FT-86 "Best in the world" for drifting!

[Edi]

Heres something ineteresting.....

chief engineer Tetsuya Tada replied: “Many people think it should be 50:50, but we did lots of tests and that isn’t the best for drifting. That’s why the gearbox is at the front not the rear. Drifting and sliding the tail is the most important thing, and this car will be the best in the world for that.”

The show-car’s FT86 name is a reference to the AE86, by the way, but Tada says the production car might be called Celica.

http://www.motortrend.com/auto_news/...ame/index.html

[scape]

i just don't see why it would be called celica, it's not fwd, it's rwd. and shares nothing similar... i also don't know why they would want this to be off-balance weight-wise and WANT it to drift: not all drivers are drifters...

[Jimdawg]

Originally Posted by scape

i just don't see why it would be called celica, it's not fwd, it's rwd. and shares nothing similar... i also don't know why they would want this to be off-balance weight-wise and WANT it to drift: not all drivers are drifters...

Indeed not all drivers are drifters, and most people that think they are drifting are actually just diong powerslides (ie sliding out of control). Nevertheless, a car designed to be a drift monster can and probably will do other styles/tasks well. I mean, Landrovers are arguably some of the best off road vehicles but they also make great commuter right? Bad example but you get my point.

Also, Celicas were historically RWD until they changed them in 1986. I'd hate the Celica tag too but what else can they call it in the US??? Trueno? Levin? COROLLA? haha. So yah... Celica ftl I'd take Celica over Scion branding any day.

[JDMinc]

Originally Posted by Jimdawg

Indeed not all drivers are drifters, and most people that think they are drifting are actually just diong powerslides (ie sliding out of control). Nevertheless, a car designed to be a drift monster can and probably will do other styles/tasks well. I mean, Landrovers are arguably some of the best off road vehicles but they also make great commuter right? Bad example but you get my point.

Also, Celicas were historically RWD until they changed them in 1986. I'd hate the Celica tag too but what else can they call it in the US??? Trueno? Levin? COROLLA? haha. So yah... Celica ftl I'd take Celica over Scion branding any day.

Could call it something completely new. Not like Celica historically carries the same brand power as say the Supra, at least not for me.

No "Celica" please

[scape]

the name celica would totally dumb this car down, just like that

[Blokatos]

Originally Posted by Edi

Heres something ineteresting.....



http://www.motortrend.com/auto_news/...ame/index.html

That's great news


The drivers who don't feel like drifting can...
a) go slower
b) buy a turbo'ed fwd hatchback

There is a need for a sports car that will go sideways if you try to push it.

Back to the ancient art of (true) driving!

[Ricepuddin]

Originally Posted by scape

i just don't see why it would be called celica, it's not fwd, it's rwd. and shares nothing similar... i also don't know why they would want this to be off-balance weight-wise and WANT it to drift: not all drivers are drifters...

The original Celica was RWD, but it sounds like the article is speculation it says could get. That is just their way of stirring the pot.

Like i said in the nomenclature post, it wold be pointless to call it a spiritual successor of the AE86 and then name it Celcia.

[Shevon]

Toyota FT-86 is fine with me.

[Blokatos]

I must admit that FT86 is much better than Celica.
Celica reminds of something for soft cruising.

[zigzagz94]

Originally Posted by JDMinc

Could call it something completely new. Not like Celica historically carries the same brand power as say the Supra, at least not for me.

No "Celica" please

You do know that the "Supra" started out as just a top of the line trim option on the Celica right? It meant that you got the bigger inline 6 engine, a tiny supra badge, and a different front facia. Having owned a MKII Celica Supra, yes that's what they were called, I can tell you that it wasn't all that much different from the base celica of that time. The supra was to the celica as the STi is to the WRX, same car with a more powerful engine and a few differnet body panels. It wasn't until the third generation did the Supra break away into it's own model when the celica went FWD. So technically the Celica has been around much longer and carries way more historical value.

The problem is that nintendo generation fanbois only think of the MKIV when you say Supra and have no sense of where that car came from. If it wasn't for the Celica there would have been no supra. And since Toyota is trying to get back to it's roots with cheap affordable RWD sportscars then the Celica name fits a lot more than the luxo gt cruiser supra.

[Ricepuddin]

Originally Posted by zigzagz94

You do know that the "Supra" started out as just a top of the line trim option on the Celica right? It meant that you got the bigger inline 6 engine, a tiny supra badge, and a different front facia. Having owned a MKII Celica Supra, yes that's what they were called, I can tell you that it wasn't all that much different from the base celica of that time. The supra was to the celica as the STi is to the WRX, same car with a more powerful engine and a few differnet body panels. It wasn't until the third generation did the Supra break away into it's own model when the celica went FWD. So technically the Celica has been around much longer and carries way more historical value.

The problem is that nintendo generation fanbois only think of the MKIV when you say Supra and have no sense of where that car came from. If it wasn't for the Celica there would have been no supra. And since Toyota is trying to get back to it's roots with cheap affordable RWD sportscars then the Celica name fits a lot more than the luxo gt cruiser supra.

Not to mention tne Supra is a Heavy Dyno/Highway queen... not the idea behind the FT-86

[cyde01]

Originally Posted by zigzagz94

You do know that the "Supra" started out as just a top of the line trim option on the Celica right? It meant that you got the bigger inline 6 engine, a tiny supra badge, and a different front facia. Having owned a MKII Celica Supra, yes that's what they were called, I can tell you that it wasn't all that much different from the base celica of that time. The supra was to the celica as the STi is to the WRX, same car with a more powerful engine and a few differnet body panels. It wasn't until the third generation did the Supra break away into it's own model when the celica went FWD. So technically the Celica has been around much longer and carries way more historical value.

The problem is that nintendo generation fanbois only think of the MKIV when you say Supra and have no sense of where that car came from. If it wasn't for the Celica there would have been no supra. And since Toyota is trying to get back to it's roots with cheap affordable RWD sportscars then the Celica name fits a lot more than the luxo gt cruiser supra.

agreed. back when the celica first debuted in the 1970s, the celica was the true sports car in the toyota lineup, while the levin/trueno was more of a sporty corolla. even in the 80s when the ae86 was out, the mark I and mark II supra were actually called "celica xx" in japan. even after the celica went FF, there was always the GT-Four spec which carried on the true sports car mantle, all the way up to the 6th gen celica (during the same time, the levin had become FF as well). it was only the 7th gen celica that was only offered in FF(at least in japan). so historically speaking, the Celica name has more of a true sporting heritage within the toyota hierarchy. well, before '99 anyway.

[zigzagz94]

Originally Posted by cyde01

back when the celica first debuted in the 1970s, the celica was the true sports car in the toyota lineup, while the levin/trueno was more of a sporty corolla.

I agree. Despite toyota claiming the AE86 as the inspiration for this new FT-86, in my mind, the car is really a throwback to the original celicas. Cheap, lightweight, RWD, dedicated sportscars. Nothing against the AE86 it's a fun car but it was not designed to be a sportscar it just happened that people found out later how capable they were. The celica was designed from the start to be a sportscar just like the FT-86. I would not be disappointed at all if they revived the celica name with this car.

[FT///R86]

I hope they choose a new name. Celica has had a negative reputation among many in the US. It would not make sense for Toyota USA. I think it's a bit premature to say that the FT will be a mean lean drift machine. I personally won't be drifting when I purchase. I like time attack and road racing and that's what I plan on doing. I like to watch drifting but I'm not good at it.