FT-86 Club first with the new FT-86 II concept images
Be sure to stop by to the FT86club.com site for a complete set of images of the new Toyota FT-86 II concept being revealed at the Geneva show.
The concept is an update of the original FT-86 concept from 2009, clearly closer to production but still a concept. The wheels/tires/brakes are much larger as you’d expect on a concept, as are the carbon fiber details (front lips under the spoiler, side skirts). Those clearly won’t make it into production. The side vents just before the doors look tacked-on and are doubtful for production, as they should be. The concept’s 215/40-18 tires are a possibility, but as with all concepts the intent is to look intended to fill the wheel wells.
New is the side vent window, roof water channel, and detailing around the windows and doors that were”t present on the earlier concept. This tells us that we are seeing the production bodyshell. And, thanks to partner Subaru, we know the FT-86 II has a strut front suspension and a multi-link independent rear. The engine is a Subaru boxer 4 cylinder, resulting in an extremely low center of gravity.
We also can’t see the interior on the images the FT-86 Club has provided, other than the very top of what is clearly a new dashboard. Fortunately it’s only a matter of time until somebody gets close enough with a camera to grab the shots.
The FT-86 is a masterpiece in the making. The big questions now are the final specifications and production date. And if Toyota will offer “enough” power in an optional engine – power to match the promise of the chassis. And will North America be stuck with this as a Scion, rather than as a Toyota? We think the idea of naming this a Scion is just plain stupid but it appears to be the direction. How about dropping the Scion brand and going with a “One Toyota” approach? Why dilute the brand in North America?
Subaru also presented a concept, of sorts, at Geneva in the form of a clear-bodied version of it’s FT-86. And again the FT86club.com site has detailed images. Images from different angles are available, the suspension layout and engine are very clearly detailed. We know the engine is a flat boxer, updated with direct injection, and uses a suspension derived from Subaru production parts and shared with the Toyota version. What’s even more clear now is the phenomenally low center of gravity this chassis offers. It’s unprecedented, and there is nothing like it elsewhere in the world. The Subaru “concept” is also rear wheel drive, although AWD is referenced int he accompanying press materials. But that is where the story becomes less clear – whether Subaru is discussing their own credentials, or talking about some sort of future AWD version of this car. We do know form spy pictures that a turbocharged engine is coming, and if it’s like the ones available in other Subarus, then 300 HP would be easily achieved. It’s great to see that the chassis is up tot he task, too.
Toyota FT-86 Concept Gallery
New on the DrivingEnthusiast network: a complete high-res gallery of the Toyota FT-86 concept.
Enjoy!
Toyota FT-HS Concept Gallery
The latest here on DrivingEnthusiast: a new gallery of 96 high-res images of the Toyota FT-HS Concept from 2007!
FT means “Future Technology” and HS stands for “Hybrid Synergy”. The FT-HS is a concept of a 370Z-sized gas/electric hybrid.
Our new gallery has everything from action shots set on public roads:
to images of the wild interior:
to evolutionary concept drawings straight from the design studios:
The FT-HS is a pure concept, not built on a production car or prototype platform. As a concept, certain shapes and features are wildly speculative and impractical. Nonetheless, the concept was intended as one possible interpretation of what a future Supra might look like, and especially how it would be powered. The FT-HS is powered by a gas/electric hybrid, with a 3.5 liter DOHC V-6 coupled to an electric hybrid drive (similar to the design used by Lexus on it’s high end models) yielding 400 horsepower total.
Unusual and innovative features abound, from an impractical sliding/drop roof:
to an interior driver-centric design concept labelled ”Solo Space ”:
Akio Toyoda, CEO of Toyota, first hinted about an all-new Supra in this interview.
AutoWeek believed that it would go into production in the summer of 2009… but of course the economy and other issues at Toyota got in the way. As well as issues around the battery technology. Because of these issues, Toyota will start at the lower end of the market, with the FT-86 concept, which has been approved for production. And, while the FT-86 concept has often been referred to as the prototype for a new Celica, it appears that it will be sold as a Scion instead (a move that has not at all been well received from potential buyers – in fact this writer believes it to be an unbelievably bad decision given the rich and long history of the Celica brand). We also know that Toyota has been working with a hybrid MR-2/MR-S type of car, and from spy shots of that prototype, it would appear to be a near-term production candidate as well.
So if we do see a new Supra, and if it is based on the FT-HS concept, given the more immediate issues at Toyota it would probably be 4-5 years out. But we know that the appreciation of performance cars is alive and well in Akio Toyoda, and that creativity at Toyota is certainly not dead, as evidenced by the FT-HS and FT-86. We want to see Toyota get thru the quality questions, then use ecologically-responsible performance cars to revitalize the image of Toyota.
Toyota FT-HS Concept hints at all-new Supra
Akio Toyoda, CEO of Toyota, has strongly hinted at an all-new Supra in a recent interview: http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/251326/
While nothing else is known, Toyota has already shown a concept of the type of car he is speaking about.
