Autoblog

Toyota GT86 engineer Tada recounts how sports car came to be

Seyth Miersma — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Subaru, Toyota, Read This

Because the Toyota GT86, Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ coupes are now a reality, it's almost hard to imagine the struggle that had to happen within the large, conservative corporate structures at both automakers for the joint project to even get off of the ground.

Speaking to those struggles on Toyota UK's Toyota Blog, GT86 Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada enlightens us with a recap of the sports car's earliest origins. For Tada, the first stages of the project must have seemed almost as dreamlike as the final product is to drive.

Said the Chief, "I had been working in the minivan department engineering new product, but a month after the meeting I was summoned. 'Forget about minivans,' they said, 'you are now working on the sports-car project.'"

The recounting of the GT86 development process makes for a genuinely interesting yarn, and is a must-read for any owners/enthusiasts of the BRZ/FR-S twins. We highly recommend clicking through to read it in full. Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but we can't help hoping that Tada-san has got more of the story to tell, still. We'll be keeping an eye on the official Toyota Blog, just in case.

Toyota GT86 engineer Tada recounts how sports car came to be originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota GT86 GT4 racer is ready for UK competition

Zach Bowman — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Toyota, UK, Racing

It's about time we saw someone cook up a legitimate race version of the delectable Toyota GT86, and now it looks as if GPRM has done just that. The Buckingham-based race engineering team has built the creation you see here, complete with a turbocharged 2.0-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder boxer cooked up by Nicholson McLaren Engines. The team says the new mill delivers between 360 and 400 horsepower to the rear wheels depending on final testing, which is a sight bit more than the 197 horses the naturally aspirated stock mill offers.

The car will compete in GT4 events, including the Avon Tyres British GT Championship. Technically, the GPRM effort isn't factory backed, but the team says the effort "has the blessing of Toyota Great Britain." How could it not? You can check out the brief press release below below, and be sure to take a closer look at the machine in our gallery.

Continue reading Toyota GT86 GT4 racer is ready for UK competition

Toyota GT86 GT4 racer is ready for UK competition originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota GT86 ad banned in UK for encouraging "dangerous driving"

Seyth Miersma — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Toyota, UK

A ban has reportedly been issued on a UK commercial for the Toyota GT86 (know as the Scion FR-S here in the US) that supposedly might "encourage motorists to drive irresponsibly," because it "condoned dangerous driving."

The commercial, known as "The Real Deal," in question has very clearly made an effort to distance itself from any kind of illicit real-world driving, as Toyota is fully aware that British laws forbids that kind of advertising. Toyota reportedly told Britain's Advertising Standards Authority that it did not, in fact, condone unsafe or irresponsible driving, and that its commercial - which features a digital man in a sort of Dystopian "video game" world - is impossible to reproduce under real-world conditions.

Toyota UK has not, as of this writing, felt compelled to remove the advertisement from its YouTube page, meaning you are at liberty to watch it for yourself below. At least here in The States, we consider it extremely "safe for work" - just don't try this on the road, hotshot.

Does banning a commercial from television serve to make it more popular on the internet? Give us your thoughts in Comments.

Continue reading Toyota GT86 ad banned in UK for encouraging "dangerous driving"

Toyota GT86 ad banned in UK for encouraging "dangerous driving" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota GT 86, Lexus LFA racers ready for Nürburgring 24 Hours

Zach Bowman — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Europe, Lexus, Toyota, Racing

Toyota and Lexus are gearing up for this year's Nüburgring 24 Hours. The two companies plan to take to the track with a total of five entries, including four Toyota GT 86 race cars and one Lexus LFA. Prepped by factory tuner Gazoo Racing, the LFA will compete in the SP8 class while two of the GT 86 models will go fender-to-fender in the SP3 class. Those will be joined by two more GT 86 racers built by Toyota Motorsport and competing under the Toyota Swiss Racing Team banner in the V3 class for production vehicles.

