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Despite a few manufacturers keeping the manual gearbox alive by still offering it in their cars, it is inevitable that days of the manual gearboxes are numbered. In a report published by Carbuzz, Toyota U.S. recorded its Corolla having a take-up rate of less than 1 percent for the manual option. This meant that out of the 280,000 Corollas sold in the US during 2018, less than 2,800 of them were ordered with a manual gearbox. This is despite Toyota offering its more sporty hatchback with a new six-speed gearbox. Meanwhile, only 5 percent of buyers for its Yaris chose the manual 'box, prompting the company to not offer the its upcoming Yaris with a manual option at all. You would expect its driver-focused 86 to do better when it comes to the amount of buyers going for the manual option but the truth is only 33 percent of 86s sold last year were manuals. With these numbers in mind, it is not difficult to see why it is increasingly difficult for automakers to justify a manual option in their models.
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Kia has shown its first rear-wheel drive sports car at the Detroit motor show. The GT4 Stinger was shown to the press as the brand’s potential rival for the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ. The GT4 Stinger is a 2+2, front-engined coupe powered by a 311bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine taken from Kia’s Optima racecars. That makes it substantially more powerful than the Toyota, with its 197bhp, but like the 86, the Kia is focused on being a proper driver’s car. Hence, the 4.26-metre long coupe has been designed to weigh a mere 1315kg in production form, runs double wishbone suspension front and rear and doesn’t even have a radio. ‘The soundtrack comes from the engine and out of the exhaust,’ says the concept’s head designer. ‘Our whole approach has been to do something very simple and pure, but new looking,’ Kearns says. ‘It’s a very simple shape, so that was our thinking’. While strictly a concept, Kearns says that if it makes production, the GT4 will be cheaper than the GT-86, which starts at £25k. The GT4 would run a modified version of the Genesis platform, he suggests. ‘We’ve got to make it lighter and smaller to capture the essence of this concept, but I think it’s do-able,’ Kearns says. Most of the car is production viable, apart from the stacked LED headlights, which are too low for most country's regulations, while the viability of the see-through A-pillars hasn’t been evaluated either. Yet it’s not a pipedream or crazy concept. ‘We always imagine it [a concept] on the street,’ says Kia president, Peter Schreyer, ‘and that’s the same with this car’. The Detroit reveal was the first time Kia’s board has seen the car, according to Schreyer. ‘We have not done any feasibility on it, but my gut feeling is there’s nothing about it that’s not possible.’ It’s expected that the GT4 Stinger will be in showrooms in 2016 if it’s given the green light for production.
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Fans of the 86 listen up. Rumour has it that Toyota is preparing a power boost for its popular 86 sports coupe. The Japanese brand has teased numerous concepts of its two-door cult car with upgraded engines, including a supercharged TRD version (above) built in the U.S.A and a twin-charged version (below) created by its in-house skunkworks Gazoo Racing. But those were designed to showcase the ability for aftermarket tuners and were not really suitable for mainstream production. Now, the Chief Engineer of the 86, Tetsuya Tada, has finally admitted that his team is developing a number of ways to increase performance of the showroom version - one of which will definitely make it to production when the 86 receives its mid-life upgrade in 2015. "I hope to make an engine upgrade at least one time with this car. We have already tried all possibilities and there are several types of 86 prototypes at the Toyota proving ground now; one is a turbocharger, one is bigger displacement and the other is a special hybrid system," said Tada. Tada did not divulge any further details, but inside sources claimed that the most likely option is an increase in displacement, bumping the 2.0-litre horizontally opposed engine up to a 2.5-litre and increasing power from 200bhp to around 260bhp. It is understood that this option would be the most cost-effective solution, which not only maintains the integrity of the lightweight concept but prevents placing additional stress on the drivetrain that a turbo charger would, or the complexity and weight penalty of a hybrid system. However, both alternatives are not being tested in vain, as they are likely to be introduced on the next generation 86. Either way, it is almost certain that the hybrid system Toyota is currently working on will make its way into the next generation 86. However, it is unlikely to be a conventional and heavy battery pack but rather a road-going development of the super capacitor system employed in its Le Mans sportscar racers, which are not only smaller and lighter but can store and deliver energy quicker for rapid bursts of acceleration. Come on Toyota! We certainly hope to see a more powerful 86.
