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Next up on the review vehicle playlist here at C&G's Detroit Bureau is the 2020 Toyota 86, a vehicle I haven't driven since it was called the Scion FR-S. A lot has changed with this model aside from its name since the one I drove back in 2013. The styling has been refreshed, various tweaks made the suspension, and minor updates to the interior. What hasn't changed is the 2.0L boxer-four from Subaru that produces 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. My test vehicle has the standard six-speed manual. The as-tested price for this 86 comes to $34,783, partly due to a couple of TRD options being fitted. Here's some first impressions, The 2.0L boxer-four isn't a great sounding to begin with, sounding like a bucket of bolts being shaken. The optional TRD exhaust only makes the noise worse. Handling is still this car's strong suit, offering minimal body roll and crisp steering. The touchscreen radio is very barebones, but does offer Apple CarPlay. I'll have more thoughts throughout the week, and will be doing my best to answer various questions from you. View full article

Most enthusiasts have a deep love for wagons. So it should come as no surprise as many enthusiasts are falling head over heels for this Toyota 86 Shooting Brake concept that was shown today in Australia. The concept takes the 86's body and extends the roofline towards the back to create a wagon shape. What makes this concept really impressive is that it is fully functional as it has run a few laps on Toyota's various test tracks. Back in 2014, the chief engineer for the 86, Tetsuya Tada was visiting Toyota's Australia office where he was shown a one-quarter scale clay model. He was impressed by the work that he decided to bring this idea to life. A hand-picked team in Japan built a full-size and functional concept. Before you ask, there are no plans to put the Shooting Brake into production. Source: Toyota Press Release is on Page 2 GLOBAL REVEAL OF TOYOTA 86 SHOOTING BRAKE CONCEPT Toyota Australia has unveiled a global first - a dramatic new "Shooting Brake" concept version of the 86 sports car. The prototype was conceived and developed by Toyota Australia's Product Design team and hand-built in Japan under the direction of the global sports car division. The Shooting Brake concept, which adds a more practical hatch styling to the rear of the sporty coupe, has been revealed to the world in Sydney by the Toyota 86 global chief engineer Tetsuya Tada. Toyota Australia divisional manager national marketing Brad Cramb said the unusual "shooting brake" name referred to a stunning design that gives the four-seat sports car a unique flavour with more rear head room and luggage space. "The Toyota 86 lends itself perfectly to a concept that expands its appeal with added versatility while retaining its sleek and sporty coupe styling and sharp, responsive driving character," Mr Cramb said. "The Shooting Brake concept is a classy option for active couples or a second car for families who want something different. Equally suited to weekends away as well as the track, it's a car you could buy with your head and your heart." Tada-san said he was inspired to support the project when shown a one-quarter scale clay model during a visit to Australia in November 2014. "I was totally surprised - and I liked it so much I arranged for my expert takumi prototype craftsmen to hand-build the Shooting Brake concept based on the Australian design," Tada-san said. "The concept car is a fully functional, driveable vehicle that has been put through its paces on Toyota test tracks. "The nicely weighted and direct steering of the 86 ensures the car retains the involving drive experience of the coupe with a slightly more neutral feel in tight corners on a driver's favourite road." Tada-san said Toyota wanted to gauge reaction to the concept, although it was conceived as an internal design study and there were no plans for production. "While we never say never, and I would love this concept to become a production reality, it is very much a concept that demonstrates the passion within Toyota for cars that are fun to drive." Toyota Australia's design chief Nicolas Hogios said his Australian design team engaged in enthusiastic debate about the extent to which they should make changes to the 86 coupe, eventually remodelling only the rear quarter and roof. "Like kids in a lolly shop, we thought about restyling more of the car; however, like a good parent saying 'no' to too many sweets, we made the conscious decision to keep as much of the original 86 as possible, only changing what was absolutely necessary. "The silhouette is still sporty, taut and energetic, but it's more practical as it allows the roof to be used to carry surfboards, bikes or storage pods for a weekend away while the larger opening of the new boot enables much easier loading. "As a result, we have expanded the appeal of the coupe while intentionally retaining the purity of the now-iconic 86 style," he said. View full article

