So... where the hell is the FRS/BRZ in sanctioned racing?

[Mim]

Source - http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/t...27-13qb5r.html





Toyota has unveiled the car behind a new racing series intended to be affordable for enthusiast drivers.
As revealed by Drive in November, the popular Toyota 86 will form the basis of a one-make competition pitching professional and amateur drivers against each other in series of races that follows the 2016 V8 Supercars calendar.
Four-time Australian rally champion Neal Bates developed the cars with a view to making them safe and reliable.





"The Toyota 86 is such a competent car that it has just been a matter of building race-durable components into it without interfering with its character," Bates says.

"The aim is to engineer a car that is pretty much bullet-proof in racing conditions while making it a satisfying and rewarding experience for its driver.
"We want young drivers to learn a lot from the series."





Toyota Racing Australia will control key mechanical specifications such as engines and tyres to prevent wealthy drivers from gaining an advantage through superior equipment.
The race machine retains the road car's naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. Toyota officially says it matches the road car's 147kW and 205Nm outputs, though a programmable Motec computer with a new exhaust system from extractors to tail pipes should yield gains over the regular model.
As with its road-going cousin, the Pro-Am 86 employs a six-speed manual transmission that drives the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential.

Larger four-pot front and two-pot rear AP Racing brakes join adjustable coil-over suspension developed by Australian expert Murray Coote.
Bates says the car laps Mount Panorama in around 2m42.6s, Wakefield Park in 1m08.7s and Winton in 1m37.8s, times that would make the car competitive within its class of the Australian Manufacturer's Championship.

The test car wears lightweight Enkei PF01 wheels shod with Yokohama Advan tyres, though Toyota's official line is that those elements are "under development", with final specifications yet to be determined.
Bates has not revealed a price for the parts neccessary to turn road cars into racing models. But it looks like the components will be available as a kit people can apply to their own cars with self-dourced roll cages, which could prove cheaper than buyng new turn-key race cars from Toyota.
V8 Supercars chief executive James Warburton said it was an honour to have Toyota sign on with sport as a support category.

Toyota's executive director of sales and marketing, Tony Cramb, says the Pro-Am series is an important expression of the manufacturer's ambition.
"The 86 sports car has brought to life Toyota's brand promise as a company whose people love cars and are building exciting vehicles for customers," he says.
"The dynamic abilities and fun-to-drive characteristics of the 86 provide a credible platform for motorsport – and many owners already compete regularly in tarmac rallies, lap dashes and other events.
"Toyota is committed to continuing to bring energy and enjoyment to motoring enthusiasts around the world."

Toyota 86 Pro-Am pricing and specifications

Price: TBC
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Power: 147kW at 7000rpm
Torque: 205Nm at 6400-6600rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel-drive
Weight: 1222kg




Discuss..

[juliog]

TRD 86 CUP in Yas Marina
http://www.yasmarinacircuit.com/en/m...lub/trd-86-cup

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8UCm2SNwPI[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6De1f_OpmDw[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4xgLG2AcZg[/ame]

[Rampage]

Proof that the cars are dependable enough to race, at least in stock(ish) form, in other parts of the world. Now. where is the US Spec series? Scion? Hello?

[rice_classic]

I wonder how this car will slot into SCCA's Improved Touring category. Will it be IT-R or IT-S (with extra weight)?

I want to race this car but until I can buy a used one for $8-9k or less.