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Back to June 2012 Motorsports News Archive
| 12-06-2012 at 10:00: Toyota’s Affordable Sports Car | |
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Sports car fans all over Australia have been eagerly awaiting Toyota’s new 86 coupe sports car and with the price of the coupe being announced it proves that Toyota are aiming this car at everyone. Designed to delight driving enthusiasts, the compact and aerodynamic four-seater sports car is priced from a surprisingly low $29,990. The 86 marks a return to Toyota’s sporting roots as it is the world’s only combination of a front-mounted, free-revving, horizontally opposed “boxer” petrol engine and rear-wheel drive. This unique powertrain format, combined with a compact design, light weight and a low centre of gravity, produces the best possible power-to-weight ratio. Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said Toyota was determined to ensure the great handling and performance of the 86 would not come with a hefty price tag. “The 86 is meant to be enjoyed by as many driving enthusiasts as possible, and our pricing will extend its appeal to people who never imagined they could afford such a fun car,” Mr Callachor said. “Toyota has created something that people have wanted, but didn’t exist – a compact, light, basic sports car with balance and handling rated in the same league as some legendary sports cars,” he said. “The 86 will serve as a halo car for Toyota, expanding the brand into a new dimension of driving performance. “It is a game-changer, demonstrating Toyota’s commitment to ‘waku doki’ – designing and engineering cars that really get your heart pumping.” The 86 is the result of a joint development between Toyota and Subaru, bringing together the best of each company’s technical know-how and their mutual passion for sports cars. The stylish four-seater draws on Toyota’s sports-car heritage – including the Supra, MR2, Celica GT-Four and the legendary 2000GT – to create a strong emotional connection between driver and car. Toyota is offering the 86 in two grades – GT and GTS – both powered by a newly developed 2.0-litre flat-four engine that revs freely to 7,450rpm and has a high compression ratio of 12.5:1. Toyota’s D-4S direct-injection technology increases throttle response, power and torque over a wide range of engine speeds without sacrificing fuel efficiency and environmental performance. Maximum power of 147kW – equivalent to 100hp per litre – and peak torque of 205Nm ensure brisk and engaging performance. The flat-four engine combines with the lowest driver hip-point of any Toyota production vehicle, 400mm, to give the 86 an ultra-low centre of gravity of just 460mm – in the league of cars such as the Porsche Cayman. Both the powertrain and driving position have been set as low and as far back as possible to optimise balance, giving the car a near-perfect 53:47 weight distribution. Good fuel economy in a sports car is not something that usually goes hand in hand however the people at Toyota say their new 86 will use as little as 7.8 litres/100km for manual variants – and even better for automatic versions at just 7.1 litres/100km. The CO2 emissions are also kept under control with only 164 grams/km (auto) and 181 grams/km (manual). Comprehensive weight-saving measures, resulting in a kerb weight of 1,222kg, have contributed to handling and economy as well as a power-to-weight ratio of 120kW/tonne. The Toyota-designed six-speed manual gearbox offers quick, precise shifting through closely stacked ratios and a tactile “flick-of-the-wrist” short-throw lever. A new Lexus IS-F-inspired six-speed automatic transmission, with shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel, combines direct response with an extremely fast shifting speed of only 0.2 seconds. A blipping downshift control automatically revs the engine for extremely smooth and rapid changes down through the gears. For added driver enjoyment, the smooth-revving engine sound is channelled directly into the cabin via a sound generator – the first system of this type to be used in a Toyota. Power is distributed to the rear wheels via a Torsen limited-slip differential (except in auto GT), optimising traction and grip under all driving conditions. The 86 features an aerodynamic and stylish body design built around a low, highly compact chassis for optimum handling and performance. It has a well-planted, sporting stance: it is wider than a Toyota Rukus, its overall length and wheelbase are shorter than a Corolla hatch, and its roof height is lower than a three-door Yaris. Standard equipment includes seven airbags, a five-mode stability control system, traction control, anti-skid brakes, 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, air-conditioning, CD sound system, daytime running lamps (DRLs) and a multi-information display. The 86 GTS has 17-inch alloy wheels, a 6.1-inch display screen, satellite navigation with live traffic updates, auto-levelling HID headlamps, leather-accented front seats, dual-zone climate-control air-conditioning, aluminium pedals, LED DRLs and red stitching highlights. The GTS is priced from $35,490 with the automatic transmission costing an extra $2,500 on both grades. Toyota has enhanced the unique identity of its new sports car by creating a subtle yet distinct T-mesh pattern in the front grille, door-switch base, instrument panel, meters, triangular rear-centre foglamp and spare-wheel cover. The 86 also incorporates numerous exclusive sporting details through both the exterior and interior, including a conrod motif to the HID headlamps, twin exhausts, instrument dials, air vents and gear-lever base. Mounted on the car’s front wing is the 86 piston logo, based on the car’s unique front boxer engine, rear-wheel drive powertrain format. It also represents the vehicle’s tyres sliding in a four-wheel drift, highlighting the perfect on-the-limit balance of the 86. The 86 is the third all-new addition to the Toyota range this year (as distinct from a replacement model), following the Prius c and Prius v. Toyota 86 pricing GradeRRP#86 GT manual$29,99086 GT automatic$32,49086 GTS manual$35,49086 GTS automatic$37,990
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