Scion is dead. Scion is dead (at least in the collector’s marketplace).

The Scion press release serves as Scion’s official death knell . Toyota CEO Jim Lentz states that this is not a step backwards for Scion, but a leap forwards for Toyota. His main point is that the Scion experiment allowed for shoot-from the hip vehicular ideas to be made it to market and that loads of young customers have been sourced.

I might be a little sceptical about Scion’s success as a youth-marketing strategy for old Toyota. The obvious question is: Why end it? We won’t complain about the brand’s influence on the North American market in the past decade. Scion produced some unique, memorable cars that are easy to remember.

This is perhaps the most important legacy test for an orphan brand: Which products will remain popular as time goes by? So, I’m going to do a textual version and pour some out for those who didn’t get it. Here’s my list with the four Scions that are most likely to be found in eBay searches in ten years.

xB (first generation)

The original xB was the first car Americans recognized as a Scion. When it was introduced in 2004, the lightweight motoring box was unmatched anywhere else on American roads.

You wouldn’t expect a enthusiast vehicle powered by a 1.5-liter engine with 108 horsepower and sharing a platform as the Toyota Echo/Yaris. The xB was not… actually. It was equipped with a five speed manual and large enough to fit a sofa (no kidding, I brought it back in an xB in 2006). But it still managed to be charming.

You will notice that I specifically refer to the first-gen car here. The bloated second xB couldn’t recreate the excitement of the original.

FR-S

Naturally. It’s a Toyota 86 or a Subaru BRZ, whatever you prefer, but the FR-S number is the most remarkable lightweight sports car in recent memory. It was not the first time I wondered why the FR-S was ever a Scion. Toyota is keeping it in the fold to give it the U.S. badge. But it didn’t matter after I had driven for a few minutes.

The rear-drive fun machine is expected to last a long time. The Scion experiment may bring some collector interest to the earlier models. This car is definitely a classic that I would garage again.

Scion tC

The tC was not a big player, and it was left behind in the wake of the Nissan Altima and Honda Civic coupes. It was still a very Japanese-inspired take on the market segment and well supported by tuning communities.

Collectors and enthusiasts don’t usually get excited about “sporty” coupes with front-drive. The clever design of the T-C is a great representation of the time it was made, and could be used as a vehicle to preserve memories.

Scion iQ

Okay, I’m sorry, but the iQ was not designed to meet the needs and tastes of American drivers. Despite the city’s tailored proportions, it was rare to see in the cities. Although the iQ seemed to have suffered from the Smart Two’s PR issues, it was not able to generate any buzz or name recognition.

You’ll be amazed at the potential of micro- and small-car collecting, especially from established world brands. The iQ was a great car, with its short wheelbase and fast steering. But I only used it for short trips, not as a daily driver. The iQ is a classic weekend vehicle that can be used as a weekend driver, so it will still have some staying power.