Toyota 86 price $29,990!

[Franco Cozzo]

For $30K I don't think you can really complain about power/torque. In that price range the only other option you have is hot hatches.

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

The Toyotas Subaru twin, the BRZ, gets absolutely slammed in the latest edition of EVO magazine (European). No torque, slow and in desperate need of more power. It gets flogged by the Megane (fair enough, a lot more $) but also the MX5.....

They then go on to pit it against an original WRX and the news isn't good again for the newie...

That's not how I read it at all. Of course the torque is a constant criticism, but overall it is certainkly no slamming, not even close.

[flappist]

What?
A Japanese car is thought to be inferior to a european car in a european car magazine?

Unbelievable......

What next?
A Japanese car being thought to be inferior to an Australian car on an Australian internet forum????????

[Fiesta_Man69]

Originally Posted by mcnews

That's not how I read it at all. Of course the torque is a constant criticism, but overall it is certainkly no slamming, not even close.

The cover reads "2000 miles in the Subaru BRZ - AND WHY ITS NOT GOOD ENOUGH."

How would you read that?

Where does the BRZ finish in the comparison with the other cars? (Hint: its dead last).

[stevanford]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=romf-G6CZ7g

[EDManual]

Originally Posted by stevanford

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=romf-G6CZ7g

Nice vid! Thats it, its fun! Fun in a way you can get everything out of it. Thats what I miss in cars these days. Apart from Renault clio sports...

I would say you could become at one with it, like we could when cars did NOT have any traction control/ stability controls/ abs and were made to drive and engineered to be good/fun without them. All these features have spoilt driving cars to me. They are now build to have them as a fall back for when the chassis runs out of talent. Turn them all off/ pull fuses etc to get rid of them in near any new car, and the limits are not great/fun at all in 99% of modern cars.

This might be different though! Looks as though it is!

Also just as an aside, dont get me started on "eco tyres!" Have driven a few new cars, like a new Avalon hire car, and the tyres have so little grip the abs comes on even before the car has a chance to dip the front down and dig the tyres into into the road! Absolutely rediculous they are allowed on the road!

[barra240t]

Hang on I got it, I got it, cross venture project, Holden and Ford?

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by barra240t

Hang on I got it, I got it, cross venture project, Holden and Ford?

Just...couldnt...do it

Sorry

[irish2]

Something about that car excites me a little. I hope these things get snapped up, and people actually attempt to drive again rather than being 'driven'.

[LukeyST]

Originally Posted by irish2

Something about that car excites me a little......

Me too It really is what the industry needs right now.

Ford PLEASE bring back the Escort, an NA version of the 4cyl ecoboost engine will do, just put it in a good light RWD chassis and we have another competitor for the 86, BRz, MX5 etc..

[/dreaming]

[barra240t]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Just...couldnt...do it

Sorry

Jokes!

[barra240t]

Originally Posted by LukeyST

Me too It really is what the industry needs right now.

Ford PLEASE bring back the Escort, an NA version of the 4cyl ecoboost engine will do, just put it in a good light RWD chassis and we have another competitor for the 86, BRz, MX5 etc..

[/dreaming]

Did you ever take an XR4 for a spin? I know its FWD but that was quite a drivers car.

[LukeyST]

Originally Posted by barra240t

Did you ever take an XR4 for a spin? I know its FWD but that was quite a drivers car.

Never taken an XR4 for a drive, but I am considering replacing the AU with an XR5 at the end of the year. Haven't driven one yet, but I hear they are also quiet a good handling car (not too mention they have a decent amount of go with the forced 5cyl engine).

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

The cover reads "2000 miles in the Subaru BRZ - AND WHY ITS NOT GOOD ENOUGH."

How would you read that?

Where does the BRZ finish in the comparison with the other cars? (Hint: its dead last).

If you read the article it is hardly slammed.

A tip for you, covers of magazines are designed to attract attention and sell magazines, that is their only design criteria, it needs bare no resemblance to the correct summation of the content inside. If you only read headlines and front covers, then you miss the story.

Headlines, opening paragraphs and front pages are designed to draw in, shock, or attract attention and sell mags.

[Jack960]

Great price. Is there a turbo charged variant of the car? Think it would be too slow without one

[evse82]

Yeah TRD is supposedly releasing a supercharged version where Subaru is releasing a turbo STI version for theirs. Don't know when though.

[IceValk85]

rx8 makes do very well with next to no torque and a high rev range.

dont see people complaining if they had one of those lol. id love one, and at least the auto option in the FT86 isnt nerfed like in the rx8.

Ice

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by IceValk85

rx8 makes do very well with next to no torque and a high rev range.

dont see people complaining if they had one of those lol. id love one, and at least the auto option in the FT86 isnt nerfed like in the rx8.

