Toyota Unveils GT86 Coupe Designed for Racing and Youthful Consumer
Toyota President Akio Toyoda, revealed the Toyota 86 at the Formula One Fuji Speedway Monday, and the automaker’s latest foray into sports cars has muscle, topping at 200 horsepower.
The vehicle, called the Toyota GT 86, or simply Toyota 86 in Japan, will be released under the Scion brand next year in America as the FR-S.
It has a myriad of functions pointed towards speed, aesthetics, and an authentic racing feel, as opposed to the reliable and technologically forward cars the company was known to make for generations.
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The Toyota 86 coupe has 2.0 liter, DOHC boxer engine created by Subaru, a top speed of 142 miles per hour, and goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 6 seconds. It also has a very low center of gravity to improve handling, and is highly customizable in both parts and accessories.
In other words, this car is built to race. Toyota also built the Toyota 86 for another reason: to appeal to a younger consumer.
The four-seat capability, the sleek, aerodynamic design, and the low price target are all geared towards recent college graduates-in marketing terms, the generation most likely to avoid safe, unexciting, more expensive vehicles like the Corolla or the Camry.
At a suggested $26,000, the 86 is made for the youthful. It avoids flashy technology, opting for simpler cosmetics instead. A push-button start, heated front seats, and climate controls make it comfortable, and navigation, Bluetooth capability, USB and SD card connectivity make it modern, but not to the extent of next-generation luxury vehicles.
Toyota decided to make a specific type of car that consumers would want, rather than a vehicle based on statistics and numbers. Tetsuya Tada, Toyota’s chief engineer, elaborated on the strategy behind the 86.
"When you show a sports car to the board of directors, the first thing they ask is… how does its speed compare with rivals. Marketing initially opposed the concept,” said Tada to Autoweek.
"But what is unique about this car is that we didn't target numerical performance goals. We ignored the traditional Toyota development pattern," the engineer added.
The Toyota 86, or Scion FR-S, is set to be released sometime in 2012.
