Toyota S-FR concept

[Bryster]

Toiata

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[not_howard]

If this project moves forward would that mean the next gen 86 would be axed?

 

[KahnBB6]

If this project moves forward would that mean the next gen 86 would be axed?

It shouldn't be axed based on what we've been hearing so far but the info from rumors are very vague and complicated at the moment and some of the relevant information to connect and try to make some sense from is separated by a couple or more years.

The current model will go away yes, perhaps in one or two more model years max. Regulations around the world are forcing the current design to be retired from sale soon and a major redesign of the same platform and entire drivetrain was deemed far too costly when a totally new car could be developed.

The 3rd gen GR86 is supposed to have been in development for some time now. It is supposed to be repurposing a heavily pared down, shortened and lightened version of the current (and soon to be outgoing) Lexus IS sedan chassis and combining that with a gas-electric hybrid evolution of the G16E-GTS 3cyl turbo engine which will still be offered in 6-speed manual and an automatic.

What is notable about that chassis (which is also good enough in its current production form for the higher powered V8 IS500) is that it still uses basically the same rear differential system that the 1st and 2nd gen 86/BRZ have been using and which was first used in the MKIII Supra from 1986. The current transmissions will also fit into that chassis very easily.

The current Aisin TL70 6-speed manual is an evolution of the same manual transmission previously used in the Altezza RS200 6-speed M/T many years ago and it was also used in the turbocharged 1999-2002 Nissan Silvia Spec R. So presumably it can be further adapted to handle the G16E-GTS's power and torque but we'll see.

....

Supposedly it's still being offered as a 2-door coupe but additionally as a four-door. A potential wagon variant was also speculated on but nothing further has come of that so far.

Further, in a recent promotional anime short Toyota highlighted the 1998-2005 Altezza/IS300 sport sedan which was designed by one of the main engineers of the 1983-87 Corolla AE86 GT-S as its spiritual successor... and this is relevant because the most current rumors brought up offering the 3rd gen GR86 as both a coupe and a sedan.

...

So what could this ultimately mean for the next GR86? It's hard to say other than that there apparently will be one and that it is currently under development and will be needed sometime soon since the current model may not be possible to sell in all world markets past the 2024 or 2025 model year, probably.

Toyota intends to sell the current model for as long as they are legally allowed to. I think they plan to keep selling the current one for as long as they can to reduce the gap between when it and the new replacement/successor is finally available to be announced and go on sale.

Will it actually remain a coupe and simultaneously have a four door version also badged GR86? I kind of doubt that personally. The sedan might be called something else maybe since it would remind us of the 98-05 Altezza RS200 and IS300.

Will a forthcoming 2-door coupe version actually be based off the current IS300 sedan platform? Hard to say.

Maybe the "S-FR" 2+2 RWD project being revived *is* the new coupe...? Also hard to say.

Toyota has recently trademarked the Celica name again. They have every intention of doing something with that. And Honda has announced their planned revival of their Prelude which once competed against the Celica (apart from the rally GT-Four version). So how will that name be used when a 3rd gen GR86 is supposedly already in development? Also hard to say.

There are several possibilities here and without knowing exactly what Toyota is doing so as to clarify what little we know we'll have to wait and see.

But they're doing *some* kind of next generation or spiritual successor to the GR86 formula and have been working on it apparently.

As to what Subaru's involvement may or may not be with their BRZ going forward that is even more unknown.

Toyota is handling the bulk of the engineering and design this time around though.


....

As a side note concerning the S-FR coupe rumor.... the small 1.3L version of the G turbo engine (G13E??) mentioned also lines up with previous rumors about a collaboration on a sporty model between Suzuki, Daihatsu and Toyota some time back which was to have a "new co-developed engine". Well... connecting new rumors to old would suggest that this "new engine" is not totally new if it's another variant of the same core engine design architecture used in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla.

It's just interesting that the S-FR 2+2 RWD coupe rumor and concept has come back and can more or less be seen to line up with this previous information.

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