Toyota is beginning the sunsetting process of the Scion brand with the FR-S. Next week at the New York Auto Show, Toyota will debut the redesigned 2017 86 - a name that is also used for the Asia, Australia South Africa, and South America markets. For the exterior, Toyota has added a larger air intake, bumpers, and LED lighting. The interior gets a new three-spoke steering wheel with audio controls and a new “Grandlux” material is used for the door panels and dash. Under the hood, the 2.0L flat-four has seen an increase in power from 200 horsepower and 153 pound-feet of torque to 205 and 158 respectively. This is due to a revised intake system and reducing pumping losses in the engine. It should be noted this is only for the manual transmission model. The 86 automatic sticks with the original power figures. Speaking of the manual, Toyota has changed the gear ratios to improve overall response. Also, the spring rates and damper settings have been adjusted to improve handling. The 2017 Toyota 86 arrives at dealers this fall. Source: Toyota Press Release is on Page 2 Toyota to 86 the FR-S Name New Toyota 86 and Charismatic C-HR Concept on Display at New York Auto Show TORRANCE, Calif., March 17, 2016 – With its new home comes a new name and more. The former Scion FR-S will debut as the 2017 Toyota 86 at the New York International Auto Show with interior and exterior changes, as well as suspension and powertrain upgrades. The new Toyota 86 will go on sale at all Toyota dealerships this fall. “When we announced the transition of the Scion models to Toyota we hadn’t planned on changing the names of our cars, but by popular demand, for our sports car, we decided to adopt the global name of 86,” said Toyota Division Group Vice President, Bill Fay. “Enthusiasts have a strong association with the front-engine, rear-drive heritage of the ‘hachi-roku’ and the dynamic performance it offers.” In addition to the Toyota 86 name change, two other Scion vehicles will have new designations for 2017. The Toyota Corolla iM and Toyota Yaris iA will join Toyota’s small car line-up. For its move to Toyota, the 86 sports car adopts more aggressive styling with a larger center intake emphasizing the low, wide stance of the car. The front of the car has a new design with re-configured LED front headlamps and turn signals, and revised bumper. The rear now sports LED tail lamps and a new bumper design. The alloy wheels feature a twisted spoke design and 86 logos have been incorporated into a badge on the front fender, as well as inside the front headlamps. The interior also features the 86 logo on the new “Grandlux” material used on the instrument panel surround. The same material adds a new, soft feel to the door trim. Drivers also will enjoy new seating material with silver stitching and a sporty steering wheel with integrated audio controls and an 86 logo on the center hub. Enhanced control and agile performance are achieved through revised shock tuning and a spring rate change. On the manual version of the car, additional performance comes from a gear ratio change and a torque increase to 156 lb.-ft, as well as a five-horsepower increase to 205 hp. Hill Start Assist Control (HAC) helps prevent the car from rolling back on steep hills. The new Toyota 86 also will be featured in Formula Drift with racers Ken Gushi and Ryan Tuerck. The drivers, along with Series Champion Frederic Aasbo, will be defending the SR by Toyota race team’s 2015 Manufacturers’ Championship. Joining the Toyota 86 on the show floor will be the Toyota C-HR Concept. The U.S. production version of the C-HR will be shown later this year and the vehicle will go on sale in spring 2017 as a 2018 model. “We’re very excited to be showing the C-HR Concept as a Toyota and adding it to our line-up next year,” said Fay. “The style and substance of the production C-HR will make it a winner in the hottest segment in the industry.” The C-HR Concept is named for its Compact size and High Ride height. With four doors and a hatch for supreme functionality, it’s the perfect vehicle for “yuccies,” the young urban creatives who inspired the design. Underneath the captivating design of the C-HR is a platform featuring Toyota’s New Global Architecture (TNGA). TNGA is an innovative and integrated approach to developing new platforms and powertrains for Toyota. It creates a lower center of gravity, increased body rigidity, more responsive handling and improved ride comfort. “Even though the C-HR has a high ride height, our focus was on creating a fantastic urban driving car,” said C-HR Chief Engineer Hiro Koba. “My favorite place to be on a weekend is at a race track and I wanted to build a car that I would have just as much fun driving in the city during the week with refined driving comfort and responsive, precise steering.” More information about the technical specifications for the C-HR will be available when the production version debuts later this year. View full article