Scion Hako Coupe Concept

 

Scion Hako Coupe Concept
Scion Hako Coupe Concept
 
Scion Hako Coupe Concept
Scion Hako Coupe Concept

Toyota's youth-oriented Scion division was thinking inside, outside, and all around the box when it unveiled its Hako Coupe Concept at the 2008 New York Auto Show.

CG Says...
The technology at work inside Hako's cabin is pretty cool. The exterior design is a bit...strange, and the folks at Scion fully admit that its look is polarizing. The first-generation xB was exactly the same way, and it turned into the automotive equivalent of a cult classic. Maybe something like the Hako will make it into production and cause the coveted lightning to strike twice.

Hako translates to "box" in Toyota's native Japanese. Company officials say the idea behind the Hako Coupe Concept is the ability of Japanese and American youth cultures to influence each other. This design exercise draws its inspiration from Scion's xB hatchback and the popularity of American vintage style among Tokyo's young people.

Hako is a 2-door hatchback coupe whose tidy 94.5-inch wheelbase and 145.7-inch length make it a subcompact urban runabout. The concept also targets the technologically savvy, with an emphasis on those who enjoy video games. The center console shift lever resembles a joystick, and a trackball-style control governs the entertainment screen located on the passenger-seat dashboard. Video and music files can be uploaded to the system via a Bluetooth wireless connection. Those videos can play on monitors located on each door and on each side of the rear seat. Cameras mounted beneath the front A-pillars capture video that the driver and passengers can edit while in Park.

While Hako is a concept, Scion officials say they'll solicit feedback to see if any of its features would be viable for future products.