#ToyotaGt86

Let’s go ahead and call the Subaru BRZ the fraternal twin to the Toyota GT 86… or is it a triplet to the Scion FR-S?

When Toyota announced that the GT 86 would be available as a bare bones model ready for customization, tuners everywhere rejoiced. Unfortunately for Americans, we won’t be getting the option to buy a stripped down Scion FR-S.

What could be cooler than a Toyota GT 86? How about a lighter and less-expensive version, stripped down of all the unwanted frills straight from the factory and ready to be your blank-canvas of customization?

When you’re the CEO of a company, it must bring a sense of pride when a successful product is finally completed after years of hard work.

Steve Jobs over at Apple had great pride in every iPhone that was released, and probably had a huge sense of satisfaction not only using the product he helped develop, but seeing the benefits it has on all the people around him. Akio Toyoda, CEO and President of Toyota, must be extremely proud with their new GT 86 sports car, but boy does he reap all the benefits of being the head of one of the largest automakers in the world.

Toyoda got behind the wheel of their newest creation, but being the CEO means you get to do anything you want without having to answer to anybody. So what better way to really enjoy the newest toy your company has to offer than to take it out onto a dirt track and going sideways in it? Easy, take it out on a giant snow field and go drifting in it.

And judging by the huge smiles on Toyoda’s face in the video, he loves the new GT 86 as much as we did. Autoguide had the opportunity to put the Scion FR-S to the test – you can read our review here – and we would certainly be proud of it if we were in charge of running the famous Japanese automaker. Too bad we didn’t get the chance to take it sideways in the dirt and snow though.

Get more info and news on the GT 86/FR-S forum.

Watch the video after the break, that truly reminds us that the Toyota GT 86 / Scion FR-S will make it “Fun to drive: again.”

The Toyota GT 86 is being hyped as a drift car extraordinaire, which seems to be a fitting title after watching the video below.

This video comes out of Japan, and shows off two GT 86s, (which will be badged as Scion FR-S s in North America), drifting around an impromptu pylon marked track. Both the drivers are out having some fun, and showing off their skills for the crowd.

Check out the video abelow, and let us know what you think of the Toyota GT 86 in the comments section below.

There was absolutely no surprised looks around here when we heard that TRD was hard at work on tuning the all-new Toyota GT 86. It’s been a while since Toyota had such a formidable sports car platform, but we have to admit we’re a little disappointed that a method of forced induction – like a supercharger kit – still hasn’t been announced.

The Toyota GT 86, or Scion FR-S as it will be called in North America, isn’t available yet, but it’s already generating tuner buzz.

There’s a ton of buzz surrounding the return of HKS to drifting with Nobuteru Taniguchi behind the wheel of a Toyota GT 86. Now they were the first ones to throw the new sports car on the dyno, pulling down around 170-rwhp which has about a 15-percent drivetrain loss (200-hp crank), which is pretty impressive.

HKS also spent sometime showing off their excitement about the GT 86 and the return of Nobuteru Taniguchi, with footage of NOB driving a GT 86 and speaking about it. The video ends with the upcoming D1 Grand Prix competition drift car and Taniguchi putting it through its paces.

Check out the lengthy video after the break featuring HKS’s driver, Nobuteru Taniguchi and the Toyota GT 86 getting dyno’ed.

[Source: FT86 Club]

It’s been a while since Nobuteru Taniguchi (NOB) has been behind the wheel of an HKS vehicle at a D1 Grand Prix event. But his past accolades piloting the HKS Mitsubishi EVO in Time Attack and HKS Nissan Silvia S15 in D1 Grand Prix still makes him one of the most respected drivers in the world. Maybe that’s why he gives himself the nickname of NOB – No One Better.

As popular as drifting has become in America, the sport’s home will forever be in Japan and a quick demo out at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon gave us a reminder why.

While we have plenty of fun listening to V8-powered Ford Mustangs and Chevy Camaros go at it sideways, this year’s TAS played host to a Toyota GT 86 doing tandem with an old school AE86, only to be outdone by a Lexus LFA Roadster.

And as cool as it was to see the new Toyota GT 86 going sideways alongside its classic predecessor, what’s even more interesting is the fact that the LFA Roadster isn’t even supposed to go on sale until 2014, so how did someone get their hands on one? Either it’s a pre-production model or someone decided to chop the roof on theirs themselves. But leave it to D1 to put on yet another demo to whet everyone’s appetite for drifting, despite how controversial the series is out in Japan.

Check out the video after the break with various cars putting on a drifting demo.

[Source: Jalopnik]

Before the Toyota GT 86 was even officially revealed, the new sports car was out on the track competing. This particular car, on display for the first time at the Tokyo Auto Salon, was raced at the grueling Nurburgring 24 Hour Race in the Fall.

Just a few weeks after the debut of the GT 86, Toyota tuners are getting a crack at the new sports car and showing what modified visions they can dream up at Japan’s largest aftermarket expo, the Tokyo Auto Salon.

The TRD 86, or the Scion FR-S, what ever you wanna call it, it’s a hot car. This year at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon, the GT 86 will debut with some extra style thanks to the added TRD aero kit.

If you followed our coverage of the North American International Auto Show, or you just keep up with car news, you’ve probably heard of the Scion FR-S.

Toyota‘s upcoming GT 86 hasn’t even gotten in the hands of the consumers yet, and already some interesting tuning options are being dreamed up. We’ll be receiving Scion‘s FR-S as America’s offering from Toyota, and already impressed with how it performs stock (read our review here), we can’t even imagine what the aftermarket will be able to do with it.