We're eagerly waiting for the 2011 Scion iQ to be launched in production form. That may be at next month's Detroit Auto Show or April's New York Auto Show, where the concept version landed from the sky last year.
Sold in the rest of the world as the Toyota iQ, the 2011 iQ will go on sale in the U.S. next year as a Scion. It's only slightly longer than a 2010 Smart ForTwo, but seats three adults plus a fourth person of less-than-adult size.
Quoted fuel efficiency for the European version, which has a tiny 1.0-liter engine: 54 miles per gallon. The U.S. ratings are likely to be somewhat lower, as we'll undoubtedly get a larger engine and some structural reinforcement to meet U.S. crash safety standards.
Its nine standard airbags, however, undoubtedly give it the highest airbags-to-length ratio of any car in the world.
To whet your appetite, and because it's Friday, we bring you a great video showing the Toyota iQ being thrashed through the streets of Amsterdam an unnamed European city by former Top Gear presenter and race driver Vicki Butler-Henderson and three female shopping pals.
It includes doughnuts in intersections, something suspiciously close to drifting, and a slalom course through mannequins wearing women's dresses. Oh, and also lots of shots of expensive shoes.
Added attraction: Subtitles in Dutch.
And why can't Toyota PR in the U.S. do this kind of stuff? [sigh]
But in any language, don't do this at home, kids.
