'Toyota goes sporty with FT-86 in Tokyo Auto Show'

Toyota goes sporty with FT-86 in Tokyo Auto Show

11/05/09 19:17

Toyota Motor Corp. goes sporty as it unveils its new concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of this month. The concept sports coupe, dubbed the FT-86 Concept, is the successor of the AE86 sports coupe that the company unveiled in the 1980s.

According to this article from AutoWeek.com, the FT-86 is just like its predecessor from the 80s, light, compact, and has a low center of gravity. The only difference is, perhaps, the motor inside it and its sleeky curves not seen in the the boxy AE86.

While the 2.0-liter boxer engine was conributed by Fuji Heavy Industries Inc., the manufacturer of Subaru vehicles, the overall design was created by Toyota. Even the special blue-red metallic paint was developed specifically for this concept car by the Japanese automaker.

Both Toyota and Fuji Heavy have announced that they plan to jointly produce a sports car by late 2011, though they did not say if this will be the FT-86. Toyota will be mainly in charge of engineering, while Subaru will be responsible for fitting the engine and the plant where the sports car will be manufactured.

Chief engineer Tetsuya Tada said that he estimates the FT-86 to be at most worth $20,000, since Toyoto wants the sports car appeal to regular customers. Key to the model's potential sale is its excellent fuel efficiency by Japanese standards, which is attributed to the fact that the car is lighter and more compact to carry.

It is a four-seater machine, with a front engine and a rear-drive layout. The boxer engines also allows the hood to be lower, making the center of gravity much lower than normal as well. Furthermore, it also has a dedicated chassis, as Tada said that "enthusiasts don't want a shared platform."

For more details about the unit and the upcoming Tokyo Auto Show, refer to this article from AutoWeek.com.

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