Next Toyota 86 Could Have 260 Horsepower
Presentation slides and other details about the next Toyota 86 recently leaked from a dealer conference and have been revealed on the GR86.org forum. The juicy details suggest the sports car will finally get the power upgrade that fans have prayed for.
The car will purportedly make 260 horsepower from a 2.4-liter, turbocharged boxer engine. That’s about 55 more horses than the output of the current model, and matches the displacement and output of the FA24 engine that Subaru recently developed for the Ascent. Given that Subaru also makes the 86’s current boxer engine, this lends credibility to the leak’s veracity.
The Toyota 86 has long been a prize in an altogether unpopulated segment. Engine at the front, power to the rear, and a starting MSRP of under $30,000 make the two-door coupe an excellent entry-level choice for driving enthusiasts on a budget.
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The engine, however, has always been a source of argument among said enthusiasts. Naturally aspirated and producing just 205 horsepower, it has a notorious “torque hole” that makes it somewhat lethargic before hitting peak power output at 7,000 RPM. Keep the revs high, though, and the car is a delight.
The FA24, in contrast, makes peak power at 5,600 RPM, so we’ll have to see if Toyota or Subaru tweak the engine to preserve the car’s high-revving liveliness.
A new engine isn’t the only thing on the menu. The name, too, has changed: the next Toyota 86 will be the GR86 instead, in line with recent Gazoo Racing branding of other Toyota performance models. That being said, it’s not clear in what markets this will be the case, as the current 86 is also sold as the GT86 in Europe and other places. It could simply remain the 86 in the United States.
Finally, the leaks also say the Toyota 86 will feature an upgraded interior, and that it will launch in summer 2021. There’s nothing about the price, but as Toyota will probably want to avoid competing with its own four-cylinder Supra, we expect it will remain low.
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Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.