THE car every sports coupe lover has been waiting for is here following its appearance at Fuji racetrack in Japan.
It was driven by Toyota president Akio Toyoda, who said the new rear-wheel-drive “86” sports car was all about “waku doki” - a car that creates excitement and gets your heart racing.
The 86 features the world’s first horizontally opposed D-4S engine, which combines “boxer” engine technology with Toyota’s cutting-edge D-4S direct injection technology.
The engine is installed front mid-ship to create an ultra-low centre of gravity and low inertia. It is the world’s only horizontally opposed engine and rear-wheel-drive package.
Toyota says the 86 carries on the spirit of the AE86 Corolla in its aim to be a car that evolves with its owner.
The lightweight and compact rear-wheel-drive platform was designed to achieve superior handling and create the world’s smallest mass-production four-passenger sports car.
The vehicle’s newly developed engine delivers exceptional output and torque as well as superior response at low and medium speeds.
The 2.0-litre, D-4S, with separate twin injectors for direct injection and port injection, has a high compression ratio of 12.5:1. This provides high output and high torque over a wide range of engine speeds and contributes to improved environmental performance.
The engine’s redline is 7500rpm with maximum output of 147kW/205Nm. There is a choice of six-speed manual transmission or a special sports-driving, six-speed automatic transmission.
The rear seat backs fold down to the front to create a luggage space that can accommodate four sports wheels or two golf bags.
The steering wheel is the smallest in a Toyota-brand vehicle. The wheel’s surface was optimised to enhance steering performance and grip.
A three-cluster meter built around the tachometer has been designed with particular attention to enhanced visibility and readability during sports driving. It rolls on 18s and has a 50-litre tank.
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