Ice

Good one...rotaries have always had bugger all torque, but made up for it in other areas like sweet chassis and handling.
Many cars have used this trick over the decades by having lack of power and torque but a great chassis and being fun to drive...most old British (and a few newer) sports cars, Ford Escorts, Mazda rotaries, the Datsun 1600, Celicas, the original AE86, the MX5 Mazda...the list goes on. Sure, there were specials (private and factory) that had huge power outputs, but the basic car you bought from the dealer was huge fun to drive and throw about, and would reward a good driver with surprisingly quick point to point times, even though his car doesn't have the biggest swinging plonker under the bonnet in the car lot.
The designer of the new 86 had a prerequisite that it handle well and be fun to drive...everything else was secondary.

It's an old philosophy that a lot of people appear to be having a real problem coming to grips with...the simplistic idea of "throw a huge powerful engine in it and that'll keep the punters minds off the chassis shortcomings" has been far too common over the last couple of decades unfortunately...

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by evse82

Yeah TRD is supposedly releasing a supercharged version where Subaru is releasing a turbo STI version for theirs. Don't know when though.

TRD doesn't exist in Australia anymore. Whilst there might perhaps be aftermarket options coming in the future (doubtful that it would be forced induction).

Also, there is no plans said by Subaru to do a turbo variant either.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by dimka100

The automatic is a $2500 option! seriously in this day and age to charge that much extra???

I know many will say but this car was meant for manual only ... but the reality is that most people will still be ordering the Auto and this is how Toyota will be crawling the price back up ...

Not just any auto:
Lexus IS-F-inspired six-speed automatic transmission, with shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by IceValk85

rx8 makes do very well with next to no torque and a high rev range.

dont see people complaining if they had one of those lol. id love one, and at least the auto option in the FT86 isnt nerfed like in the rx8.

Ice

For thrills in the hills, in my experience the RX8 has come only second to Porsches.

[tranquilized]

Originally Posted by dimka100

This car has been for sale for the last 6 months now in Japan and USA, I’m not aware of any turbo kits still on offer (excluding any massive engine conversions a few have done which probably cost more than double the cars cost), do you have any links?

Personally I don’t think that just bolting on a turbo or a supercharger will be an easy exercise … The engine is a high tuned N/A running a too high compression ratio for any force fed applications, the engines internals have been designed to be light and rev happy rather than supper strong and boost happy, finally the ECU is complicated and closed from what I gathered … yes a few racing teams / people did modify this car already, but the cost of these mods would have easily exceeded the price of new M3s / 911s and that is a total waste of money …

No I dont have any links. I've been trying to remember where I read that, all I could find was the launch article in the January Wheels issue. Said something along the lines of the program manager spoke to over 1000 tuners during the development phase, and hinted that the engine has basically been built to handle loads of boost.

Surprising that nothing has been offered yet. Will be interesting to see what is offered in the future.

[IceValk85]

Originally Posted by SCUD

TRD doesn't exist in Australia anymore..

which is a pity as ive always wanted one of those TRD aurions... now secondhand ones are within 25-30k.

if only my finances allowed lol

Ice

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

So is a MX5.

The MX5 is a convertible.. The 86 has race heritage
both different uses of the terms sports car

[mcnews]

The TRD Aurion was nothing special. I drove one at the track etc. and it was okay, but still boring, like a Magna really.

Apparently the weak link the new Toyota/Subaru is the box, as in that will not handle big torque so tuners will be needing to put stronger box in before they go silly or they will break things.

[MAGPIE]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

It's an old philosophy that a lot of people appear to be having a real problem coming to grips with

Most of those though are probably highly experienced playstation racers who have only ever driven in their lounge room.


Some of the comments in this thread beggar belief...

these Subaru/Toyota engineers obviously have no idea

[Poetic Justice]

Seems strange given that the box is derived from the same box that Lexus IS-F uses?

[Vesper Martini]

My 3rd Car was an AE86 Trueno 1983 easily the most memorable car I ever owned. I remember passing an HSV clubsport through a mountain range in NZ called the Hikua's at 7500RPM to his surprise. these cars are still popular today are are in all the computer games
This is what this car is based on.
It will be extremely popular for years to come
Im too old for one now but would like a drive

[dimka100]

Mate I mostly feel like its Toyota marketing hype at its best ... I mean just like Holden Toyota is really good at marketing their cars all over the world ... the even ran an F1 team just for that and after about 10 years of miserable failure they pulled out ...

I'm not saying that the 86 is a bad car, I just can't see the whole tuning scene being a reality when the car is based on a high tuned NA with a small light gearbox and most likely lightweight drive train bits.

When new GTRs / EVOs / STIs come out there was turbo bolt upgrades / ets kits on available practically on day one ... with the 86 so far I all seen is hype

Originally Posted by tranquilized

No I dont have any links. I've been trying to remember where I read that, all I could find was the launch article in the January Wheels issue. Said something along the lines of the program manager spoke to over 1000 tuners during the development phase, and hinted that the engine has basically been built to handle loads of boost.

Surprising that nothing has been offered yet. Will be interesting to see what is offered in the future.

[Polyal]

Just watched that video, the presenter is quite good, but how can you not help but smile during it.

Its hard coming to grips with wanting a Toyota 4 banger!