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The speculation is over, the Japanese automaker Toyota has finally shown the world the highly anticipated successor to the original AE86 "Hachi Roku" with the FT-86 Concept. The old Toyota Corolla was celebrated for its lightweight fun to drive layout. The new project has previously been referred to as a Toyobaru because the affordable sports car was developed in collaboration with Subaru and is scheduled to make its world debut in just a few weeks at the Tokyo Motor Show. We are happy to report that even though this is just the concept, the production model will look a lot like it, with the only revisions being done to the cars interior. However we won’t know for sure until the end of 2011. The Flash Red FT-86 Concept is inspired by the Corolla based AE86 sports coupe from the 1980s, and carries a very strong resemblance to the FT-HS Concept that was revealed back in 2007 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The FT-86 is a compact, rear wheel drive sports concept powered by a 2.0 Liter horizontally opposed, naturally aspirated four cylinder gasoline burning engine supplied by Subaru. In its non boosted form, the flat four make a maximum output of 150 HP, but the automaker is toying around with the idea of a more powerful super charged version depending on consumer demands, but for now we will have to settle for a simple boxer engine connected to a 6 speed manual transmission and equipped with ADVICS brakes. When designing the FT-86 Concept Toyota’s engineers wanted to give the car a very low center of gravity for improved handling and efficient aerodynamics so that it can cut through the air with ease. So the four passenger FT-86 ended up being 4,160 mm long, 1,760 mm wide and 1,260 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,570 mm. Toyota’s design team has also included quite a few sporting touches to the concept’s interior; starting off with a flat bottom steering wheel, aluminum pedals and red stitching to accent the leather wrapped steering wheel and parking brake lever. The grey instrument panel is seamlessly molded into the darker dash and from the looks of things, is ready to hit Fuji Speedway. Updated 05/03/2010: Toyota revealed new images of the FT-86 (Future Toyota-86) during the concept’s European debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Check the gallery to see them all! To see what the Hachi Roku is all about, check out the video and Press Release after the jump. Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya’s AE86 AdventurePress release TMC seeks to develop the ultimate earth-conscious environmentally-considerate vehicle with a focus on hybrid technologies without losing sight of the appeal of cars themselves or the joy of driving.   Over the past several years, the need has been rising for motor vehicles that take into consideration global warming and other environmental issues, while there has also been concern that there have been too few new sports cars that make the heart beat faster and that the time is right for a new generation of sports cars. In response to these needs, TMC has developed the FT-86 Concept, a sports car equipped with a 2,000cc, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, naturally-aspirated gasoline engine that evokes the joy of driving a car and the pleasure of vehicle ownership.  A Toyota Sports Car for a New Era when the Driver Plays the Main RoleThe FT-86 Concept is 4,160mm long, 1,760mm wide, and 1,260mm high with a wheelbase of 2,570mm, giving it a compact feeling that is easy for the driver to handle while able to accommodate four occupants. In addition to being light and having a low center of gravity, the FT-86 Concept boasts the handling of a racing car as well as a 6-speed manual transmission and ADVICS brakes.  The stylish concept captures the heart with the "functional utility" of its highly-refined body. It is the creation of Toyota Europe Design Development known as ED2, which has established body lines that take into consideration a low center of gravity and aerodynamics. The interior is distinctive, featuring an instrument panel with a gray and white base, gauges with red neon lights and digital displays, and a navigation system. In addition, a zipper that evokes an image of interior lapping with minimal covering of a highly-refined body presents a striking display.  The FT-86 Concept is neither an electric vehicle nor a hybrid vehicle, but is a sports model with a gasoline engine developed to convey the essential appeal of automobiles in a new era. It is a must-see concept car that expresses TMC’s desire to once again create a Toyota sports car. 37 comments: Toyota FT-86 Concept Toyota really does need to bump up the bhp, though. 150 is a joke considering that the 17K Celica GT-S from a few years back had 180.
Well, maybe 70 grand so that it would compete more closely with the GT-R. The IS-F would never compete with a Supra, though. The IS-F is a pumped-up luxury sedan; the Supra a track-ready supercar not meant for cruising or commuting but as a collector vehicle and racer. That’s like saying an M5 competes with a Z06 because they’re both 80K sporty cars.
 Toyota just officially gutted Nissan. This thing is HOT. . . . Praying to the GODS that this is a production version
 Damn! I have to admit, when Toyota makes a sportscar, it does like no other. But whats with supercharging? Come on Subaru! Its your flat four, make it a turbo. And Uncia, 50k would push it in IS-F territory. Toyota wouldn’t want that. They should have a TRD version of this thing though, a twin V6 as the top of the line model. Anyways a lightweight car with a proper manual and handbrake! Thats rare these days. I think it’d be a good move for Toyota to replace some of the key body panels with carbon fiber, stiffen the chassis, shoehorn in a twin-turbo version of the Camry’s V6, add some luxury features, give it a TRD suspension, slap on a 50K price tag and call it a Supra.
I actually like the front bumper. The wheels are similar to those of the Fisker Karma so that they produce less drag. Toyota’s specs sheets used to be full of 6-speed manuals in their cars, and it’s good to see they’re finally returning to that philosophy. The only thing that has me worried is that 150 bhp figure - it needs to be around 200 to truly compete with the 2.0 Genesis coupe. Bump it up and I’ll buy one. They should discontinue that gutless tC thing and market this as a new Celica.
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Posted on
10.7.2009 @ 22:33