First 86/FR-S Convertible Spotted!

[Zaku]

"The [86] was designed from the outset to be built as a convertible," Toyota's chief engineer for the 86 coupe, Tetsuya Tada, told Autobild.

Just wanted to put some facts down, just in case there's some arguments about this car was getting it's roof chopped off, when it was made to be a convertible in the first place.

[FurY]

Originally Posted by Zaku

"The [86] was designed from the outset to be built as a convertible," Toyota's chief engineer for the 86 coupe, Tetsuya Tada, told Autobild.

Just wanted to put some facts down, just in case there's some arguments about this car was getting it's roof chopped off, when it was made to be a convertible in the first place.

Link?

And if that is true, why release it as a coupe and not make it a convertible in the first place then?

[NOHOME]

The backseat would be tighter than the model's pants!

[track_warrior]

No rollbars??

[DarkCard]

ewwww do not like

[mrlewistan]

Originally Posted by ahausheer

Doubt it, why would a private party spend the money to do this when they know a production convertible is around the corner?

Anyone notice that the trunk looks like its past vertical when open?

My reasoning is why is it spotted outside japan if Toyota isn't ready to announce it yet. There has already been several toybarus with their roof cut off already. However they usually feature livery of that company.

[Zaku]

Originally Posted by FurY

Link?

And if that is true, why release it as a coupe and not make it a convertible in the first place then?

The original article is an interview conducted by a reputable German Auto Magazine. But if you copy and paste the quote to Google, you'll get many search results by many sources of this interview.

Unfortunately, even if in the past I was able to provide good information on the car and it's development. I can't really talk for what the engineers were saying or what Tada san wanted or answered in his interviews.

But to try to answer the question alittle bit from how I see it. Some speculation is possibly the board first called for a convertible and then decide to change it's mind. Or Looking into market demands of the time, there was plenty of competition on the convertible front at the time. Since when this was developed it was early 07-08 and Honda still had plans of releasing a successor to the S2000( a concept was released in England( it turned out to be some hybrid) and Mazda's New Miata is always a big competition. let's not forget the econ crash of 08. The only thing that was totally missing from the equation at the time was a Sports coupe, since the last RWD affordable Japanese sports coupe at the time was 1999 with the last of the Silvia.

Now with the success of the coupe, Toyota has a bigger backing into pulling customers into seeing it's brand differently. So a convertible that they already had adequate plans for saving them in dev cost seems like a likable idea.

I hope this answers some things.

[TRD_86]

I don't know how the MX5, S2k and 370Z can compare in the "look" department with this car in either coupe or convertible version. No comparison in the exterior body trim & curve lines ! The 86 is just too sleek to look at it. IMO.

[BrzRacer]

Nah this was meant to be a sports coupe not a convertible.
If they wanted a convertible, they should delete the back seats and shorten the length of car and make a 2 seater like the s2000.

[ScionFrsFan]

Summer carr!!! Top downnn!

[jedichimp]

hard top or nothing

[feldy]

I want to know weight. And the placement of such weight.

[oops86]

Funny. I bought this car for the exact reason it's not a convertable, otherwise I would have bought a Miata years ago. I wanted a light handling sports car, but I also wanted the rigidity of a solid framed car.

[caliboy15]

ew!! donk!