When it came time to fill up their booth for the 2007 SEMA show, Mobil 1 decided to pull out all the stops with the newly introduced Scion xB body. Knowing just how crazy the crowd has gone over the xB's unique design, Mobil 1 knew that the new body style would garner plenty of attention from enthusiasts worldwide. That's when they decided to go all out with their project, proving that there are no limits when it comes to having a vision. Mobil 1 worked closely with Leigh Guarnieri from BRS Autodesign on this one of a kind project. The Mobil 1 xB was taking straight to BRS Autodesign where the Leigh and his crafty wizards at BRS quickly whipped up a whole new kit for the car. But that's just the beginning of the madness.
Leigh concentrated on the exterior first while brewing up what would be going on under the hood to really separate this Mobil 1xB from the crowd and emphasize Mobil 1's dedication to pure performance. While the car was at BRS Autodesign, a new front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper, wing, vented front fenders and vented hood were designed, fitted and manufactured as the starting point for the project. Seibon then equipped the rear hatch with an OEM carbon fiber piece and off to the paint shop the project went for custom paint by SPS, using BASF goods.
While this was all going on, the minds were churning and the decision was made that a Toyota Tundra motor would find its way into the Scion xB's engine bay. That's right, a full RWD transformation would take place from this Scion's much bigger brother, the Toyota Tundra. This would be the first real show car with a Tundra motor, and in months to follow many so called show car builders jumped on the Tundra bandwagon. So the swap was planned and executed flawlessly, but it wasn't enough for the minds at Mobil 1. I mean, what good is showing off just a basic engine to prove Mobil 1's exemplary performance? The motor received a complete overhaul with new ACL bearings, Calico coatings, a Brian Crower Stroker kit fully equipped with JE pistons and resleeved by Darton. The final motor was assembled by ERL and it was time to push over 600whp to it. On went a custom turbo kit with a Garrett GT35R turbo mounted on a Phoenix Turbo / Peak Boost manifold at the heart of it all. TiAL's 44mm wastegate along with their 50mm blow off valve were a natural fit. Additional power is thrown at the motor with a Nitrous Express 100-shot. The entire fuel system has been completely overhauled as well with BDL goods: fuel filter, fuel rail, fuel pressure regulator. RC's 1000cc injectors ensures this motor is built to last. Last second bolt-ons to complete the job was a Peak Boost intake manifold and BDL throttle body. The result? Well needless to say this is one mean xB ready to punish the pavement.
Once that was all done, the suspension received new attention with front and rear coilovers. Braking is handled by a Wilwood big brake kit and this xB rides in complete style thanks to a custom set of 20-inch VIP Modular 2-piece wheels. Wrapped with Toyo tires, these 20's is what this xB needs while cruising the streets and showing off at shows.
The interior of the project didn't skip a beat either, with Status carbon fiber racing seats and a plethora of NRG goods. Their carbon quick release is attached to their steering wheel and their harnesses drape over the lightweight Status seats. Handling boost is World Electronics' TBC-1 boost gauge, and a series of Autometer gauges can also be seen. Peeking towards the rear one will be quick to notice a full 4-link rear suspension setup with a custom fuel cell mount. Along with a custom 6-point roll cage, the chassis was also stitch welded for extra rigidity. Full car audio has been handled thanks to Brovox and a Sony head unit.
Needless to say this Scion xB was a huge hit at the SEMA show couple of years ago, and Leigh and his team did an amazing job. The Mobil 1 Scion xB is still unprecedented in terms of build quality, originality and performance. Our respect goes our to Leigh and Mobil 1 for continuing to not only support our industry, but continuing to push the envelope in ingenuity and design proving their products are up to the test.
