Tetsuya Tada hints at TRD version initial launch
 

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If its confirmed for the 2011 model year wouldnt that mean production will start as early as mid 2010? granted we probably still wont see it till late 2011. But as for the TRD versions im not sure which way id rather see it go, FI or more tune/possibly slightly larger displacement NA. the later being more of true spiritual successor of the AE86

old.
news.

Yeah, it's old news but it's still great to hear. Saving/waiting for the TRD version. :thumbsup:

As MtnDrvr86 said, wouldn't a 2011 model be launched in fall 2010?

Yeah. Methinks there's a mistake buried somewhere in that article. Perhaps the Toyota official meant 2011 production year. I can't imagine this thing coming out next year. There's way too much left to be done.

Late 2011 release = 2012 model year.

I like the name Toyota Apex, would fit well with the concept of careening around a corner at high speed.

apex sounds legit!

OH hells yeah

+1

would be nice if it were true though, no?

So how long on average (how many years) do you think it will take the aftermarket to really take off? 1 year in 2 years in? I know there will be some stuff pretty quick but they'll have to develop a lot of stuff for this car.. I know it probably won't be more than average for a new car but Im not really sure what average is.

I'd say maybe more like 3-5 years. I'm basing that figure solely on how long it took the aftermarket to really "show up" for the S2000. Sure there were things before that time but the big boom came down the road when Mugen, Spoon, ASM, J's, Amuse started hitting it heavy.

More sales = faster the aftermarket comes online. I'd say 1-3 yrs though, because Toyota probably will do what Hyundai did for the genesis and Honda for the last civic. Farm it out to aftermarket companies before the debut to start development.

If they were smart, then yes. Regardless, it takes time for competition amongst aftermarket companies to break the price monopolies. No way I'm paying 1000 bucks for an exhaust, for example.

2011 model could be launched anytime between late summer 2010 through early summer 2011. Maybe he meant it would be released around mar-may 2011 in japan and fall 2011 for north america.

Haha, that reminds me of the the "1986" MK2 Supra's giving way to the '86.5 premier year MkIII Supras.

If this happened to the FT, it would probably go down as an "2011.5" model year.:)

Basically referring back to the end-part of this quote, whatever the Japanese launch date is set to be, tack on about 2 quarters of a year and thats when you can expect it stateside.
Ie: Spring 2011 Jp/ Fall 2011 U.S.
Fall 2011 Jp/ Spring 2012 U.S., etc.

Good info to know, considering we will know well in advance the Japan release date over the official U.S. date.

Volume will take care of that. Once the market is big enough, and enough companies want to compete, prices will drop and fast.

Not necessarily, the aftermarket is huge for the S2000 but look at Amuse, ASM, Spoon, Mugen, Tracy Sports, etc. They're stuff is still extremely high. Are there any JDM companies like that for Toyota?

C-ONE, TOM's, Trial, Brash Boy, Beatrush... probably a few others I'm not thinking of.

Dunno if any of those (barring TOM'S of course) are as Toyota oriented as Mugen and Spoon are Honda oriented. SARD, TechnoPro Spirit, Riddox (mostly aero) are some other Toyota tuners... there are more but I haven't checked this stuff out in ages, I don't have anymore off the top of my head.

Amuse isn't Honda exclusive, they do stuff for Nissan & Toyota (Supra, MR-S, Chaser, Altezza) as well. I'm sure they'd tune the FT-86 if they think it is a good platform, as would Mine's (already do work on the WRX), maybe even Yashio Factory (in the absence of a new Silvia) :iono: .

One also has to remember that the S2000 is a +$30k car, obviously parts will be more expensive. Do you think you'd pay the same price for a Supra upgrade turbo kit as a GT Starlet Turbo kit? I think not.

I shouldn't have included Amuse or Tracy Sports as they both do other makes besides Honda but be that as it may, even though the S is a 30k+ car, you can still find the "knockoff" parts for much cheaper than you can buy the JDM parts. That goes without saying I know but just because the car costs a certain price, doesn't necessarily mean all the parts are expensive.

