WATCH: Next Gen Toyota 86 Spied Testing On The Open Road

If it still has the horrid SuperBeetle engine and no power why bother? A smooth Toyota inline 4 with a turbo would be better on many levels.

When Subaru created the platform, it took an Impreza, ditched the front half-shafts, slightly moved the front suspension forward and slapped a coupe body over the top. From side, see-through view, the FWD proportions are evident.

This will continue to be a loser for sales. Does Toyota not know that "86" means to throw something away? They needed to do a major reinvention with a Celica emerging.

Ricer Boyz will line up for this.

Well-There is a hierarchy problem that Toyota has set up and you know it.That forces them to play the Porsche game Cayman/Boxster Vs the 911 just at a lower price point. Now that a four cylinder Supra is out with seemingly likely that next year Toyota will offer it in a manual in this country it would not make sense to offer a turbo 86/BRZ. The 4 cylinder puts out 255 HP. The turbo 2.4 in the Subaru Accent puts out 260HP. So why would it make marketing sense to offer a cheaper sports-car from the same car company making the same horsepower? So hear is the deal. It seems more likely that Subaru is going to use that 2.4 engine for both WRX/STI in turbo guise and N/A guise for the BRZ/86. From the photos I would be very surprised if Subaru or Toyota went to an all new platform either. It is very easy and cost efficient to simply modify the existing platform. All they really need to do is widen the tracks a smidgen. We already know its going to be a few pounds lighter. So to keep the car in the same price range, make it lighter, improve the existing chassis and offer more power and torque. Now the boxer engine has never been known for its smoothness. However it is fairly easy to engineer that gruffness out of the equation. The key thing is that the car will stay in its 28 to 30K range. It will probably be a second quicker to 60 MPH(mid to high 5's). Probably the best news with the bigger engine that stupid torque dip should be completely eliminated. So think of it a vehicle weight of less than 2800 LBS, 217 HP and 177 LBS of Torque at say 4000 RPM versus the previous car-2800-2850 LBS, 205 HP and 155 LBS of torque at 6500 RPM. That's is a clear difference. You will have a car that will be close in straight line to say a Veloster N or a Golf GTI but with RWD. Remember this sports car built to a price point. neither Subaru or Toyota are making much money on these things just as Mazda probably does not make much on the Miata/124. This is a sliver of their car sales. It does not make financial sense to pour a lot of development money into this. We need to be thankful it still exists. GM which is not exactly a small company is sadly doing away with the Camaro within a couple of years. Honda cancelled its SI Coupe. Its great that Ford is keeping the Mustang but for how long. The Mustang Mach E is the direction Ford ultimately wants to take the Mustang. I just saw a video of the 6 motor modified Mach E driven by Vaughn Gitten. it maybe a great drift machine but that shrill noise all the motors make sounds like something out of a Godzilla movie-GOD AWFUL! Its too early to pass a final judgement on the GR86/BRZ just yet. I would see what the finished product is then decide.

The 86 also desperately needs chassis tuning. It's a slider through corners and that's not fast cornering. The biggest nemesis to the 86 is the GTI. The GTI is similar in cost but is worlds better as a driver's car and can actually be hustled around a track faster.

Typical clueless MD...

It slides because you are too heavy-handed with steering wheel and brake. With a low torque NA engine it needs to be driven carrying momentum thru corners, not yanked and floored

Meet me at willow.

The chassis tuning originally was set up for it to slide. That is why they put Michelin Primacy tires on it from the Toyota Prius. Over the years they have done small upgrades to the chassis offering Sach dampers and better tires. The final model year they eliminated 90% of that over-steer slide. I suspect the replacement will barely slide at all. But it should be a little bit more competitive. In reality to keep it in the same price point their only option was to upgrade the chassis and put another flat four into the engine bay. It probably weighs almost the same while offering more power and torque which this car desperately needs. If you want a turbo go for the 4 cylinder Supra. If you can't swing it financially you go for an 86/BRZ.

Both vehicles are 15-20% overpriced for what they deliver.

rip if not ev

The problem is the bullshit line about the joy of a Miata or a GT86 being in the momentum around the track. That really is damage control.

BOTH understeer at the limit--big time--so they will drift through curves. Slowing down doesn't help much but even if it did, it would be counterproductive to lap times.

With the correct amount of power for the intended purpose, many sports cars can be positioned by throttle which means you can get on the power to rotate it for a better cornering angle or dial out to neutralize.

The irony of the FWD GTI is that the throttle can easily be used to rotate the car when FWD understeer sets in to create a surprisingly neutral attitude through a curve.

OK-I just saw updated photos of the car being tested with a Ford Mustang ECO-Boost. Also close ups of the larger front grill seem to indicate an "intercooler". Now perhaps this might be set up to throw people off the track as to whether they are turbo charging or not. However the grill is definitely larger. Further the side view shows a longer front overhang. I sure hope they are not going to switch to a "front wheel drive" platform! Assuming the car remains RWD then I still think its on the same platform. The side view definitely shows a higher back end with a more rounded shape minus the fender swoops of the current car. The front seems to slope down more. If they are turbo charging it are they going for the turbo 2.4 in the Accent or are they going for a smaller displacement turbo engine 1.6 or 1.8? Clearly they seem to be making an engine change. If they go with a 1.6 turbo most likely similar horsepower but much higher torque at a lower RPM. it might mimic what Honda did with their soon to be discontinued SI.