Many of the tC's cornering attributes are due to its 61/39 front/rear weight distribution with four-wheel fully independent suspension. The tC shares similar suspension geometry with the much sportier U.S.-spec Celica and Japan-spec Caldina. The brakes were also extremely responsive, with 10.8-inch rotors up front and 10.6-inch rotors out back. From our reverse engineering of Project tC, we found the tC front brake calipers and rotors, as well as the rear brake rotors, are identical to those on the Celica GT-S. The only thing different from the Celica GT-S braking system is the rear calipers, so you know the tC can stop on a dime.
Rolling stock consists of 17-inch six-spoke graphite alloy wheels but you can opt to upgrade to 18-inch, seven-spoke alloy wheels. If that's not enough for you, you can order some 19-inch wide-lip RH Evolution wheels with high-performance Pirelli P Zero tires from TRD. You can also hit up TRD for stiffer/shorter springs, a struts/shock kit, performance clutch and quick shifter to hold the power when the right foot gets heavy.
For all you techie and audio heads out there, we should mention the tC comes equipped with a 160-watt, six-speaker Pioneer sound system that is XM satellite radio-ready and MP3-media compatible.
You definitely get the more luxurious feel with the tC than with the xB and xA. Little things like "eyebrows" on the headlamps, a clear lens center high-mount stop light and built-in turn signal lights on the outside mirrors all give the tC a sporty, finished look. MSRP for the tC is a mere $16,465.
Look for tC Unleased events at dealerships near you this summer that will give interested parties the opportunity to test drive the vehicle and check out some already customized tCs. You might even be lucky and see Turbo's Project tC.
Be on the lookout for Scion to make appearances at such events as Hot Import Nights. So for those of you with luxury car aspirations and a subcompact budget, hit the dealership and check out the tC; it might just be the vehicle for you.
For more information, check out www.scion.com.