Toyota FT-86 (Scion FR-S): Exciting New Details

As the official launch of the Toyota FT-86 approaches this Fall, details about the final production version of what is easily the most highly anticipated car of the year are starting to slip out. The details come from Moto Miwa, the founder of Club4AG, a site dedicated to the AE86 (the car that inspired the FT-86), after a conversation with Chief Engineer Tada-san and having seen what he claims is the final production version of the upcoming sports car.

Miwa’s fanaticism is hard to ignore, and so as much as we want to take his word for it, we’ll take a grain of salt with all the Koolaid he’s been drinking.

Described as “basic” and “pure” but not cheap, Miwa says it’s as revolutionary as the Datsun 510, the BMW 2002, the VW Beetle, the ’65 Mustang and the Honda CRX.

The design is said to be closer to the original FT-86 Concept, with a few details from the Scion FR-S Concept. It will look identical in all markets, apart from different badging – with the U.S. market model sold as the Scion FR-S.

Under the hood the boxer 4-cylinder has reportedly been almost entirely redesigned and shares nothing but its opposed cylinder layout with the Subaru version. Yahama engineers were involved in the development of the engine.

To ensure this car lives up to the hype Toyota employed its best engineers, including some who worked on the original AE86, as well as on the MR2 and Prius. Lessons from the LFA program were implemented and even engineers from Subaru’s WRC and STI divisions got involved.

Miwa describes how the car was built with tuners and racers in mind, with spaces near the dash so a roll cage can be installed while keeping the dash intact. The engine mounts and space under the hood will also make for an easy swap of a turbocharged Subaru boxer engine, should you want to go that route. (This detail has been confirmed to AutoGuide by a Scion insider).

“Never before, has such low-cost niche-car seen so much research, so much development budget, and resourced with so many talents,” says Miwa, who then quotes Tada-san, who describes the FT-86 as a car endorsed by Akio Toyoda and designed by passion, not a committee.

And as much hype as the FT-86 has received so far, the reality will be better promises Miwa. “This car will ROCK YOUR WORLD” he says, “I will bet my soul on it.”