BBC News - Toyota chief Toyoda reveals 'fun to drive' fight-back plan [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw6WnrqMDTw[/ame] Interesting. It'd be nice to see more affordable, involving, rear-wheel-drive cars with good build quality. It doesn't look like an exotic, but it does look nice. I wonder of the GT86 is as good fun to drive as they say it is. All the best, Andrew.
I was more of a Toyota guy than a Honda guy for a long time (owned an MR2 Spyder for a while)...Toyota has made some great performance cars. I'd love to see some of the Celica/Supra/MR2 heritage be reborn, and breath some new life into what has become the white goods company of the automobile industry. and let's not forget about this bad boy: Image Unavailable, Please Login
You know, I actually test drove a MINI Cooper S Coupé on launch day. While I thought it looked good, the interior was great, and it was plenty fast, I was completely turned off by the way it drove: the steering was numb (light and little feedback), the accelerator was imprecise, the clutch was so light you felt like you were feeling around for it in mid-air (the bite point was impossible to find consistently), the brakes were so extensively servo-assisted that tickling them resulted in an emergency stop, the ride was so smooth that you got no sense for what the wheels were actually doing on the road, etc. Quite frankly, the car was too technically accomplished, too quick to actually be able to reach speeds where handling quirks would emerge, and left me too detached from the road, - so much so that, as a driver, I felt unwanted by the car and completely superfluous. I like there to be some effort involved in making a car scoot quickly, and there was none required there. I arrived at the dealer fully prepared to love the new MINI but left wondering why MINI/BMW had purposely engineered it to completely separate the driver from the experience of actually driving a car. I enjoyed the drive home in my 7 year old MINI more than I did the test drive. It actually looks like Toyota are going in the other direction if these reviews are anything to go by: Toyota GT 86 review - Telegraph Toyota GT 86 | First Drives | Car Reviews | Auto Express I've always enjoyed the feel of a car more than its outright performance, so I really think Toyota could be on to a winner here if there are more people out there who think like me. I hope this doesn't make me sound too much like a MaxPower reader, but... from the sounds of things on some of the YouTube videos of the GT86, stick a cone air filter in the front to liven up the induction sound and a sportier exhaust in the back and that's the noise side of things fixed. This does seem to be a continuation of the lineage! 2000GT --> Celica / Supra --> GT86? All the best, Andrew.
I agree, as I get older, traffic gets worse, and cars get simultaneously faster and more sanitized, I'm more interested in the feel/driving experience than outright speed. maybe the 348 is the perfect car for you after all
Fast enough, visceral driving experience (so I'm told ), and it oozes style from its side strakes of glory - what's not to like?! All the best, Andrew.
I think all of the Japanese manufacturers should consider doing something like this. I'm not the biggest fan of the GT86, but directionally it's correct. My first "cool" car was a '76 Datsun 280Z...they just don't make them like they used to!
I think all manufacturers, Japanese or otherwise, should consider doing this. Seriously, I can't think of much else that'll start in this sort of price-range that is small, agile, cheap, and rear-wheel drive. The base-model Mustangs and Camaros are in that price range and are rear-wheel drive, but they have much larger external dimensions and are more cumbersome cars by comparison. I also can't see the muscle cars being as efficient or as reliable as a Toyota either, even as their base (cheapest to run) models. I realise that's a bit of an unconventional concern on an exotics forum though. My one design complaint about my MINI really is that it's front-wheel drive... the GT86 basically looks like a near-MINI proportioned car that is rear-wheel drive. All the best, Andrew.
I think it looks pretty good and will be a fun car. I'm guessing the Subaru version will eventually come out with an STi version with a bit more power. And the race car variant looks good too: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LjYl7VfFKE[/ame]
seems like Lexus has done more on the sporty side than Toyota lately. LFA and IS F, but we kinda like the CT Hybrid as an inexpensive sporty hybrid.
The Subaru BRZ will come out near-identical to the Toyota GT86 with 197/200bhp. The STi version is rumoured to have 300bhp, but I haven't found any confirmations of that anywhere. Actually, I prefer the subtle styling differences on the Toyota to the Subaru. I think the Toyota with an induction kit and sportier exhaust would be the best of all worlds. In my limited experience, cars that don't have crazy excesses of power are more fun to drive as they make you work a bit harder to keep it moving along swiftly. All the best, Andrew.
I saw a CT in the grocery store parking lot yesterday and was really impressed...it looks great, and it's pretty small (think hot hatchback hybrid! ) I was beginning to question my "car guy"-ness for liking a hybrid hatchback, so I'm glad I'm in good company with you Rob (PS I still think your next family car should be a 612 )
There's nothing wrong with a hybrid, aside from automatically thinking they are better for the environment(if electric). I drive 944's for similar reasons to some of the other posts in this thread, I love the feel it gives when I'm driving it. The poor drivers on the roads frustrate me enough as is, driving a car I enjoy can help calm that.
Am I impressed? Yes. Does it (and its sister, the Subaru BRZ) look great? Yes. Is it the only thing remotely close to having character in Toyota's dealerships right now? Yes. However, would I buy one? No. Toyota's been out of the "fun" game too long (last fun car I'd say was the Supra; the last Celicas were NOT fun) to excite me right now. On the road, well equipped, this car will be $33-35,000 in Canada. That price can get me a good (pre-owned) Maserati Coupe, an Infiniti G37S, BMW 335i, Lotus Elise, VW GTI, Mini Cooper S, Porsche Boxster S, among many other cars. For that price, 348s are on the table too. Some may argue; yes but those cars can't be cross-shopped. True, but I doubt that the GT86 can provide more "fun" factor than any of the cars I listed.
I'm considering getting one for my next car. I know I'll have a further distance to drive when I find a new job, and the added storage space with the hatch is what I'm looking for.
we've thought about that, Mia is small, but we would still keep the GranSport. if we got the 612 we would sell the GranSport and still need something like the Lexus for daily driver. GranSport/911 or 612/Lexus
I got my first Toy around '86 which was a AE86 Corolla GTS and traded in my last one in Oct 2011, so 25yr's of NOTHING but Toyota's yes I would buy the new Scubby/Toy collaboration.
Based on my understanding, this is a Toyota-financed Subaru design. Toyota has received the lion's share of the PR, but I'm told the project would not have happened if it weren't for Subaru pushing it.
I'm probably going to buy a Avalon for my next DD. The Lexus LS is not worth $40k more. I can get a new Avalon for $35k and then spend another $500 at an upholstery shop on the front seats. The result will be a $75k car for $35.5k. Dale
I wish I could get one, I fell in love with it the moment Toyota released the FT 86. I like it almost as much as a Trueno or Levin.
So what??? Scubby will have their own version with cosmetic variations and the Toyota will be branded as a Scion, I'm not thrilled about that at all!!!! We are finally getting another FE/RWD chassis that the rags are praising and it can be had for less than $25K. The only truthfull opinion will arrive after a flogging.
yeah, but you'll be driving an Avalon, the universal symbol that you care not one wit about cars or driving.