New Toyota GT86 gets go-ahead
TOYOTA HAS SAID that the GT86 coupé will be replaced with a new secondgeneration model developed in conjunction with Subaru.
The new version of the four-cylinder lightweight four-seater will sit beneath the recently launched sixcylinder Supra two-seater in an expanded line-up of Toyota sports cars, which will also make use of the firm’s GR Sport brand.
Following the launch of the Supra, there were reports that the GT86 may not be replaced.
Confirming that Toyota intends to develop a new GT86, European marketing boss Matt Harrison said it has been “a successful ‘halo’ product for us”. He added: “Supra is not to replace that car. They are for different audiences and are different products. We see a situation where they will sit alongside each other.”
The original GT86, launched in 2011, was co-developed with Subaru alongside the BRZ. It uses Subaru’s flat-four Boxer engine and transmission, and Harrison said it was “a safe assumption” that the next-generation model would retain those links. Toyota has used partnerships to help offset the high costs of developing relatively lowvolume sports car models, with the Supra developed alongside the BMW Z4.
Toyota sees the GT86 and similar sports car models as powerful brand ambassadors, and company boss Akio Toyoda recently expressed a desire to build a full family of performance machines, in particular with its hot GR Sport line.
Speaking about the GT86, Harrison added: “Its role is not one particularly about volume globally. It’s about adding excitement to the brand and emotional appeal.
“The GT86 has definitely been successful for us in achieving that, particularly in markets like the UK.”