No factory turbos for GT86 says Karl Schlicht (Toyota Motor Europe VP)

[vh_supra26]

Akio-san is Akio Toyoda, Toyota boss since 2009 and the man, says Schlict, who wants to nix the company's 'cars as white goods' reputation and make it exciting again.

"You're going to see more surprises from Toyota more often," said Schlicht. "In the past we've been too neutral and bland. We need more emotion, and if some people don't like it that's OK."

Schlicht conceded that Toyota has previously been guilty of chasing sales volumes instead of building brilliant cars, a strategy Toyoda is turning around. "He believes Toyotas should be drivers' cars," says Schlicht. "Our cars need to improve, especially for European tastes..."

Which should mean better-driving Toyotas with better interiors, a strategy the company will pursue even if it means lower sales than Toyota has achieved in the past. "We don't have any volume targets," Schlicht revealed. "If we sell 10 million cars [globally per year], that's great, but that's not the main aim. We're not worried if we alienate a few people."

So expect less vanilla from Toyota's styling department, with even the next Aygo - revealed at next week's Geneva show - expected to look far more aggressive, and ‘Japan-led' style than its cutesy Peugeot and Citroen brothers. No, really.

However, despite all the talk of more exciting Toyotas, Schlict said that - despite years of rumours - the arrival of a more powerful version of the GT86 was not a given.

"We want to keep that car pure," he said. "You put a turbo on it, give it bigger tyres, and you start turning it into a different category of car..."

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/t...ory-2014-02-25

[Wise]

Great news for early adopters who don't want to be forced to upgrade.

Bad news for the people who are waiting for the supposed turbo version.

[raven1231]

Originally Posted by vh_supra26

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/t...ory-2014-02-25

The way I see it is if you want a turbo 86 just buy one and choose one of the many kits already out. I just don't see the point in waiting and hoping, when it may never even happen and if it does who the hell knows how much it will be. This way you can choose what power level and type you want as well.

[1086]

So...I and many others were right all along. GG.

[Kelbyat07]

Smart man.. Now time to stop the Brz Sti...

[SpeedR]

We have had this info for more than 2 years....post some thing new.

Thanks

[DSOmegaX]

How about the GT86 being a one-off car? It's not as crazy as it sounds. The contract between Subaru and Toyota ends in 2015. What happens then? Unlike Subaru, which has by all intents and purposes, has essentially treated the BRZ as a one-off car (low volume and sales expectations, no marketing, RWD in a all-AWD line-up), I'll be VERY interested to see what Toyota will do. The fact is, the car is assembled at Fuji Heavy Industries using their primary suppliers. Once this contract ends, for Toyota to build a new-gen version of it, would require not only creating an assembly line for it, but would essentially have to re-design and re-engineer the entire car from scratch, which was the whole purpose of finding a partner company in the first place. Now with the report that sales expectations have not been met, I wouldn't be surprised if the car is killed after 2015 to focus resources on getting the FT-1/Supra into Production.

[Bristecom]

Originally Posted by DSOmegaX

How about the GT86 being a one-off car? It's not as crazy as it sounds. The contract between Subaru and Toyota ends in 2015. What happens then? Unlike Subaru, which has by all intents and purposes, has essentially treated the BRZ as a one-off car (low volume and sales expectations, no marketing, RWD in a all-AWD line-up), I'll be VERY interested to see what Toyota will do. The fact is, the car is assembled at Fuji Heavy Industries using their primary suppliers. Once this contract ends, for Toyota to build a new-gen version of it, would require not only creating an assembly line for it, but would essentially have to re-design and re-engineer the entire car from scratch, which was the whole purpose of finding a partner company in the first place. Now with the report that sales expectations have not been met, I wouldn't be surprised if the car is killed after 2015 to focus resources on getting the FT-1/Supra into Production.

I keep hearing about this supposed contract agreement between Subaru and Toyota floating around. Can someone provide proof of it?

And yeah, they said all along that there wouldn't be a turbo. But that doesn't mean there won't be an increase of power through larger displacement or other means.

[DSOmegaX]

Originally Posted by Bristecom

I keep hearing about this supposed contract agreement between Subaru and Toyota floating around. Can someone provide proof of it?

And yeah, they said all along that there wouldn't be a turbo. But that doesn't mean there won't be an increase of power through larger displacement or other means.

You don't just utilize another company's full manufacturing resources without having a proper contract in place. It's the same reason why you don't expect Subaru to change their assembly process on Toyota's own decisions of what they want to pursue with the car (it would require significant resources to re-validate/re-certify the process). Besides the DI system, what components are Toyota's own? It would mean if Toyota wanted to increase the displacement, they would have to source Subaru's engines in the future as a primary supplier...that, or put in their own engine. Subaru, on the other hand, can just remove Toyota's DI system and put in their own.

[gymratter]

Originally Posted by SpeedR

We have had this info for more than 2 years....post some thing new.

Thanks

im pretty sure this is new news.

[subiestyle]

With a turbo, the price would be pushing 40K.

you're approaching bmw 2 series and lots of other nice cars with that money.

[1086]

The only power increase I anticipate is somewhere in the +20-30 bhp range. Which can be easily accomplished with a tune, header and some fiddling with the CAI. TOYOTA and SUBARU WILL NEVER TURBO IT. Why would Subaru make a car that would directly compete with their beloved WRX? Answer, they would not because that would literally make no sense. Moreover, Subaru was expecting to not sell many BRZ's, hence why Stevens Creek Subaru still has the same 6 BRZ's sitting on their lot for the past 3 months

[subiestyle]

even with a turbo in the brz, it would not compete with the wrx.

awd and 4 doors vs rwd and 2 seater.

a turbo brz would compete with the bmw 2 series.

[kbye]

Originally Posted by DSOmegaX

How about the GT86 being a one-off car? It's not as crazy as it sounds. The contract between Subaru and Toyota ends in 2015. What happens then? Unlike Subaru, which has by all intents and purposes, has essentially treated the BRZ as a one-off car (low volume and sales expectations, no marketing, RWD in a all-AWD line-up), I'll be VERY interested to see what Toyota will do. The fact is, the car is assembled at Fuji Heavy Industries using their primary suppliers. Once this contract ends, for Toyota to build a new-gen version of it, would require not only creating an assembly line for it, but would essentially have to re-design and re-engineer the entire car from scratch, which was the whole purpose of finding a partner company in the first place. Now with the report that sales expectations have not been met, I wouldn't be surprised if the car is killed after 2015 to focus resources on getting the FT-1/Supra into Production.

Do you have a source for when their contract ends in 2015? I hadn't heard of that before.