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With the recent introduction of an open-top concept of the Toyota 86 at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, it seems that Toyota have been rather busy with their new model. And at the same time, they are considering to launch a top range version of the Toyota 86 that will be powered by a hybrid drivetrain. Tetsuya Tada, Toyota's chief engineer, has stated that designers at the Japanese auto firm have already begun work on the 86's mid-cycle facelift. The facelift model will receive some changes on the bodywork and on top of that, there will be a more powerful version of the car. It will use either a turbocharger, a supercharger or an effective hybrid powertrain that will squeeze every last horsepower out of the boxer engine. Tada also mentioned that a hybrid solution is highly possible and will bring benefits that forced induction devices do not. Additionally, he also stated on why the company did not release a more powerful version of the Toyota 86 and also a convertible model immediately after its launch. The management considered the 86 a huge risk and they needed proof that the sports coupe would hit sales target before they agree on a convertible and a powerful variant of the car. Since now they have that proof, the management can think of new ways to develop the car. If Toyota agrees on the hybrid solution, the petrol/electric powertrain will be considered a simple and inexpensive choice as they already have that technology. One of the things that they need to consider is the extra weight these hybrid powertrains pose.
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[extract] The
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For those of you who have been longing for a convertible version of the Toyota 86 coupe, your wait might be over soon. Toyota will be presenting the FT-86 Open Concept in March's Geneva Motor Show. For now, the Japanese carmaker has showed an official sketch of the concept which reveals a 2+2 seating layout. On the concept, Toyota says that it previews a possible future development of the award-winning GT86 sports coupe and its goal is to gauge the public's reaction to the idea of an open-top GT86. Toyota adds that the prototype version of the FT-86 is already undergoing testing. If public reaction is positive, a production model could be available in roughly a year
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Many love the Toyota 86 (or Scion FR-S in some markets) sports coupe. While numerous reviews of it stated that it is a fun car to drive but many were disappointed with the performance. People have been hoping for a forced induced variant but Toyota has been very clear about one thing about the car from the very beginning and that is there will be no forced induced version of the car. Instead, they are considering a more unique way of increasing power for the car and that is to introduce a hybrid system. Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of the Toyota 86, has said that the company is considering a hybrid system to boost power for the Toyota 86. Before anyone starts to ask whether the 86 is going to be a sporty looking Prius, the answer is no. It will not use the company's efficient Hybrid Synergy Drive system due to the 86's sporty image. Instead, the company is currently deciding on a new kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) for the car. The new system is heavily inspired by Toyota's TS030 Le Mans prototype. The TS030 (pictured below) is fitted with a KERS system that transfers captured braking energy to the rear wheels. Not much information was said but Tada did reveal that the system has been installed on a prototype 86 and will go through testing soon. He also mentioned that a hybrid system could set a high performance Toyota 86 as a sporty model and also as an environmentally responsible choice. Tada commented that 300bhp with a turbo and 200g/km of CO2 would be tasteless nowadays and if the company pursue such power without consideration to fuel consumption, then the market will not accept it. And also, a turbo will make the 86 lose its uniqueness.
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Just recently, Subaru revealed the Subaru BRZ STI at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. The car is said to be available for sale soon. And soon after that, the company announced that there are plans to release a turbocharged version of the car. While Toyota has released a TRD version of the 86 before this, the car only received aftermarket cosmetic parts such as a bodykit, suspension system and some TRD badges. Many were expecting a turbocharger or supercharger to be included as well. Just days after images of a Subaru BRZ wearing a huge GT wing and a STI bodykit was spotted at the Nurburgring, Toyota's in-house tuning division, TRD, has announced that they are looking into upgrades for the Scion FR-S (Toyota 86 in other markets). During the recent SEMA auto show, Scion showcased three modified examples of the Scion FR-S and a couple of them were supercharged. And it was at the same show where TRD representatives stated that they are considering a supercharger kit for the Scion FR-S. Toyota has previously offered supercharger kits for their sports or performance cars and even some of their trucks. And it comes as no surprise that a supercharger kit will be available for the Scion FR-S. The idea of a supercharger kit for the car is still very much in the planning stage and obviously no power figures were given. One of the advantages of having a TRD supercharger kit is that it offers a full factory warranty by the company and other aftermarket offerings do not often offer that. Since the Scion FR-S (including the Toyota 86) and the Subaru BRZ are practically identical, the supercharger kit should be able to be used for all three cars. Image credit: Net Car Show
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Just a few days ago, I stumbled on a Facebook page that would interest many car enthusiasts. Known as Hive, the pictures you see here are actually car posters. There are designed by a New Zealander guy who goes by the name of Joel Fletcher. Joel Fletcher (who I strongly believe is a graphic designer) uses his designing knowledge to create these rather incredible looking automotive posters. There is even a video on the page which shows how he makes them and he has mentioned that he uses the Adobe InDesign software. Some of his creations are grouped in one poster, for example the Porsche 911 history poster, and he also has designed several posters of historical race cars. My favourite is a poster of the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ which can be hung in both ways so that one car will appear like a mirror image. Fletcher
