Toyota Debuts All New GR 86 - North America Release / Info!

[beltax90]

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by StE92ve

I'm really starting to believe the only ones interested in the Gen2 are the people on this forum. You would think Toyota would at least start some sort of ad campaign to generate interest in an upcoming model. I mean, the North American market is not a small one.

I think you underestimate the amount of people that will just buy whatever is available on the lot when they’re looking for a new car. Most of those people don’t do a ton of market research.

Hell, even @ didn’t know about the FR-S before he saw his in the show room.

[StE92ve]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

I think you underestimate the amount of people that will just buy whatever is available on the lot when they’re looking for a new car. Most of those people don’t do a ton of market research.

Hell, even @ didn’t know about the FR-S before he saw his in the show room.

I agree with your statement if we're talking about an SUV or a 4D sedan. Plenty of people base their buying decisions on the color they see or how friendly the salesman is. But the GR86 is in a narrow segment and it's doubtful that someone coming into the showroom for a Camry will drive away in a GR86.



Furthermore, I think Tcoat was the exception

[StE92ve]

Originally Posted by beltax90

European ad agencies always have the best commercials.

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by StE92ve

I agree with your statement if we're talking about an SUV or a 4D sedan. Plenty of people base their buying decisions on the color they see or how friendly the salesman is. But the GR86 is in a narrow segment and it's doubtful that someone coming into the showroom for a Camry will drive away in a GR86.



Furthermore, I think Tcoat was the exception

Between friends and coworkers I personally know more people that have a twin because they looked ‘cute’ (4, all autos) than people who are driving enthusiasts (2 including myself, both manual).

Anecdotal data and all that, but most twin drivers I see on the road never even notice my car when I’m trying to thumbs-up. It’s a niche car but still most people who buy them are not driving enthusiasts. Same thing with people who buy BMWs or even Porsches.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

I think you underestimate the amount of people that will just buy whatever is available on the lot when they’re looking for a new car. Most of those people don’t do a ton of market research.

Hell, even @ didn’t know about the FR-S before he saw his in the show room.

Originally Posted by StE92ve

I agree with your statement if we're talking about an SUV or a 4D sedan. Plenty of people base their buying decisions on the color they see or how friendly the salesman is. But the GR86 is in a narrow segment and it's doubtful that someone coming into the showroom for a Camry will drive away in a GR86.



Furthermore, I think Tcoat was the exception

There were a few factors involved there.

1) I had been pretty much a DSM/Mitsubishi guy between 1993 and 2014 and unlike many here didn't follow each and every manufacturer of performance cars. I simply did not (and still don't really) care what is coming up. I did recall a mention of some such joint venture on one of the DSM forums back in 2008 or 09 but never followed it beyond that.
2) I wasn't really shopping for a new car in 2014. The 2012 Lancer GT I had was only 2 years old and although I despised it there was nothing really "wrong" with it so I was not in the market.
3) I had looked at and ruled out any Subaru products in 2012 when I bought the last Lancer so was not hanging out on anyplace that talked about the BRZ. Scion and Toyota were never even a consideration for me since I had never really cared for Toyotas much beyond the early 70s ones.
4) Scion had only been in my city since late 2012 and there were just not many around. The Tc that I saw that lead me to go into the dealership to kill time was from Toronto. I never once saw an FRS or BRZ in the wild before walking into the showroom. Both cars were very very very rare in my area in 2013 and 14. Even today I can go weeks between seeing another.
5) Since there was zero marketing for these things beyond internet ads and since I didn't have enough automotive searchs or page views for Google to decide to send me focused ads I simply never knew the things existed.
6) If I had walked into that Scion showroom and the car sitting there had been a bone stock white or grey one I would probably have though "oh that is a nice little car" and walked back over to the Mitsubishi dealer next door climbed in my craptastic Lancer with nice fresh oil and drove away never to even consider a Twin again until the Lancer hit 400,000 kilometers in a couple more years.

So all in all do people buy walking into a showroom and seeing something? Sure but as Ste9 points out it is pretty rare for cars like these. The majority of people that hang out on forums and buy these have studied and researched. They probably sell just as many to people we will never hear from that saw one in the wild or talked to an owner. The number of people walking into a dealer looking for a nice SUV or Corolla are not generally going to be seeing a Twin and saying "oh I will take that instead".

Oh and colour and the salesperson's short skirt and tight sweater had a lot to do with getting my attention!

[StE92ve]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Oh and colour and the salesperson's short skirt and tight sweater had a lot to do with getting my attention!

Just think, you could have been driving a Kia...

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by StE92ve

Just think, you could have been driving a Kia...

I'd flog an Orange GT Stinger!

[MyHybridBurnsGasAndTires]

i think i'm digging the front end of the gr86 more than the brz but not as much of a fan of the duckbill spoiler. hoping for a factory delete option on that.

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by MyHybridBurnsGasAndTires

i think i'm digging the front end of the gr86 more than the brz but not as much of a fan of the duckbill spoiler. hoping for a factory delete option on that.

I believe the duckbill is only on the higher trim GR86. The base doesn't have it (or so I've been told).

[Jegan_V]

Originally Posted by MyHybridBurnsGasAndTires

i think i'm digging the front end of the gr86 more than the brz but not as much of a fan of the duckbill spoiler. hoping for a factory delete option on that.

Apparently the trunk is a 2 piece section, one part metal and one part plastic. Really curious as to whether that means we can actually replace it if we wanted to.

That said the Japanese GR86 nor the ones shown in the UK's Goodwood festival of speed doesn't seem to have this spoiler. I suspect this is a North American only thing and that all these spoilers will be attached at the port.

[ayau]

Really don’t like the duckbill spoiler and hope it can be easily swapped with a non-duckbill car. Toyota North America, stop trying to differentiate the car to be more North American.

[Dake]

It's virtually guaranteed you'll find someone willing to swap. Making the swap happen will be the tricky part.

[Blighty]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf

I believe the duckbill is only on the higher trim GR86. The base doesn't have it (or so I've been told).

It comes with a ducktail. The premium GR86 has an even bigger ducktail on top of the standard ducktail.

So no, its not an option. But potentially it could be removed - hard to tell.