This concept car, the FT-HS, first shown 4 years ago, is a 370Z-sized car with a 3.5 liter V-6 and electric assist, yielding 400 HP. It was styled with the design language of the time. That language has since been updated, and has most recently been seen in the FT-86 concept.
Interestingly, Nissan is in position to do something very similar. An electric G35 sedan, which uses similar technology, was first shown 2 years ago and it’s thought that a 3.5 liter V-6 with electric assist is coming for the G37 sedan in the next two years. 400 HP had been discussed from this too. Since the Z is built on the common FM platform used by the Infiniti, an easy fit would be assured.
Given Toyota’s current troubles, an image car would be a great help to draw new buyers into worldwide showrooms. And one that showcases new technology would be even better. Nonetheless, Akio Toyoda has placed engineering quality at the top of the list and that means that a new Supra, if there is to be one at all, would probably be at least 3 years off. Or even further out given the recent 1 year delay of the FT-86.
We first speculated about what this car would be like in May 2007: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/?p=2155
The 4th gen Supra is of course one of our all-time favorite cars. It was a showcase for Toyota engineering when it came out, featuring a twin turbo 3 liter inline DOHC 6 cylinder engine and Getrag 6-speed manual transmission.
This was a complicated engine, but was engineered extremely well. It was known as a “detuned 500 HP engine”, and may very well have been.
It also featured a state of the art coilover suspension, with lightweight aluminum components.
And a driver-centric interior, with everything close at hand.
This was the Japanese supercar of it’s age, and even better was a platform that could be easily – and reliably – modified to well over 500 horsepower with very little effort. Soon after it’s release, 600 HP became the new tuner target – and was exceeded. Then it was 800, and then 1000 horsepower.
Efforts like this came into reach: 241 MPH in the Texas Mile:
The 4th-gen Supra will be a difficult car to better. It was a car for it’s age. The new Supra, if there is one, will be a car that will address the goals and aspirations of today’s age. The combination of a flexible V-6 engine and electric assist will produce a car with uncommon torque and drivability. State-of-the-art Lithium-Ion batteries will be the main frature this time, and enthusiasts will have to learn a new technology before successful tuning can take place. The only question is: are we up to it?
Resources on DrivingEnthusiast.net:
- Supra blog archive: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/?cat=682
- Supra blog RSS feed: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/?feed=rss2&cat=682
- Toyota FS-HS Concept: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-toyota-lexus/concepts/FT-HS/index.htm
- Supra section: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-toyota-lexus/supra/index.htm
Whatever happened to the MR-2?
A friend reminded me of this spy pic of a Toyota MR-2 mule on the Nurburgring from 2004.
Whatever happened to this? Obviously this never became a production car: the MR-2 was cancelled along with the MR-S. It isn’t known what engine powered this mule – however given the considerably more aggressive suspension shown it’s clearly got a much more serious engine.
What a shame. However, the new Chairman of Toyota recently said that he will focus on exicting and fun-to-drive cars for Toyota. The FT-86 concept, aka the 2012 Celica, is his second such product after the new LF-A. Will a new-gen MR-2 be next?
Sabaru mule at Nurburgring wildly misinterpreted
The Subaru-esque mule circling the Nurburgring has been wildly misinterpreted. The usual elements on the web are calling this “one ugly Subaru”. They couldn’t be more wrong. Even a writer at Jalopnik fell for it (and should know better) along with a bunch people on various forum sites.
This, folks, is a “mule car”: nothing more than a hacked-together assemblage of various oddball and unrelated parts cut from various other Subarus and welded together. No relationship to the upcoming Subaru brother to the FT-86 other than length, width, wheelbase, H-point, and a couple of other points in between.The shape of the car has no exact relationship to the upcoming Subaru. The windshield, side windows, hood, and the rest (such as the taped-together rear spoiler) will never be seen in public again once a few more months pass. The only purpose of this mule is to test engineering samples and prototypes - engineering in this case being suspension and drivetrain.
Given these images, however, certain things can be inferred – and you can bet the competition is doing so (such as Nissan, for a rumored Silvia competitor). Such as the front/mid location of the engine. Given the amount of space behind the wheel wells, it’s clear that the engine is located well to the back. The weight balance and handling dynamics will be excellent.
So, fans of the future Toyota/Subaru car – RELAX. We have no idea what the upcoming “Subaru coupe” will be named, much less what it will look like (although one Japanese magazine has a pencil drawing that reflects nothing more than their own imagination).
What we do know is that it’s engineers are testing it on the most demanding road course on the planet. And that’s a very good thing that says it all about how serious they are.
Is this the new Supra?
Speculation by a Japanese enthusiast car magazine. Still, it’s known that Toyota wants to compete in this arena again. And that they have been playing with the idea of usinga hybrid powertrain in a sporting application. In any case, it’ll take a few years to get this question answered – either way.
