Dateline: New York International Auto Show: Automakers Brake for Generation Y; Reconstituted...

By Karl Greenberg The hood ornament for the 2002 New York International Auto Show could have been the Sweet Bird of Youth. Half Toy Fair, half vehicle showcase, the third major U.S. auto show of the year found Saturn, Honda, Toyota and Mazda all pulling the wraps off new vehicles, accessories and marketing programs targeting Gen Yers.

Among the new offerings: Toyota's Scion brand, Saturn's two Ion models and Honda's Element, a super-compact SUV.

The Ion sedan, along with a counterpart coupe variation, are both aimed at twentysomethings. The cars feature such quick changing features as roof rails and a dashboard instrument hood.

"If people want to change out the look, if they want their school colors, they can do it at home or the retail facility. Also, at launch we will have five different packages ready to go," said Jill Lajdziak, vp-sales, service and marketing.

She said General Motors' Saturn unit, which will launch the Ion sedan in the fourth quarter and the Ion coupe later, will bow Ion the way it did its Vue SUV: with a heavy-duty Internet-based pre-launch to build buzz and get handraisers for the vehicles before they hit showrooms later in the year. Meanwhile, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, which won the carmaker's $300 million account in January, is expected to break new work within a few weeks with the tag, "It's different in a Saturn."



The most audacious effort came from Toyota, which is trying to bring down its median consumer age of 45 by introducing new cars and trucks under a fresh brand name aimed at Gen Y.

Phase One was a youth initiative with existing vehicles.

"Phase Two starts today with distinctive vehicles drawn from other Toyota markets around the world," said Jim Press, evp/COO for Toyota Motor Sales U.S. "These products will be specially modified for the U.S. market and will carry a Scion logo."

The Scion brand will bow next June with its first vehicle, an elaboration of the bbX concept car which is based on the Black Box vehicle it sells in Japan.

Press said during Phase Three, in about 24 months, Toyota will introduce more products created exclusively for Scion.

"It's a daunting task to develop a sales approach that will ring true to these buyers," said Press. "We're the ones in school. We are listening carefully."

James Lentz, Toyota Motor vp-sales, said the company has not chosen a creative agency for Scion advertising, but has narrowed the field from nine to four, including Toyota incumbent Saatchi & Saatchi, Torrance, Calif. "We should have a decision within 60 to 90 days," he said.



Toyota is betting with its bbX concept automobile that it is hip to be square. The bbX is going to be a rolling audio and video studio loaded with high-octane Pioneer audio systems as standard equipment, said Lentz.

Toyota's other Scion concept was the ccX, a car-utility. Lentz said Scion's retail channel will feature a separate showroom and sales staff within existing Toyota dealerships.

It will be a "dealership within a dealership," Lentz said, adding, "It will be low-key and buyer-friendly, and will feature an industrial feel, with highly interactive surroundings."

Toyota didn't put prices on the vehicles but they will be available for "considerably less than $18,000," Press said. He added that because of initial product limits, the rollout next summer will be regional, starting with California for eight months, then hit the Southeast, mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

"Within a year, it will be available nationwide," he said.

By that time, Press said, there will be three Scion auto models available, with a total estimated production volume of 100,000 units annually.

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