12/26/2009

For those who are not familiar with the FT-86, it is the concept version of the upcoming sports car co-designed by Toyota and Subaru. The rear-wheel drive sports coupe will ship with a Subaru sourced horizontally opposed flat four engine producing between 200 and 250 hp. Power will be sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, a welcome relief to true enthusiasts often forced to settle for manu-matics.

The FT-86 concept, which Subaru and Toyota have yet to name for production, will be priced in the low $20,000s, topping off at about $27,000 fully loaded. This is big news to Toyota fans, as the company has in the past few years killed off all its sports coupes, and hasn't built a rear-wheel drive sports car since the MR-2 was taken off sales floors in 2005.

For the more hardcore enthusiast, Toyota has preliminary plans to offer a factory built, stripped-down special edition that would be perfect for drifting. EVO Magazine has recently mentioned that Toyota is planning on building a lightweight version of the FT-86, with larger brakes and stiffer springs, as well weight reductions to include the removal of the air conditioning system and the radio. In order to appeal to younger enthusiasts without sponsored bankrolls, Toyota is reportedly targeting a price of just $22,000.

Toyota has not officially confirmed the track-ready package, and most likely won't until the FT-86 car gets a name and officially moves from concept to reality. Sources close to Toyota expect the FT-86 to hit dealer lots within the next two years, with the special edition to follow closely behind. We firmly believe the FT-86 will become a reality, as the new Toyota President Akio Toyoda has repeatedly mentioned that Toyota is in desperate need of an excitement injection, and is also an avid auto racing enthusiast.

President Toyoda has also acknowledged that one of the biggest complaints car-shoppers voice in Toyota dealerships is that the while the cars are reliable and appealing for many reasons, they are somewhat bland and unexciting. The FT-86, in that sense, is a big step in the right direction.

Interested in green technology? Read our in-depth previews of the upcoming Chevy Volt and all-electric Nissan LEAF, and the upcoming Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid.

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