[Matador]

Photo caption: Finally
By layout they have little similarity, but the FT-86 is the successor to the Celica. I never understood why the killed it

Photo caption: Obtainable
They assured us that it will have an appealing price and maintenance cost of a compact car.

This is about a car made with synergy ithin the Japanese group. This condition allows three defined models to exist following the function
of the brand that will bring it to market, Toyota Subaru or Scion. Each brand will leave it's mark on the badges, interior and the possibility of slight
but interesting variations in the mechanical bits.

It employs a completely new chassis. Before making this car they defined these musts; It had to be a fun car, with rear wheel drive, very light and compact,
without turbo and easy to drive. But there was something else; It had to use tyres with normal measurements. They didn't want a stratospheric sportscar with a wild
motor and huge lateral inertia when driven fast. In summary a car that is agile, quick, fun and economical. And that is what they have built, at least up to when
I have driven it. I hope from there they don't try to water it down.

It keeps a lot of similarities in shape with the last generation celica, but it has nothing else to do with it. It's chassis employs independent suspension, with MacPherson
struts up front and double wishbones in the back. It's powered by a gasoline 4cyl boxer. It's the same 2 liter NA Subaru, but evolved by Toyota. As such, it has small injectors
in the head - direct injection - and another in the intake runners -port injection- being able to work together or independently according to the demands of the ECU.
They didn't want to tell me the final power figures, but they assured me that the car would have a power to weight ratio of less than 6kg/CV (13lbs/hp)...
If we estimate that it has 150cv in the subaru model then that leaves us with a total of 900kg!If you opt for an estimate of 200cv (the car I tried was somewhere between those two power figures)
it will be about 1200kg, which isn't bad at all either.

It has two types of transmission. The one I tried was equipped with a 6 speed manual. They assured me that there would be two possibibilties of development, following the country [market] that it will go to
or the taste of the customer (lolwtfbbqwaffles?!?!?! Implying perhaps different ratios between hi spec and low spec or different gear ratios/final drives for different markets). The other option is a torque converter automatic
exactly the same............

Same recipe,
different Ingredients

Toyota FT-86
Of the three variants, this will be the first to hit the european market. It will only be available NA. It promises to be
the most obtainable (read:cheapest) of the three. It wiill be seen for the first time at the Tokyo motor show (nov 28 to dec 2).
In march 2012 it will arrive in Europe at the Geneva auto show and go on sale in June