SEMA 2009: 0-60 takes the Scion xD rallying
0-60 Magazine/Sparco Scion xD Rally car - Click above for high-res image gallery
Screw convention! Why do you have to build a rally car out of something sporty? Or powerful? Or off-road-worthy? According to 0-60 magazine at least, you don't have to. You can build a rally car out of just about anything. Take this Scion xD for instance. It's probably among the last cars you'd picture taking off-road, but seeing what it looks like after 0-60 and Sparco got their mitts on it, you might want to reconsider. They added a ton of safety gear, enough lights to rival the nearby Luxor's candlepower, and basically just butched it up enough to make it look less like... well, an econobox. It should be a blast to drive. Maybe we'll try to find ourselves an Irish copilot and take it out for a spin.
Gallery: SEMA 2009: 0-60 Scion xD Rally Car
Photos copyright ©2009 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sean 2:30PM (11/03/2009)
Or build a rally car out of any new car we can get free!!!! What an abomination.
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gefinley 2:40PM (11/03/2009)
Way too tall and narrow, with wheels that are too small. I would not want to drive that on a rally stage.
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travisty 2:44PM (11/03/2009)
Adding 200lbs of lights/cage/etc and the only upgrade to hp is an exhaust? Actually, no, I don't think that that would be much fun to drive...
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leather bear 3:49PM (11/03/2009)
@ travisty:
By the time you subtract the weight of the stock seats, carpeting, soundproofing, inertia-reel belts and unnecessary bits of interior trim, the addition of the racing seats, roll cage and other safety equipment to a rally car makes any difference in weight pretty much a wash.
As for not much fun to drive, I maintain that it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slow. Though I haven’t competed in a rally-race for a number of years, the most fun I’ve had in a rally car was in an old Datsun 510 with stock drivetrain and the very capable “Safari” suspension kit that Nissan Motorsport used to sell. Knowing that you only had 96hp to keep you moving along meant you had to be very precise through every corner so as not to lose precious momentum. I also spent less time in the trees than guys with similar skills behind the wheel of their mega-hp mega-$$ rally cars.
Jeff Johnson 2:50PM (11/03/2009)
what is it with idiots that pull this kind of crap on a Scion of all things? no extra power, but lots of pointless weight added.
please explain to me why someone thought it would be a good idea to add a fake roof scoop.
sparco and greddy must be getting pretty desperate these days if they sponsored this piece of crap.
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Cypher09 3:03PM (11/03/2009)
The "roof scoop" is ventilation for the driver. Try driving from stage to stage in a cramped rally car elbow to elbow with a sweaty Scandinavian co driver in nomex underware with a FIA firesuit on. I think you'll want that "roof scoop".
Ben 5:45PM (11/03/2009)
rally isnt about power to weight ratio is more about chasis, 4wd/rwd, cornering technique, advance tire, damper, suspension...etc Why do u think most other rally cars besides evo n sti are 1.6L seat, and Citroen. That roof scope act as a differential for dust and air inside the car so when car is traveling in dusty area, the inside dun get filled up with dust.
adam1drift 2:51PM (11/03/2009)
I dont think that will work out so well... maybe its just me...
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speedball3 2:54PM (11/03/2009)
They forgot the fender flares. If you take any small car, say the Chevy Aveo hatch, add muscular fender flares, lower it a bit, add gravel wheels+tires, add mega lights and a roof scoop, then (but only then) do you have a proper rally car. =)
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Cypher09 2:57PM (11/03/2009)
"Why do you have to build a rally car out of something sporty? Or powerful? Or off-road-worthy?"
Apart from the Evo and STI aren't most of the platforms that rally cars are based on, the exact opposite of all of those things?
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cloudstrifemfx 3:32PM (11/03/2009)
I actually think it's a good look for it...
then again, I kinda wanna do something like that to a Saturn SC, so I may be kinda biased...
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Ben 5:40PM (11/03/2009)
They forgot the wide body that all rally car deserve. And also i think Colin McRae: DiRT game should have a update for this car cuz its AWESOME.
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Redline 5:50PM (11/03/2009)
xD
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JDM Life 8:56PM (11/03/2009)
Nice....no turbo it and it will fly
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fmwso 9:03PM (11/03/2009)
That does look pretty cool. I like the concept and the idea.
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Rick 12:08PM (11/04/2009)
hahaha, that's a funny looking car for sure.
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