Toyota/Subaru RWD

[Robert Puertas]

Hmmm...

[Mako Koiwai]

Tin B, Toyota employee is in Japan at the moment. I asked him to find out about the Subaota, and he had this to say:

Tin wrote: "I already know and can't say. Not only the Toyota ninjas will try kill me, they will send the Subi ninjas too."

[Tom Denham]

[Tin Bui]

I do not like Brenda Priddy.

[Tom Denham]

I do not like Brenda Priddy.

I know i like the look of the switches in the center console.

[Max Hayter]

I know i like the look of the switches in the center console.

I noticed those as well. We must have similar taste in switches!

[Tom Denham]

I know i like the look of the switches in the center console.

I noticed those as well. We must have similar taste in switches!

Excellent!!!

[Mako Koiwai]

New STI: http://www.roadandtrack.com/future-cars ... ru-wrx-sti

[Mako Koiwai]

Latest on http://jalopnik.com/5839713/the-toyota- ... oncept-car" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Bob Beamesderfer]

Another auto show, another concept. Reportedly, the production car debuts in Tokyo later this year. U.S. model will probably bow in Detroit.

[John Stimson]

All I want to know is the weight, and whether it's really coming with 19" wheels, or something more sensible for a lightweight sports car.

[Tom Denham]

17's

[Kristoffer Gjevre]

Just read this in the paper version:

2013 Subaru BRZ Sports Car
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/201 ... type-drive" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kristoffer Gjevre]

And this:
First Drive: 2013 Subaru BRZ Prototype
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/cou ... rst_drive/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Toyota did the planning and design. Subaru did the engineering, and will build both versions at its Gunma plant in Japan. Both cars will initially be identical, apart from front and rear bumper fascias, badging, and detail equipment levels.

[Kristoffer Gjevre]

And this:
Subaru BRZ coupe set for L.A. auto show debut
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011110 ... z1cx3DygRo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[John Stimson]

There was also a report showing what was claimed to be a leaked spec sheet stating the weight of the Toyota at about 2660 pounds (2680 for a higher trim level), and about 200HP and 150 ft*Lb torque. Which is lighter than some people had predicted, but still pretty heavy for a car that small, for which light weight was a primary design goal.

[Mihail Milkov]

Car and Driver estimates the power at 210 hp @ 65000 rpm and the torque at 170 lb.ft. The peak power figure at only 6500 rpm is hard to believe for a 2.0L engine. It equates to 16.2 hp/L/1000 rpm, which is unheard of for a production atmospheric engine albeit with direct injection. The highest power efficiency I am aware of is achieved by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0: 500 hp @ 8250 rpm, which gives 15.2 hp/L/1000 rpm. Porsche's torque is 339 lb.ft out of 4.0 L, so with half the displacement perhaps we can get the claimed 170 lb.ft.
Update
According to this site
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2131" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The engine has an 86 x 86 mm bore and stroke, compression ratio is 12.5:1, power is 147 kW (197 hp) @ 7000 rpm and torque is 205 N.m (151 lb.ft) at 6600 rpm. Notice how close the torque peak is to the power peak. Coefficient of drag is 0.27, which is impressive.

[Kristoffer Gjevre]

Room for tires and tools for track days

FR-S_BRZ.JPG (79.27 KiB) Viewed 14724 times

[John Stimson]

Official Subaru BRZ site: http://www.subaru.com/brz/2013/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On Toyota's web site, all I found under "upcoming vehicles" was an exciting new trim level for the Prius. Woo.

The latest Gran Turismo 5 update includes the Toyota production car, which is specified as weighing 2711 pounds.

[Davin Swanson]

Looks like in the US it won't be a Toyota, but a Scion:

http://www.insideline.com/scion/fr-s/20 ... -know.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ed Holley]

Looks like in the US it won't be a Toyota, but a Scion:

http://www.insideline.com/scion/fr-s/20 ... -know.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If that is the watered down version of the FT-86 that started this thread, I am NOT impressed. Early on in this thread, it was predicted that it would arrive here not as a Toyota, but as a Scion. If this is it, the "look" is not even close to the FT-86.

[John Stimson]

Yes, the Toyota version will be sold in the US as the Scion FR-S and in the rest of the world as the Toyota GT-86.

In response to Ed:
a) Stylistically, the production Toyota looks really close to the original. I haven't seen many production cars that looked that similar to the original concept, especially when you consider how much time has passed (and two subsequent revisions of the concept) since the original. The silver color of the car shown in the Edmunds article really hides the lines. Other colors look better, although I personally prefer the looks of the Subaru version.
b) who gives a flying fig which plastic logo they stick through the holes in the hood and trunk? They're all built in the same place.
c) I was disappointed that they didn't come closer to their target goal of 2200 pounds, because at that weight the car would have been truly awesome. But 2700 for a RWD 2+2 is exceptional among modern cars, and better than a lot of people were expecting.

[Kurt Rahn]

who gives a flying fig

Settle down there, John. This is a family-oriented board

[Mako Koiwai]

http://www.insideline.com/scion/fr-s/20 ... -know.html

Could they have found any skinner tires! ... or softer springs ... brings the MX-5 to mind.

[Leonard Cachola]

http://www.insideline.com/scion/fr-s/20 ... -know.html

Could they have found any skinner tires! ... or softer springs ... brings the MX-5 to mind.

Body roll isn't inherently bad. It's just how a car goes about getting there. The '06-'08 stock NCs had a shocking lack of steering feel to go with that roll that let them down - the '09- present ones feel much better stock since Mazda restored the feel.

The BRZ/FT86 doesn't roll all that much in this video, though who knows what kind of mods are on them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... AHFQnyX0C0