Toyota FT-86 Details Confirmed, On Track For 2012 Debut

Toyota has rolled out four versions of its FT-86 sports car concept over the last two years, but with little in the way of hard details.

It has been known for some time that a Subaru-developed and Toyota-enhanced boxer engine will power the entry-level sports car, and that a launch was expected before 2013.

This week, Toyota has again confirmed that the car's powerplant will be Subaru's third-generation 2.0 litre boxer engine, combined with Toyota's D-4S direct injection technology.

Power figures remain a tightly-held secret, although Toyota promises greater output than the 110kW offered with the new engine in its stock form.

Power will be sent to the rear wheels through six-speed transmissions, both manual and automatic.

“The manual will offer quick and precise shifts with a short-throw, while the automatic transmission will feature sporty shifts controlled by steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifts,” a Toyota statement reads.

The front-engined, rear-wheel-drive FT-86 will also be equipped with a limited-slip differential as standard.

"[The FT-86] will offer the driver confident stability and maneuverability, while still being quick and nimble into and out of any corner," the release adds.

Toyota says that while the production FT-86 will not be identical to any of the current concepts, it will draw most of its styling inspiration from the FT-86 II concept revealed at Geneva this year.

The FT-86 will launch in the 2012 model year, meaning that the production model could appear by the end of 2011, or early next year.