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Within days of announcing Toyota's formation of a "Committee to create interesting cars," this summer's Best Car Plus magazine reveals that the long-rumoured new AE86 type car has indeed been spawned by the group and should be in showrooms in the winter of 2008.
The new article goes into some detail of the new car's spec. Under 4m long and 1.7m wide, it's pretty low at 1.35m tall, and engineers have been directed to keep weight below 1,000kgs. Power will come from a 1.5L 2NZ-FE good for 120 horsepower. What has been unknown until this time is where Toyota would source a cheap RWD drivetrain, but Best Car has learned that it will come from new partner Fuji Heavy Industries - better known to you and me as Subaru.
And the best news of all? The committee's final directive is to keep the new car's sticker price below 1.5million Yen. That's about $12,300 USD in today's money.
[Source: Best Car]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
J.Crew @ Aug 1st 2007 10:15AM
So it may be a Scion tC replacement? Or slot in below the tC... either way...boring. The one pic looks like a scaled down Civic.
jgp @ Aug 1st 2007 10:35AM
The original AE86 was just an RWD Corolla coupe. When they moved the sedan, 5-door, and wagon to FWD, they kept the coupe and 3-door on RWD. Other than that, it was just a 2-door/3-door Corolla.
The AE86, in its original form, could be summed up as "looks boring, but it's fun to drive".
paul34 @ Aug 1st 2007 12:24PM
After reading this article, I'd say that this is more of a MR2 replacement!
I thought it might compete with the tC (not replace), but given its specs, I'd say its aligning itself to be a MX-5 killer/competitor, and not really going for the same market as the tC.
stefan @ Aug 1st 2007 10:20AM
In a other mag i read that thear will be two engines, the 2NZ-FE with 120BHP and a turbo 2NZ-FE making 150BHP. That engine was used in the vitz(yaris) RS.
Ricky @ Aug 1st 2007 3:16PM
I hope the latter makes it to the states.... All I want is 200hp FR under 2400lbs and under 15,000.00 dollars.
shadysi @ Aug 1st 2007 10:23AM
I'll believe it when i see it
John R @ Aug 1st 2007 10:25AM
If they (they better) make this RWD and keep it at $12.3k, I imagine the sky is the limit for tuning. 120bhp may not be much, but that's nothing a little forced induction can't solve. Toyota, don't waste anymore time...
Dave @ Aug 1st 2007 10:32AM
Is the 2NZ-FE built better than the MR2 engine?
John R @ Aug 1st 2007 11:17AM
Better for forced induction? I dunno. I haven't read about anyone attaching a turbo to this motor.
And that's probably with good reason as the 2NZ-FE in particular is currently mated to the FWD drivetrain found in the Vitz/Yaris, I think.
But this car is supposed to be RWD (if it isn't then what's the point, read: tC) so I was hoping it'll be more amenable to a tubro application.
Jonathan Fung @ Aug 1st 2007 8:55PM
Nah, you don't want to put a turbo on it. You just want to drop in a high-revving, race breed variation of the standard Toyota 4A-GE 20 valve twin cam engine, which wass used for Group A Division 2 Touring Class races in the Japanese Touring Car Championship...then paint a tofu shop logo on the side.
John R @ Aug 2nd 2007 6:35AM
Ha ha, yeah. Fujiwara, baby!
judd @ Aug 1st 2007 10:26AM
Come on with it already. It's either this or the Suzuki Swift GT, whichever comes first. Now who wants my money?
littledrew @ Aug 1st 2007 10:27AM
looks like an 8th gen honda civic (the red one more so)
Dave @ Aug 1st 2007 10:29AM
Considering that a local Subaru dealer was selling new 2007 AWD 2.5L flat four Imprezzas for $15,500, a smaller, RWD Toyota with a cheaper engine for $12,300 seems doable.
D D @ Aug 1st 2007 10:39AM
1000 kgs? $13k? This would be the bargain of the century when compared to the Lotus Elise. Toyota, where can I put my down payment? I want 2.
SSBR @ Aug 1st 2007 10:41AM
Looks too much of a Honda Civic (not a bad thing). Not that Japanese manufactures copy other brands....... But Toyota should either find a new "commitee" or redesign it (Assuming if these pictures are accurate). I don't think it would be a good idea for Toyota to introduce a cheap RWD car. They can do that with the Scion. Keep the brand image and introduce a more upscale sports coupe such as completely designing and overhauling the Solara (The current generation is ugly as sin).
www.rolesor.com
stefan @ Aug 1st 2007 10:44AM
@SSBR
There is no scion in Japan.
Gray Smith @ Aug 1st 2007 10:53AM
I'd buy one, in 3 years i'll be on the market for a new car...and I would like to return to rwd(had a 240sx before my current dadmobile 2000 impala) seems to me, there will be alot of rwd options by then...
G-
All American Dude XX @ Aug 1st 2007 11:23AM
blah...way below the segment i was hoping for...this should be upgraded to the MR2 turbo segment, not a tC replacement. Yeah yeah lightweight, low cost...i want to upgrade not downgrade cars. I don't want to have to tune the crap out of a car to keep up with everyone else on the road. I know the design is attempting to keep in tradition w/ the original ideology behind the ae86.
Philip @ Aug 1st 2007 11:04AM
Love it, Love it, Love it.
Beautiful lines, different.
It looks like an expensive car to me, Not a $12.300 car.