Toyota GT 86: FT-86 Unveiled At Last
TOYOTA GT 86
Toyota's hotly anticipated rear-wheel-drive sports car is here at last, revealed today in the form of the GT 86. The car's unveiling follows nearly three years of “will they or won't they” rumours, four FT-86
TOYOTA GT 86
Toyota's hotly anticipated rear-wheel-drive sports car is here at last, revealed today in the form of the GT 86. The car's unveiling follows nearly three years of "will they or won't they" rumours, four FT-86 showcar concepts and a flood of leaked details.
Unveiled online ahead of its Tokyo Motor Show debut next week, the arrival of the GT 86 also puts to rest the question of the car's final name, with FT 86, FR-S and even Celica all figuring in the rumour mill.
Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda described the GT 86 - which will be sold simply as the '86' in Japan - as the embodiment of "waku doki, a car that creates excitement and gets your heart racing."
Developed in partnership with Subaru - which is expected to reveal its own "BRZ" version of the car in the coming days - the GT 86 is powered by Subaru's naturally-aspirated 2.0 litre boxer engine, benefiting from the addition of Toyota's D4-S direct injection technology.
As revealed recently in a run of leaked brochure pages, the boxer engine delivers 147kW at 7000rpm (redline at 7500rpm) and 205Nm of torque at 6600rpm, and Toyota promises a Cayman-rivalling low centre of gravity.
The 86's combination of a horizontally-opposed engine and a rear-wheel-drive configuration is a one-of-a-kind package in the current global market.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential and one of two transmissions: a six-speed manual or a six-speed auto with paddle shifters.
Suspension is MacPherson struts at the front end, with a multi-link arrangement out back.
In top-spec trim, there are ventilated disc brakes front and rear, while the base model makes do with ventilated discs at the front and solid discs at the rear.
Toyota hasn't revealed any performance figures yet, but with a kerb weight of just 1180kg, the GT 86 should be good for a 0-100km/h time in the low to mid sixes.
Fuel consumption is expected to figure at around 7.7 l/100km for the manual and 8.0 l/100km, although local numbers may differ.
Specifications
Length | 4,240 mm | |
Width | 1,775 mm | |
Height | 1,300 mm | |
Wheelbase | 2,570 mm | |
Track | Front | 1,520 mm |
Rear | 1,540 mm | |
Seating capacity | 4 | |
Engine | Total displacement | 1,998 cc |
Type | Horizontally opposed four-cylinder, direct-injection DOHC | |
Bore × stroke | 86 × 86 | |
Maximum output | 147kW / 7,000rpm | |
Maximum torque | 205Nm / 6,600rpm | |
Transmission | 6-speed manual; 6-speed automatic | |
Driveline | Rear-wheel drive | |
Suspension | Front | Struts |
Rear | Double wishbone | |
Brakes | Front | V disk |
Rear | V disk | |
Tyires | Front | 215/40R18 |
Rear | 225/40R18 | |
Fuel tank | 50 litres |
Australia
Toyota Australia has confirmed a 2012 local debut for the GT 86 (will it keep that name here?), but firm details are still to be revealed.
Watch this space for more.