Why ft-86 is interesting?

[NewCarInQ42011]

Hi all,

First time posting here after lurking for a while. I just checked today's Autoblog news about the FT-86 being a Scion and costing $25k base.

My question is, what does this car have (other than looks) that makes it so special over other competitors? I know that it will have a boxer 4 engine similar to ones in the base NA Subaru Imprezas (maybe with DI or some other new tech added).

The Mazda MX-5 will likely be similar in size and have a power to ratio similar or better than the FT-86's (MX-5 = 170hp 2500lb; FT-86 = 170hp 2700lb+ considering that the 2.5L Subaru produces 170 and that FT will have a 2.0L and that the car will be slightly bigger than a MX-5 with bigger wheels).

More interesting arguments can be made using P-to-W ratio of considerably heavier cars such as the WRX and the V6 Mustang, but I guess we can save them for later.

So... my question to you guys is... what factors, other thank looks (I will be honest and I personally developed my initial interest of the car after seeing the concept pics), make you guys so interested in this car?

[70NYD]

It is supposed to have around 200hp to start with..
And NOT a scion haha

[whaap]

I presently drive a Miata and here in Arizona a drop top is not all that great. I prefer small sport/sporty cars and I prefer a coupe over a convertible. I also like rwd. And I really like the looks from what I've seen so far.

[Matador]

200hp, sub 2700lb, rwd toyota @$25k.

Hopefully with supreme balance and dynamics.

And it looks sexy.

Did you really need to ask that question?

The MX-5 is a convertible, and personally I'm not into convertibles. There is nothing else in the market that fits the particular niche the FT-86 will be in. Genesis/Mustang? Too heavy, and the mustang is more about brute force (though I'm hearing great things about this latest one). Everything is either way more expensive and upmarket.. it's a return to a world that has been dead since the late 80's-90's.

[Midship Runabout]

Light weight. Rear wheel drive. Fun to drive with low COG and peppy motor... Exactly what this car has said its gonna be from the start. No supra/mr2/celica replacement. Its its own car with no other car in its class.

[NewCarInQ42011]

Thank you very much for the fast replies!!!

Another quick question. Where are you guys getting the info for 200hp? I think it would be really great if the 2.0L N/A H4 can produce 200hp, considering that the current NA Impreza only produces 170hp with a 2.5L. I heard that DI and other tech can help boost the output, but I haven't seen any credible source saying that the FT-86 engine will produce 200hp.

[Midship Runabout]

From the begining its been said to be a 200ish hp 2.0 RWD TOYOTA.

[70NYD]

It helps reading the forums there are alot of rumors but it's bot hard filtering through the bs
This engine will have D4-S which is both direct and standard injection giving greater fuel delivery controll with good fuel economy and great performance with reduced risk of knock

[WingsofWar]

200hp is easy to obtain on a 2.0 N/A flat4. You have to remember that there are currently no engines to accurately contrast with the D-4S. Even if there are flat4 engines everywhere, they were not built the same way the engine the FT86 engine will house. Boosting the compression ratio and raising the RPM limit is already a formula for giving a substantial amount of power increase. Mated with a Direct injection and more sophisticated engine management, 200hp is a walk in the park.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100

[Franisco]

Plus if it isn't at least 200 people are going to walk on this thing. We already have to wait years for it to come out, it sure as hell better have more than 170 hp

[overvolting]

200hp, sub 2700lb, rwd toyota @$25k.

Hopefully with supreme balance and dynamics.

You people are out of your ever lovin minds.
First off, look at the subaru 2.5L boxer, it puts out 165hp at the crank.
You make cheap cars with off the shelf parts.
Only way it's going to be 200hp is with a turbo.

Second, they've never released the weight, they don't even have a final production version, how on earth you think it's going to be sub 2700lb which is the weight of the old 1990's civics and integras, I do not know. But either way it remains to be seen.

3rd, It doesn't even have front double wishbone, so supreme handling is out of the question. Also, it's not mid-engined so supreme balance is also out of the question.

I hope they release the damn thing soon so you people can come back to reality. Seems like you think this thing is going to set some nurburgring records or something.

[70NYD]

1st of all, you are retarded
2nd of all toyotas OBJECTIVE for this car was to make a low COG car that weight under 2600lb.
3rd the current 2.5L boxer is many, many years old design and is outdated technology. this engine employs new technologies
4th where did you get the no double wishbone suspension from??

[NewCarInQ42011]

Originally Posted by overvolting

You people are out of your ever lovin minds.
First off, look at the subaru 2.5L boxer, it puts out 165hp at the crank.
You make cheap cars with off the shelf parts.
Only way it's going to be 200hp is with a turbo.

Second, they've never released the weight, they don't even have a final production version, how on earth you think it's going to be sub 2700lb which is the weight of the old 1990's civics and integras, I do not know. But either way it remains to be seen.

3rd, It doesn't even have front double wishbone, so supreme handling is out of the question. Also, it's not mid-engined so supreme balance is also out of the question.

I hope they release the damn thing soon so you people can come back to reality. Seems like you think this thing is going to set some nurburgring records or something.

Yea, I just wish Toyota would release more information about this car already as the production model specs should be finalized latest by mid-late 2011 for the car to hit the US dealers in 2012.

I think the 2700 pounds weight is achievable considering that 2011 Mazda MX-5 weighs 2500 pounds with slightly smaller dimensions.

200hp seems to be more questionable to me (well I am a car noob...), but I think people have their own views about this, so I will leave it alone.

I know I shouldn't be crapping on this forum and the car (specially considering that no official numbers are out...), but it seems like I am being convinced every day to go for a slightly heavier car with a significant hp advantage. (e.g., 370Zs seem to go for 2k-3k below invoice around Oct-Nov for older MYs) I know that there is some price difference, but nothing that a couple of months of saving can't overcome... especially considering that some of us have been and will be waiting for this car for such a long time.

[Dark]

Originally Posted by 70NYD

1st of all, you are retarded
2nd of all toyotas OBJECTIVE for this car was to make a low COG car that weight under 2600lb.
3rd the current 2.5L boxer is many, many years old design and is outdated technology. this engine employs new technologies
4th where did you get the no double wishbone suspension from??

I second that and add

5th STi 2.0L in Japan has more power than 2.5L in the US. It all depends on the states regulation that make them tune or detune the engine. Getting 200hp by tuning up and re mapping ECU on 2.0L H4 motor is not really hard.