule.
iQs and Golfs drool.
j/kIssigonis had it right in 1959:
transverse engine/front wheel drive/
huge interior space/compact footprint/low fuel consumption/
go-kart performance in a passenger car“Designed as project ADO15 (Austin Drawing Office project number 15), the Mini came about because of a fuel shortage caused by the 1956 Suez Crisis.[14] Petrol was once again rationed in the UK, sales of large cars slumped, the market for German bubble cars boomed. Leonard Lord, the somewhat autocratic head of BMC, reportedly detested these cars so much that he vowed to rid the streets of them and design a ‘proper miniature car’.[15] He laid down some basic design requirements: the car should be contained within a box that measured 10 × 4 × 4 ft (3 × 1.2 × 1.2 m); and the passenger accommodation should occupy 6 ft (1.8 m) of the 10 ft (3 m) length; and the engine, for reasons of cost, should be an existing unit. Issigonis, who had been working for Alvis, had been recruited back to BMC in 1955 and, with his skills in designing small cars, was a natural for the task. The team that designed the Mini was remarkably small: as well as Issigonis, there was Jack Daniels (who had worked with him on the Morris Minor), Chris Kingham (who had been with him at Alvis), two engineering students and four draughtsmen. Together, by October 1957, they had designed and built the original prototype, which was affectionately named “The Orange Box” because of its colour.[3]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_Cooper
cheers -
-shoefull disclosure: wife and I recently bought an 03 Cooper S.
Tyler: Sep 08 11 at 10:36 amShoe, how do you really feel? Ha, love the info. I do think they are two entirely differently styled cars. The mini is around 5-6k more but I do like them both for different reasons.
As always thanks for the comments
Full disclosure? What color is it?
shoe: Sep 08 11 at 7:19 pmliquid yellow w/black roof and mirrors.
never thought I’d own a yellow car.
the thing __really__ stretches out on an interstate.
all wheelbase/no overhangs.
doesn’t feel like a 12′ long car.
engine still has pull in 5th gear (6spd manual trans),
and accelerates nicely for interstate passing.ours has 16″ alloys,but not quite as nice
as the 17″ ASA KA3’s on this Liquid Yellow/Black Roof number:http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/500/user3632_showcase_image.jpg
if you haven’t test driven a Copper S hardtop you should give it a try.
shoe: Sep 08 11 at 7:21 pmps - must test drive a Cooper S…WITH a sunroof.
