The Next Big Thing

Scion tC: Bring on the Boost
Last month we showed you the rear end of the newest Scion hot hatch. Now, prepare yourself and your khakis for the 2005 Scion tC, a three-door coupe based on Japan's biggest car company's European-market Toyota Avensis. The tC gets its urge from a 160-hp, 2.4-liter, all-aluminum in-line four with variable valve timing, paired with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Sizable 17-inch alloy wheels come with every tC, and better yet, a dealer-installed supercharger package coming to you directly from your Scion dealer will crank up the big four to about 200 hp, at a reasonable price, Scion says. The tC's panoramic roof opens up the coupe's interior to all the pressed ham on glass you and your buddies can manage. Scion is shooting for about 25,000 tCs leaving the showrooms this year, and the base price should come in well below $20,000 in Scion tradition.

Mazda Ups Miata to 178 Ponies
Mazda showed off the MAZDASPEED MX-5 Miata at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and it could mark a new chapter in the life of the cutesy roadster. The MAZDASPEED version of everyone's favorite retro ragtop has 1,500 different parts from the stock Miata, including new heads and a turbocharger strapped on the 1.8-liter four, gunning it to 178 hp at 6000 rpm. The turbo engine kicks out 166 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm, up 33 percent from stock, and gets mated to a six-speed stick shift. A new differential and a retuned suspension (it's been lowered 7mm) and 17-in wheels give it better acceleration and grip. And outside, the new front bumper, rear spoiler and a new air diffuser give it the trademark look that'll help it stand apart from punier Miatas. A two-tone cloth interior, new gauges and a revised center stack are the biggest changes inside. The MAZDASPEED Miata drops at dealers this spring, priced from $25,500 with the cloth interior or $26,200 with leather.

Behind the Eight Ball: Hyundai HCD-8
Hyundai is shooting the moon with its new concept, the HCD-8: not only is the sexy two-door the best-looking form ever to come from South Korea's biggest carmaker, it's blessed with a supercharged 2.7-liter V6 worth about 250 hp. The HCD-8 was shown in Detroit in a pale Ballistic Yellow with Vapor Gray leather interior, sporting nickel-finished aluminum trim, wood trim, and wood flooring. The "sports tourer," which we think is code for bigger and better, pushes its power through a six-speed manual transmission. The HCD-8 could be the next Tiburon, or even a coupe based off the Sonata sedan; Hyundai says it's priming the pump for each of those models in 2007.

Nissan Gets Actic with Tigers
Where's a concept mini-ute with its own inflatable trailer? Oh, here it is-Nissan's Actic concept! We went to Detroit baseball's Comerica Park to see this one, and ended up knocking in more RBIs than the entire Tigers squad did in the past three years. We also spied the Actic concept, which is set to become both a Nissan and an Infiniti compact ute in the next few years. Based on next-gen Sentra hardware, the Actic has modular three-across seating and offers six seating variations with center seats that can be folded down, creating a big center console with a lot of storage. The roof gets six glass panels and the Actic is equipped with a new computer, 19-inch wheels and run-flat tires.