Whether the Toyota GT 86->ke4085 has the long-lasting popularity that the Mazda MX-5->ke1185 currently enjoys is still debatable at this point. After all, the former's only been alive for a little over a year, while the latter has been around almost 25 years now.

But the early returns on the GT 86 have been very promising, a testament to the kind of popularity Toyota's->ke88 sports coupe has enjoyed in its short lifespan. It's become such a hit that the clamoring for a convertible version has been deafening for a while now.

Well, Toyota listened, fellas. The 2013 Geneva Motor Show->ke228 will see the debut of the concept version of a convertible GT 86, which Toyota is internally calling the FT-86 Open Top Concept. It's called the FT 86 Open Top Concept and Toyota has gone on record suggesting that the model "previews a possible future development of the award-winning FT 86 sports coupe" with the intention of gauging the public's reaction on how an open-top GT 86 will be received.

Incidentally, Toyota also said that a prototype for the convertible FT 86 is already being tested so we're not entirely sure what Toyota meant about "gauging the public's reaction." With tests in progress, that appears to be a rhetorical statement.

This review has been updated with new details and official photos of the FT 86 Open Top Concept

2013 Toyota FT 86 Open Top Concept

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2013 Toyota FT 86 Open Top Concept
  • Engine/Motor: flat-4
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The problem with a convertible, especially when you're dealing with a coupe that's been designed to the hilt like the GT 86, is that it's difficult to retain the overall shape of what made the coupe version sexy. To their credit, Toyota seems to have accomplished making the FT 86 Open Top Concept look similar to its coupe sibling. It does look more compact than what we initially expected, but overall, you can really tell that the dynamic styling of the GT 86 is also present in the convertible concept.

Toyota also said that the FT 86 Open Concept’s soft top of the is electronically operated, which could indicate a more flexible look that people can play around with when they're driving it out on the road.

All that being said; the FT 86 Open Concept is a very suitable interpretation of what we can expect from the production model. Make some minor tweaks here and there - maybe some streamlined creases on the doors - and the convertible version should be good to go.

Interior

The FT 86 Open Top Concept's interior looks a lot fresher and more aesthetically pleasing than that of the coupe version. Whether Toyota will use the same design on the production remains to be seen, but we have to say, the smart of use of white and navy blue colors with the yellow-gold carpeting adds a touch of class to the cabin that you won't be able to get in the coupe version.

Most of the design, though, is similar to the coupe, including the alloy pedals and metallic accents. The only notable exception being the removal of the infotainment system in favor of a small audio head unit and some instrumentation dials. We get the point of Toyota wanting to make the overall look of the cabin more aesthetically balanced, but not at the risk of removing some functionality and entertainment.

We certainly hope that Toyota remedies this when the production version of the FT 86 Convertible is released.

Performance

No details have been given on the powertrain, but don't be surprised if the FT 86 Open Concept is powered by the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine that the production GT 86 comes with. That one develops 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. The numbers for the FT 86 Open Concept are likely going to be the same, which means a 0-to-60 mph sprint in the 7-second range.

Pricing

Since it’s still in concept guise, don't expect a price yet for the convertible FT 86. Having said that, we don't think that it'll be too far off from the $20,000-plus price set on the coupe variant.

Competition

Affordable sports cars has always been dominated by the Mazda MX-5 Miata. With the unveiling of the FT 86 Open Top Concept, Toyota is sending a message to Mazda that it's ready to take the battle to its Japanese rival.

Needless to say, the FT 86 has a long way to go before it can reach the level of popularity the MX-5 has, but the initial returns, including the more modern design and the stout performance figures, seems to point to Toyota being on the right track.

Conclusion

Here's the thing: when you have a coupe that's universally lauded for boasting of a full package of looks, performance and affordability, a convertible version is an easy sell. Toyota probably won't have any problems convincing people to buy the FT 86, even if it looks inferior to the coupe model. But it didn't take a lot of shortcuts, which is a credit to the automaker.

They designed the convertible with plenty of touches attributed to the coupe coupled with a few modifications that we may or may not see in the production version. In the end, Toyota did a pretty good job on a car that has been as highly anticipated as the convertible GT 86.