Toyota is keeping quiet ahead of the car’s reveal today at the Frankfut Auto Show, but it has released two pictures of the latest FT-86 II Concept. What’s new? Other than some new paint it’s not entirely clear, although Toyota did promise a “faster, lighter and sportier” version of the car.

When it does officially debut in production form at the Tokyo Auto Show later this year, the FT-86 (sold in America as the Scion FR-S) will be powered by a direct-injection 4-cylinder boxer engine, putting torque to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission with a limited slip differential as standard. In Tokyo, Subaru is also expected to debut a version of the car, called the BRZ.

Look for more details and live photos later today at AutoGuide’s official Frankfurt Auto Show page here.

Get more Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ news and info at fr-sforum.com and subarubrzforum.com.

GALLERY: Toyota FT-86 II Concept

It’s been a long time coming but fans of the Toyobaru sports car soon won’t have to wait much longer. Expected to officially debut at the Tokyo Auto Show in both its Toyota and Subaru forms, Subaru recently announced that its version will be called the BRZ.

When it is unveiled, interested buyers won’t have to wait long to get behind the wheel with Subaru announcing the car will go on sale in the Spring of next year.

But before any of this, Subaru will give yet another glimpse at what it’s preparing to offer by unveiling what it’s calling the “Subaru BRZ Prologue – Boxer Sports Car Architecture II” at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September.

GALLERY: Subaru Boxer Sports Car Architecture

Discuss this story at SubaruBRZforum.com

Subaru has announced its name for the joint sports car project developed with Toyota, dubbing the rear-drive coupe the BRZ.

The news comes in a release by the Japanese automaker, announcing it will show a second rendition of the Boxer Sports Car Architecture, cumbersomely named “Subaru BRZ Prologue – Boxer Sports Car Architecture II” at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

The BRZ name stands for “Boxer engine”, “Rear-wheel drive” and “Zenith”. Subaru has also created a teaser webpage for the car which can be viewed here.

Discuss this story at SubaruBRZForum.com and get more Scion FR-S and Toyota FT-86 news at FR-SForum.com

A Scion is about the last car you’d expect to see at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, but the FR-S concept has a design worthy of a six-, or even a seven-figure price tag.

Set to be unveiled as a Toyota model at the Tokyo Auto Show later this year, the production FR-S is then expected to be revealed at the NY Auto Show in 2012. Toyota has continued to be nearly silent on details, but what we do know is that this light-weight coupe will be powered by a Subaru-sourced boxer 4-cylinder engine, using a Toyota direct-injection system. Power will be delivered though the rear wheels using either a six-speed auto or manual (your choice) and a limited slip differential will be standard.

Click here for more details on the production Toyota FT-86.

GALLERY: Scion FR-S

Discuss this story at FR-SForum.com

Call it whatever you like, but the upcoming Toyota FT-86/Scion FR-S/Toyotabaru/King Ghidorah sports car has been spotted in public, well ahead of its anticipated production-ready December unveiling.

We know what the Toyota version looks like—time and time and time again. But the camoed-up version seen stuck in traffic on the 405 looks more like Subaru’s version—and given the Subaru distributor plates, this is more likely the case.

While the Toyota/Scion model is expected to be more focused on handling dynamics and light weight, rumors continue to point to the Subaru model as a lower volume, higher output, hard-core version.

[Source: GTRUSABlog via Autoblog]

Discuss this story at FR-SForum.com

Toyota will never stop developing mutations of its FT-86 sports car, which will be released sometime between now and the real Rapture. Maybe.

But news from Japan indicates, finally, when we can see the officially official ultimate final production version: the Tokyo Motor Show, in December. Both Toyota and Subaru will launch versions of their joint sports car on their home turf then, which is more final a date than anything the companies have previously announced.

The production version of the FT-86 will reach America by 2012 as the Scion FR-S, and Subaru’s version will be released in the spring. Rumors that both cars will be equipped with a Phantom entertainment console are unsubstantiated.

GALLERY: Scion FR-S

[Source: Inside Line]

Discuss this story at FR-SForum.com

Easily the most anticipated debut of the 2011 New York Auto Show, Scion has just released its new FR-S Concept, based on the Toyota FT-86.

Powered by a boxer 4-cylinder donated by Subaru, but using a Toyota direct-injection system Scion is promising sufficient power with “surprising” fuel economy.

Described by Scion boss Jack Hollis as the perfect car for weekend warriors, auto-crossers, drifters and track junkies, the FR-S promises an even mixture of balance, manageable power and light weight in this front-engine, rear-drive package. Helping keep in control of the vehicle, the FR-S concept does come equipped with a limited slip differential.

Based on the Toyota FT-86 II Concept, the Scion model does away with some of that cars more extravagant design features to find a perfect medium between it and the original FT-86.

Toyota’s version of the car is expected to be unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Show this Fall and Scion will deliver a production version of the FR-S to dealers next year!

GALLERY: Scion FR-S

GALLERY: Scion FR-S Official

Get more Scion FR-S news and info at FR-SForum.com

See video of the FR-S after the jump:

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Subaru is building hype ahead of the reveal of its rear-wheel drive sports car next week at the Geneva Auto Show, releasing a new teaser image on a web site (http://www.subaru-global.com/boxersports.html) dedicate to the vehicle.

Along with the photo of the brand’s legendary Boxer engine is a brief outline of what Subaru calls the Boxer Sports Car Architecture, which, “embodied Subaru’s new definition of driving excitement.”

Subaru hints at the cost of the car, claiming it will be more “accessible” while also delivering a driving experience that, “only a Subaru can provide.”

Set to debut in Geneva as the ‘Subaru Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car Technology Concept’ on March 1st, look for live photos and updates with AutoGuide’s 2011 Geneva Auto Show coverage here.

Subaru will finally reveal its version of the Toyobaru rear-drive coupe at the Geneva Auto Show this March.

The automaker has confirmed that it will display a concept dubbed the ‘Subaru Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car Technology Concept.’ As the name suggest, however, it will be a concept and we don’t expect to see a production version until after the Toyota model debuts – possibly at the Tokyo Auto Show at the end of 2011.

Described as a joint venture with Toyota, Subaru says the vehicle will use an all-new platform and will be powered by the company’s horizontally-opposed boxer engine, helping to deliver both a compact powerplant and one with a low center of gravity.

Get more Toyobaru news and info at FR-SForum.com

And see AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Geneva Auto Show preview here.

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Subaru is reportedly looking to scrap plans for an AWD version of the Toyota FT-86 in favor of a rear-drive only model. This is sure to have the marketing department at Subaru up in arms with the accountants, as Subaru’s whole brand identity is based on the company’s Symmetrical AWD setup.

Japan’s Best Car is reporting that the cost of making the Toyobaru AWD has become prohibitive as so only a rear-drive model is now planned. So with Toyota already scheduled to bring a rear-drive FT-86 to market, the only difference between the two models is likely to be slightly different bodywork and interior design.

Based on a modified AWD Legacy platform we still find this news hard to believe and as much as we’d love a more entry-level Toyota model, a high-powered Subaru would be plenty of fun and most likely worth the added cost.

See more Toyota and Subaru FT-86 news at FT86Talk.com

[Source: Best Car via 7Tune]