RIP Scion, the Absurd Car That Supported Awesome Metal

In 2003, Toyota launched the Scion, a car aimed at the younger generation. The car was boxy, had a wrap-around back window, and generally didn’t seem like a vehicle most people wanted to drive, even the edgy wave of millennials that was just about to head to liberal arts colleges at the time.

That said, Scion A/V, the marketing division that targeted the vehicle’s supposed audience, were fucking rad, and went after the metal scene in all the right ways. They hosted a free annual festival showcasing bands like High on Fire, Cannibal Corpse, Pig Destroyer, and Neurosis; they put out samplers full of kickass music and EPs for bands like Enslaved and Immolation in which the artists retained creative control of all content; they promoted up-and-coming bands (some better-received that others); and they even designed a Slayer car. Maybe this was all a soulless marketing campaign aimed at getting metalheads to buy weird-looking cars, but hey, if some fans got to see some shows and hear some music because of it, I’ll stand by it.

Sadly, all good things must end, and apparently Scion has done just that. Toyota has decided rebrand the cars, selling the models as just Toyotas in the future. Scion A/V Metal made this final post on Facebook:

Maybe I’m a dumbass who bought into the hype, but this does sadden me a little. The first Scion Rock Fest was my first remote assignment as a metal reporter. I met Vince there (remember, dude? We met during Týr!) and saw a ton of bands for the first time, including Neurosis, Mastodon, and 1349, all of whom blew my fucking mind. Then again, I would never go out and buy a Scion, so maybe I’m part of the problem.

Let’s hope Toyota continues helping support the metal scene, but now that members of my generation are considered entitled SJW sociopaths, I somehow doubt they will.

[via Metal Insider]