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Updated: Toyota GT86 - facts from Japan (Handmade and only 1000 units/yr - DEBUNKED)
PLEASE NOTE - THE INFORMATION IS INCORRECT AND WAS THE RESULT OF A MISUNDERSTANDING. WE'VE LEFT IT HERE SO THAT NEW READERS CAN STILL UNDERSTAND THE MIX UP AND FOLLOW IT.
Hello all! Im here in Japan and i've just been to the Fuji Speedway where i met the Chief Engineer and also witnessed the unveiling of the Toyota GT86 - Official Name. The car is confimed for a worldwide release in April 2012. The car will be limited to 1000 units per year only. Each car i can confirm will be hand made. The automatic gearbox is based on the LF-A gearbox which means it will be a very good box. I spoke to people who have driven both the manual and the automatic and tell me that its hard to choose between the two. But that they are both very very good. Toyota are not making any profit from the 86 and the sale price will make them break even. Im happy to answer any questions about the car and will be posting up pictures and videos right now. I will be going to the Tokyo Motor Show on Wednesday were they will have a number of production models in different colours and spec - hopefully even a TRD GT86. I will sit in the car and take many detailed pictures for you all. Best Regards Leeky :thumbup: |
Only 1000 units worldwide annually?
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Can you confirm the source of these facts please?
1000 units a year worldwide only!? Thats not alot.. |
Navi: Toyota flew him to Japan for this so I'd guess that they are the source.
Still I find some of that hard to believe. Mainly the handmade and number of units. Toyota taking a loss or breaking even is easy to see based on r&d costs until a few model years in. Completely handmade won't happen these days on a car like this. Engine hand built sure but moststuff will be done by robots. |
I can confirm that i got these figures directly from Toyota as i am here with them.
Today i was photographed with the cheif engineer AND the President of Toyota himself - Akio Toyoda. Pictures will shortly follow. |
Leaky our man in Japan, it's good to hear from you.
1000 handmade units is a big undated!!!! Keep up the good work Leeky. Drink some sake for all of us! |
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SAM_0094.jpg
Here is am with the Chief Engineer. More to follow, but thought i would get this picture up quick. I also have video of the car to upload. |
Any word on a us price?
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Handmade and only 1000 units? No way man! I dont believe, actually i dont want to believe.
Handmade is never affordable, even if the price is break even with the costs. :cry: |
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But what kills your story is that you said hand made...and LFA based automatic. The LFA has a single clutch gearbox not a real automatic like in the isf. The gearbox is based on the one in the isf not the LFA. |
Each car is hand made? ... im just clicking refresh to find out more on this page.
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As i said, i am here as a guest of Toyota Japan with the head of advertising. These are the details that they have given me through all the questions i have been throwing at them. Hand made did indeed throw me for a second, so i asked again "Hand made!?"...."Yes, each one"
They did not elaborate on this. I would assume the chassis/body is done via robots and the rest of the car is put together by hand. Otherwise i cant see how it'll cost as little as they say it will. They have also confirmed NO TURBO - EVER. I even asked whether TRD will do a Turbo or Supercharger kit and the word is NO. You can see the pictures as im uploading them here - http://s1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LeekyInJapan |
im about to cry
edit: just had a thought, toyota might only do 1k per year.. but subie might make tons and tons of them |
LIES!
please lies? |
At 1000 units worldwide we will never be able to get this car. The waiting list will go out to 5 years! If its hand built the car is going to cost in the mid 30k range!
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have they told you what this "breaking even" price will be. This is the biggest question left for me a real confirmation on a Yen price
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:popcorn: ... MY GOD. Hand made. This is some seriously off the hook news. I NEVER EVER EXPECTED THIS. Even is it's half hand built. Just insane. Refresh, refresh, refresh... keep them coming Leeky! :popcorn: |
Leeky, you're going to have to do do something for the good of all of us, you may involve taking hostage and torturing the CEO of a certain company.....
