wordplay: Greg Bloom

Vegas? OK! It’s not every day a car manufacturer invites you to a far off land to be wined and dined in order to introduce to you their fresh new model... or models in this case. Of course, if you’re a journalist who writes car reviews, your chances are strangely augmented. This most recent instance had me shacked up at the Maloof Brothers’ flagship “player” destination, The Palms Casino Resort. Scion was the host and, in just a smidgeon over 24 hours, twenty other journalists and I shared stories of past excursions we’d been on together, were briefed on the new xB and xD and had just enough time in between to get the little taste of Vegas you’d expect of us.

After a cocktail reception and stellar seafood and steak dinner at The Palms’ N9NE Steak House, I departed with a couple of fellow Scioneers on a journey to hook up with some friends… oh… and about a dozen candidates training for the Miss and Mrs. North America Pageants. I hadn’t even gotten my bag from the airport baggage carousel when Laura Slifer called out my name from a stone’s throw away. A good friend from Colorado, she was Miss North America a few years ago and was there getting a new group of hopefuls all polished up for their chance at courtship.

Another good friend, Eric Ludvigsen, a Denver transplant now living in Vegas, picked us up at the Palms and chauffered us to Tao at the Venetian to hook up with another good friend and former Denverite, Justin Crews, who now holds the exclusive title of VIP Host at Body English in the Hard Rock. The Scion xB and xD were buffed and at rest, awaiting our early rise, so Ashley, Isaac and I couldn’t fully tear into Tao’s VIP pit, where Justin had us all set up with bottle service. An hour into the rager, it was unfortunately time to head back to the Palms and call it a night.

A healthy and filling breakfast buffet with coffee station got us all primed for a 45 minute education on the two new Scions, after which we buddied up with another journalist, each of us getting our fair shake behind the wheel. The xB, my favorite of the two was first out of the gate (the Palms parking garage, in this case).

Right off the bat, I felt the power of the xB had noticeably increased from the ’07. In fact, its 2.4 L dual overhead cam four-cylinder with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence brought its horsepower up to 158, 55 more than the previous generation. It also increased 61 lbs per foot of torque. Those of you with petrol-fee-phobia need not fret the jump in HP. The xB still gets 22 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. Company execs have stated in the past that they’ll probably always have a box in the lineup. The owners talked up hoping for a bigger box, and so they got one in the ’08 xB. It’s got a 4 inch longer wheelbase and 32.4 cubic feet more interior space than the xB of old, while a larger chassis results in a much smoother ride for owners.

The xD, though the lesser of the two in my opinion, is still a solid and extremely agile choice, perfect for the first time owner and young urban trendsetter. Like its cousin B, the D is produced with the intention of having a cleaner, more modern interior and an upgraded Pioneer audio system, featuring iPod connectivity and the ability to download images or four second video clips to display on the organic electroluminescent (OEL) screen. Being more compact and fundamental, the xD gets even better mileage with 27 city and 33 highway.
For the quick drive up and down the Vegas Strip or in any city, the stylish, sensible, very unique rides have quite a sharp presence. The interchangeable colors and parts have gained Scion a customer base where 80% of owners are new to the Toyota family. Very impressive numbers. These two new toys are still in the $15k-$16k range, generating painless monthly expenses while they’re one-of-a-kind “A La Carte” design system could very well bring Mr. Potato Head back in full force for future generations.

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