Toyota kills off US Scion brand

Toyota has announced it will kill of the Scion brand it launched back in 2002 because it was “struggling to connect” with younger buyers.

The brand will cease to exist from this August, says the Japanese car giant, but its full model line-up will live on as rebadged Toyotas.

Over the 13 years it existed, Scion sold more than a million cars and, initially, proved successful by earning a reputation for its stylish cars -- including a rebadged version of Toyota's 86 coupe (pictured) -- and revolutionary marketing and retail techniques.

But following the GFC and the US-specific unintended-acceleration scandal, the Japanese pulled investment in the brand and its line-up of vehicles shrunk.

In 2015 the Scion brand sold 56,167 cars -- down from high of 173,034 in 2006.