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http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SAM_0132.jpg
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SAM_0127.jpg http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SAM_0121.jpg http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SAM_0117.jpg http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SAM_0115.jpg http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SAM_0107.jpg Behind me you can see President of Toyota - Mr Akio Toyoda. He drove the car out to show the public and made an elaborate speech. http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SAM_0070.jpg This is me with the heads of advertising. You can see Mount Fuji in the background. Price will depend on country and it will vary. The only thing i can confirm is that the car will come out everywhere at the same time. They did give me a rough price for the Japanese market, but i have forgotten what this was. I can ask again on Wednesday if someone wants the Japan price. But i am free to be a Tourist for the next 2 days now until the Motorshow. |
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Assembling parts into the car by hand is normal as is some engine assembly so I could see that. |
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Leeky u da man...but I hope some of this info is wrong... |
Wow leeky you are one lucky bastard. :thumbsup:
Maybe he meant 1000 per country?? Guys....you better go lock in a car at your dealership if you can. hahahahahah |
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I'm sure when we hear from Ichi and the others attending the FR-S conference the same song will be sung. NA-4-LIFE! :thumbup: |
1000? Wow..... We have waited for so many years for this car.. and most of us wont even get it. I doubt it.. So much advertising for only 1000 cars world wide? Theres billboards in Australia showing the FT86. Waste of advertising "if" only a couple of "86" will possibly hit the shores of Australia.
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This just has me begging that Subaru doesn't also have their heads up their rears like Toyota clearly does.
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1000 a year cant be true, it just doesnt make sense.
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Maybe track version will be limited production, i dont see scion doing a limited production car? Hand build ~$25k's?
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1000 units for each manufacturer maybe? ... (Fingers crossed)
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I believe some of Toyota's people is lying to you about 3 major things.
1. The automatic being a single clutch unit based on the LFA, it could be the ISF instead 2. The units per year is pure non sense 3. Hand built? Yeah right to that. |
Sorry to bring bad news about the numbers guys. Hopefully they 1000 of just the Toyota. So there would be more Scions and Subarus.
More pictures on the way.... as well as video.... Just a few things to think about - 1. Translation barrier. I speak zero japanese (other than hello, thankyou and goodbye) So perhaps with their english what they mean by Hand Made is actually Hand Finished? 2. Gearbox they clearly said was the same platform as the LF-A gearbox, not the ISF. But that doesnt mean that it has to be a clutch type box. It may be internally similar to the design of the LF-A gearbox but with a Torque Convertor. 3. Yes, i have thought that they may be passing me wrong information. But the car has been made public now. So it doesnt make sense anymore to misinform doesnt it? |
handmade, 1000 units... wtf
Leeky, it's either your japanese is very poor or you gotta stop smoking whatever you've been smoking... |
Thanks a bunch for the info, looks like you are having an amazing time in Japan, what a treat.
Cant wait to hear from you more around Wednesday! |
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LFA box is nothing like a normal automatic. I doubt they are lying, maybe just language barrier instead. It'd be REALLY nice if they'd give you a final brochure and spec sheet!!! Oh and ASK WHAT SIZE (Diameter and width) the high spec brakes are for me please!! |
To me, this update is bad. Very bad. Here's to hoping this info is from bad translation?
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Unlike some of the info, this car is not too tall at all. The roof line was at the elbow level one of those engineers and they don't look like to be tall guys.
Let's wait for Subaru to announce their info about production numbers to US. |
I think we're all getting ahead of ourselves...myself included
it makes sense for Toyota to be saying only 1000 units pre-release to create interest and DEMAND for the car The whole each unit being handmade probably just means on a man'd assembly line. It wouldn't make sense to put the money into creating a fully automated assembly line like they did with say the camry's. The GT86 will probably be on a smaller assembly line which still has people doing most of the work. I think people are jumping to conclusions and thinking supercar level handbuilt with a pit and a crew per car. again these are all speculation...but I've stopped to have my morning coffee and am thinking logically now. :thumbsup: |
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