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Have you ever wondered if there was a way to combine the fuel-efficiency and style of a Scion xB with the convenience of a rolling taco stand? Well, Toyota and Louie Contreras have your answer -- the Scion xB Taco Truck. Even though the SEMA show ended last week, this is indeed a better-late-than-never contender worthy of some laughable attention.

Marketed as a taco and paint supply truck, this xB comes complete with a custom body and white aluminum skin. Inside, there's a stainless steel kitchen, diamond plate floors, rear cooking chimney, griddle, industrial stove, food/drinks, paint supplies, a trucker seat, and a flip-up passenger seat. As Toyota says, it has "everything and the kitchen sink."

Would you flag this xB down if it came rolling through your neighborhood? Leave a comment and let us know. Also, click through our gallery to see detail shots of the Taco Truck.

+ Carscoop: Scion xB Taco Truck

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Caption:

ACURA TL

Last Generation: 2004 - 2008
Current Generation: 2009

A lot of controversy has been stirred over the contrasting chevron grille that Acura has put on most of its new models, and while the last-gen TL wasn't necessarily a huge step forward in sporty expression, we prefer its cleaner lines and less-contrived aesthetic.

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Most of the time, when an automaker completely overhauls one of their models, it's a good step forward for not only the car, but for the brand it represents. However, there are other times where the design teams make some questionable decisions and the new products end up looking worse than their predecessors.

Thus, we present our list of ten cars that, from a design standpoint, we think looked better in their previous generation. Scroll through our gallery to see all of the contenders, and leave a comment with any cars that you think we may have missed, and/or maligned.

Scion has pulled the sheet off of its newest concept car, the stunningly orange Hako Coupe. The automaker isn’t pulling any punches with the hyperbole surrounding the concept’s radical styling either, describing it at one point as “The sporty version of a box.

Toyota announced it will unveil an all-new Scion concept at this month’s New York Auto Show, the Hako Coupe Concept. The concept – which Toyota says is the “sporty

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What happens when you mix a Subaru Outback with a Scion xD? We're not sure why you'd want to breed such a creature, but the result is Toyota's Urban Cruiser, a baby-SUV introduced at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.

Toyota conceived of its Scion brand as a way to capture the youth market and build tomorrow's base of Toyota customers. While that plan had worked quite well for the first few years, and models, the automaker has faced a sobering loss of sales in the last year or more.

Toyota’s Scion xB was completely redone for 2008, boasting more power, larger dimensions, and a love-it-or-hate-it appearance. (Typical Scion.) The last-generation xB was offered in a limited-run Release Series 3.0, easily recognizable by its lime green exterior color.

Scion debuted its xB Release Series 5.0 at the North American International Auto Show this week, featuring a Gold Rush Mica paint job, KenStyle body kit, body-colored rear spoiler, updated wheel covers, and a power moonroof—a new feature to the xB. Body-colored interior accents have been added, as well as gold stitching in the seats. Expect to pay just above $18,000 for a manual-equipped xB 5.0. Only 2500 of the oddly-colored xBs will be built, so get your orders in now.

For more information, click through the jump to read Scion’s press release. Click the images below to open a high-resolution gallery.

Although we knew Scion's xB had some aviation heritage (it's Japanese-market name being bB, or "black box"), this particular 2008 example soars to new heights.

(Click through to see more on the seaplane-themed Scion)

You might not guess it straight away, but this JDM Toyota Corolla Rumion is actually America’s 2008 Scion xB, given a slightly different party frock and new name.

And a new range of Yaris-based 1.5- and 1.8-liter engines as well, versus the brawnier 2.3-liter powering the American Scion.

(Click the photos below to launch a high-resolution gallery or follow the jump to read more about the Toyota Corolla Rumion.)

Toyota has absolutely no plans to launch a Scion-type youth division in Japan – yet. Nonetheless, Toyota is now ready to roll with this fully redesigned ist, a compact urban crossover aimed at Japan’s very own brand of Gen Y fashionistas.

Scion has just released pricing on the 2008 xB, and the price of entry is $15,650 for a five-speed model. That represents an increase of more than $1000 over the outgoing model (which was priced at $14,610). Of course, the new xB is a much larger and more powerful animal, and it incorporates more features as well.

Expect to see the new xB plying American roads beginning in early May.

At this morning's press conference, Scion vice president Mark Templin noted that consumers picture Scion vehicles as “blank canvases

Along side the introduction of the new xB, Scion released an all-new hipster-mobile, the xD five-door. “The xD is a clever new take on the five-door urban subcompact, with style and flair to match its efficiency and utility,

Scion’s xB has been at the very epicenter of the import customization scene since the econobox first set ply in showrooms back in 2004. Parent Toyota is very keen to keep that streak alive, as evidenced by the fact that they rolled out the heavily modified new-for-2008 xB.

To our eyes, this modified xB looks quite a bit better than the standard-issue model, but we don't want to know how much its show car paint, larger wheels, and body kit throw off its value equation.

Day two here in Chicago started with something of a bang: Scion dropping its new-for-2008 xB and xD, along with a refreshed tC.

The xB draws heavily from Scion’s 2005 New York Auto Show t2B concept, and grows about a foot in length.

Scion tC owners, close your doors carefully. According to a recall issued Tuesday, your car’s side airbags might unintentionally deploy if its doors are slammed shut. The recall affects around 30,000 2005-2006 tC coupes (about 20-percent of the car’s total production during that time).

One of the Scion TC's most popular selling points is undoubtedly its panoramic multi-element moonroof, a unique standard feature in its class. Unfortunately for Toyota, it's also the focus of a just-announced National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probe. Again.

The government agency is investigating whether 112,800 Scion TCs built in 2005 and 2006 are prone to having their moonroofs shattered by road debris. Just last year, around 71,000 TCs were recalled due to a faulty pop-up wind deflector that was also causing certain units to shatter.

(More details and link after the jump)