| Maxim |
01-03-2011 10:05 AM |
Well, I don't want to dash anybody's hopes and dreams, but all of the information in that press release pertains to the FT-86 and FT-86G CONCEPTS. The only part of that news release that was quoting the Australian Toyota employee was at the beginning, where he said it would be available post-2012. Everything after that is canned information that the writer simply looked up himself, and which we all have access to due to the wonderful world of the internet (where of course, everything you read is true).
The previously released FT-86 "engine note" that was available for listening at the auto shows notably did NOT belong to a boxer 4 cylinder engine...it was very obviously an inline-4. The FT-86G Concept purportedly uses a higher tuned version of this same inline-4 engine, according to this press release.
The wording is a bit funny, as it makes it sound as if they're talking about a production car....but I think I can confidently say that this information pertains only to the concept cars and their power source. Especially of note, it says right in that release that regional specs, etc, will be forthcoming.
So...I think this is just a poorly worded news report that makes it seem as if the concept cars are essentially going to be unchanged for production....which we know is not the case, from The Man himself.
The new version of the subaru boxer-4 will undoubtedly lie beneath the finished production vehicle, which will of course sport many changes from the concept (though I suspect it will still look very familiar, as the design itself is sound).
In terms of what this means for the car and it's performance figures....some educated guessing leads me to believe that the base car will sport around 185-190hp and a higher amount of torque than a comparable engine from say...Honda. If you pay attention to automotive news, the specs for the horsepower and torque ratings of the new Subaru boxer engines HAVE been released, and they're only a few horsepower/torques higher than the old engine, but with improved fuel economy. ~170hp. That's the basic engine that will be going into the non-turbo imprezza however, and it does not have direct injection or a special variable valve system. Those additions, which we know will be in the FT-86, should add ~20hp (I arrived at this figure by looking at other engines and the percentage change to their horsepower when DI was added). So, I think it's a safe bet that the engine will be around 190hp.
I also think that given the size of the vehicle, it will likely weigh in at perhaps 50 pounds or so more than a Mini, when all is said and done. Crash standards and safety equipment are mandatory and with the target price, exotic materials are out of the question. I'm betting on a final weight of 2650-2700lbs.
Now, since this IS a subaru engine, and Toyota is obviously planning a G version of the car, I think that a WRX-spec engine will go into the G version. NOT an STI spec. Save that for the eventual TRD special edition ;) In any case, I would expect that the WRX version of the new engine, if it keeps the variable valve and DI tech, would sport about 280-290hp and an equal amount of torque. An STI-spec version would probably get 325-340.
Anyways...that's my interpretation of this "news" and my educated guesswork given my knowledge of the auto industry and on the development of the Subaru boxer-4
|