Gazoo Racing has already had a little fun at the Nüburgring this year. While competing at two shorter events at the legendary track, the LFA took home two wins. This year's 24-hour endurance race kicks off this weekend, May 17-20. The even will be streamed online here and here. Scroll down for the quick press release.

Continue reading Toyota GT 86, Lexus LFA racers ready for Nürburgring 24 Hours

Toyota GT 86, Lexus LFA racers ready for Nürburgring 24 Hours originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pair of Toyota GT86s duel in parking lot drift battle

Zach Bowman — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Japan, Videos, Toyota

There is likely no end to the amount of fun one can have with an empty parking lot, a few cones and a willing vehicle. Add two capable machines to the mix and the enjoyment increases exponentially. When those happen to be two Toyota GT86 coupes, all that's missing is the not-so judicious application of one's right foot. Two pro drift drivers recently got the chance to fling the GT86 around in a quick battle, and the result is a video that shows just how controllable the GT86 is right out of the box.

While we could think of a handful of other sports cars that are as capable right from the showroom floor, the list of those with price tags as slim as the GT86 and its Scion and Subaru brethren is considerably thinner. Hit the jump for a few lessons in car control.

Continue reading Pair of Toyota GT86s duel in parking lot drift battle

Pair of Toyota GT86s duel in parking lot drift battle originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota GT86 spends time with its ancestors

Zach Bowman — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Japan, Videos, Toyota

Toyota is out to draw parallels between the company's new GT86 sports car and some of the legends of the automaker's past. A new video depicting the new coupe's development spends plenty of time with the GT86 on screen with the likes of the Toyota Sports 800 and even the AE86. Those are both fine sparring partners for a vehicle that prides itself on superior handling over outright brawn. Watching engineers cane the GT86 around the world's various road courses only stokes our desire for a little more time with the either of the two-door's corporate cousins.

As you may recall, the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ both left favorable impressions on us during our recent drives, but we could use a full week's worth of sideways action to figure out whether those pieces of hardware are worthy of sharing tarmac with the likes of the legendary AE86. Hit the jump to take a look.

Continue reading Toyota GT86 spends time with its ancestors

Toyota GT86 spends time with its ancestors originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota considering Supra successor and sub-86 sports car

Zach Bowman — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:03:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Japan, Tokyo Motor Show, Subaru, Toyota

Toyota is flush with buzz surrounding the company's new 86 sports car, and that could translate into additional performance models if the vehicle's chief engineer has anything to say about it. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Tetsuya Tada, the mind that brought the Toyota 86 to life, believes there's room in the stable for two additional sports cars. Tada is quoted as saying that while the 86 is a mid-sized sports car, he'd like to see one vehicle positioned below the boxer-powered coupe as well as an additional model slotted higher in the lineup.

The latter machine could potentially be a successor to the Supra, complete with a high-horsepower engine and rear wheel drive. Like the 86, that vehicle would be another collaborative project between Toyota and Subaru. Unfortunately, Tada is quick to say that nothing has been decided as of yet. Keep your fingers crossed.

Toyota considering Supra successor and sub-86 sports car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru BRZ gets sideways to some adult contemporary in first film

Zach Bowman — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Performance, Etc., Japan, Videos, Subaru

Subaru and Toyota have certainly set the internet afire with the BRZ and GT86. Critics and naysayers are already deriding the vehicles as too low on power to survive in a world where the Ford Mustang V6 packs over 300 horsepower and the base Hyundai Genesis Coupe boasts a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for 210 ponies. But you know what? They can stuff all that nonsense. At the end of the day, curb weight has as much to do with a vehicle's fun factor as any horsepower figure, and given that the Subaru BRZ tips the scales at a shave under 2,700 pounds, the machine should be a blast to fling around a road course.

Now Subaru has given us a glimpse of what that might look like with a new video of the vehicle. While the clip is set to some seriously painful adult contemporary tunes, images of the 200-horsepower boxer-four coupe getting sideways are what dreams are made of. Hit the jump to check it out for yourself.

Continue reading Subaru BRZ gets sideways to some adult contemporary in first film

Subaru BRZ gets sideways to some adult contemporary in first film originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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