Scion iM, iA on Tap for New York Show

As expected, Toyota’s Scion brand will pull the cover off two new models at the New York International Auto Show next month.

Today Scion confirms the production version of the 5-door iM hatchback, shown in concept form at last fall’s Los Angeles auto show, will break cover in New York. Additionally, an all-new sedan called the iA also will be on Scion’s show stand.

“We’ve been eagerly waiting for this moment and are excited to introduce our new Scions in New York,” Scion Group Vice President Doug Murtha says in a statement.

Scion, suffering from a lack of new models, has seen sales slide in recent years. Volume for the brand fell 15.1% last year to 58,009, WardsAuto data shows, well off the 100,000-unit annual pace Scion hoped to return to following the recession. The brand achieved record U.S. sales of 173,034 in 2006.

The last all-new Scion was the niche FR-S sports car, which debuted in spring 2012. The current tC was last fully redesigned in summer 2010. The xD and xB models were all-new in spring 2007.

Aimed at young people with “different perspectives and needs,” the iM is versatile and fun-to-drive, while the iA is for those seeking a “little more practicality, but still want engaging styling and outstanding driving dynamics,” Scion says.

The models, due this fall, build upon the “i” nomenclature started by Scion with the tiny iQ minicar.

The i is said to stand for intriguing and individual while the M in iM stands for modern and the A in iA represents accommodating, as well as aggressive styling.

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