On a side note, thanks for that list of JDM tuners. Gives me something to research in the next year or so. :thumbsup:

What things do you think will be upgraded for the "TRD" model/package.

Hopefully sc, susp, brakes

Turbo please.

Sportier body trim, TRD suspension/chassis components (springs, struts, sway bars, tower bar), TRD steering wheel, shift knob and badging, sport exhaust, larger brakes.

If TRD offers a S/C for the FT I bet it'll still have to be dealer installed. All of the things above would be more likely to come from the factory on the car.

This would be amazing. Generally, based off of past Toyota vehicles, how much more does the TRD version cost?

I unno, I don't follow trucks.

To my knowledge there hasn't been a car with TRD badging offered at a dealership, at least not in recent memory.

If they do offer a TRD badged version it will probably come with easily installed components, like the ones I listed. Probably know the price up ~$2500-$3000, from what I listed.

ahh, so the ft-86 will hopefully be the first to have a trd badged version.

Honestly I don't think it'll be badged as a TRD version.

Following Toyota's trends it will have at least two trim models: Base and Sport.

Historically Toyota's sport trim is "GT-S", a badging I would love to see the FT-86 have. On the 'GT-S' model the difference makers from it and the baseline model will be the TRD upgrades.

Thats my educated guess at least.

Actually, I'd love to see the FT start a new sport trim badge (well, new in the U.S.): GT-V

o I see. I think Toyota should implement the TRD Badging, but that's just me :iono:

i believe my truck's TRD package was $3500-4000. consisted of rear e-locker, engine skid plate, fuel tank skid plate, front tow hook, sport seats, towing package (bigger battery, bigger alternator, receiver hitch), 400W AC bed power outlet, different wheels/tires, bilstein shocks, and of course, stickers. :D

if they offer a TRD FT, i'd hope for more aggressive suspension, special edition lightweight wheels, exhaust, sport seats, and brakes. s/c would be cool, but i really think that will be a TRD aftermarket part, if anything. i remember seeing a while ago some TRD versions on Toyota Australia's website. couldn't find them again, but they were there, i swear!

-Mike

You've stumped me.

I know the SSI, SSII, SSIII, GT, GT-S, GT-4, GT-Apex, SZ, RZ, BZ-G, BZ-R, Tourer-S and Tourer-V badges. Pray tell, what came with a GT-V badge? :iono:

Australia already beat you guys to that with the TRD Hilux and TRD Aurion.

OldSkool, the rucks have supercharges because they use V engines. Less weight and complexity to add a supercharger than a turbo, as well as the lag-less power (useful for the type of work that trucks do).

While I agree that a FI trim model is unlikely, I'd like to think a turbo kit would be more likely than an SC kit in this app, what with all the parts Subaru ought to have lying around (if for no other reason).

http://www.carland86.com/list/view.c...=248&mode=view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_AE86, under model/specifications.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...hp?t=14&page=7
scroll down to the wrecked AE86.

It was basically a GT-Apex, without some of the luxary options. People use GT-Apex a lot because of its prevelance in Initial D, but it was actually the heaviest of the AE86's because it was the fully loaded trim option.

Edit: You forgot turboA and Black Limited in your list.

Thanks, Got it, did some googling after the fact. I just called the first ones that came off the top of my head, cause there are a couple more. I'm more familiar with the GT-Apex model because of the Corolla FX, not initial D.

What year is your tacoma? cause mine came with that and the tow package has a larger radiator and an oil cooler and trans cooler as well

It's in his sig. 2006.

Sort of an odd car to get the first image of GT-Apex from. Wasn't even aware that trim was available on that car.

yep, 2006. i forgot about the oil cooler and trans cooler. i absolutely LOVE where they put the oil cooler, too. makes oil changes so stupidly easy it's almost painful. :thumbup:

-Mike