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While Borneo Motors have been retailing TRD performance parts for its Toyota range since June, Toyota will hold a premiere during the Paris motor show at the end of the month for the European release. TRD, an acronym for Toyota Racing Development, has been developing tuning parts for Toyota automobiles in Japan for more than 50 years, and soon will be available throughout Europe for the first time. In Paris, a GT86 (as its called there) fitted with select parts will highlight the exterior, interior and mechanical components that are available. The TRD parts will not be grouped into packages will be sold individually. On the outside, the TRD range spans a number of aero parts such as a front spoiler, side skirts, a rear trunk and under spoiler. They can be finished in either white and partial black, all black, or an unpainted, primer finish. Other available options are a metallic silver fuel filler cap, a stainless steel rear diffuser set and a choice of two, TRD 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, TRD offers a center console-mounted button ignition, and a leather trimmed gear knob. Performance upgrades includes full-length ride adjustment shock absorber and spring suspension set among others. Braking can also be improved with a Monoblock Brake Kit that
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From the land that brings us the Transformers cartoon series comes a new Japanese franchise with a similar concept. Called the Chō Soku Henkei Gyrozetter, the new franchise has licensed several Japanese hot performance vehicles such as the Toyota 86, Mazda RX-8, Nissan GT-R and Mitsubishi Evo. Created by Square Enix, the company behind the Final Fantasy video game franchise and Dragon Quest Series, Chō Soku Henkei Gyrozetter was first launched recently as an arcade game with an animated film version set to be released later this year. Will the new film be able to achieve the same success as the trend setter, Transformers? That reminds to be seen. Transformers has transcend generations and has moved from the TV box to the movie screen. That is an achievement that is hard to beat. Photo Credit: CarScoop
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Sales numbers for the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ has proven that the car is big hit with the consumers and it is not surprising that other automakers are taking notes about it. It is reported that Nissan is developing its own sports coupe to compete with Toyota and Subaru after been given the green light. This is not the first time Nissan has plans to develop a compact sports model. In 2008, Nissan was working on a 200SX/Silvia successor but the world economy at that time doesn't look too good and the idea was shelved. Now, a good question to ask is; how will the car look like? During last year's Shanghai Motor Show, Nissan unveiled a concept known as the Nissan Sport Compact Concept. It was rather small in size and it was dubbed the Nissan March on steroids. It gets a 1.6-litre turbocharged four cylinder engine that delivers 190bhp and a torque of 240Nm; most probably the same engine from the Nissan Juke. It is rumoured that the car will built on the Nissan Juke's platform and the project is known as the "Mini-Z" within the company. Since it is going to be built on the Juke's platform, the car could be either in front wheel drive or four wheel drive. If the same engine shown in the concept is chosen, then the car will have around 10 horsepower lesser than the 86/BRZ but with more torque. With Nissan planning to start production of the car in the fourth quarter of next year, expect to see a concept version of it by early next year. Photo credit: Auto Blog
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As most of you know, whenever a new car is launched into the local automotive market, sgCarMart writes a honest review about it, along with awesome photos to spice it up. Photoshoots can take a whole day with 3 to 4 of the team going around this little island, finding new locations to give our viewers amazing photos. For the Toyota 86, it wasn't an easy task making sure the photos portray exactly how amazing the car looks inside out. So before the actual review comes out on sgCarMart's articles page, we'd like to give you guys a sneak preview of this little red devil on the roads. Enjoy the pics ;)
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[extract] The Toyota 86 is one of the most anticipated sports cars that came out from Japan in the past few years. But as soon as it was released, many complained about the lack of power and wanted more out of it. It seems that these clamouring have not gone unnoticed because Toyota will display a much more powerful 86 at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Toyota will bring two special versions of the Toyota 86 at this year
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It's been several months since the production version of the Toyota 86 and the Subaru BRZ was first shown to the world. And as you read this, many countries would have already released these two models. Toyota was the first to unveil the car to the world late last year at the Fuji Speedway race track in Japan and Subaru soon followed suit with their BRZ. First started out as a concept (the FT-86) and now we get to see two versions of it (three if you were to count the Scion FR-S). But, who really owns the 86/BRZ? It is a rather difficult question to answer and it seems that both automakers have their answers or versions to it. An image of a slide (pictured below) stating the development phase of the car has been going around the internet recently; starting from the product planning stage up to the evaluation stage. This image is rumoured to be from Toyota Motor Corporation. The image shows that Fuji Heavy Industries
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"Cars from Toyota look boring." I am not surprised if you have heard something like this before as I have heard it many times. When Toyota stopped offering several sporty looking models roughly ten years ago, many people have mentioned that the Japanese automaker's cars after that look a little dull. "The company wants to improve its car design into its future models. Toyota already has good reliability in manufacturing cars but their design has been rather weak. Our cars are frequently characterised as 'appliances' and the automaker wants to turn that around," explained Kevin Hunter, President of Toyota's CALTY Design Studio. Hunter further explained that they will act more instinctively by listening to what consumers want but not only by listening to what they want as consumers do not know what they want in five years time. The company has to make some predictions on how the designs will be like. It was the sleek, aggressive and good looking Scion FR-S (Scion
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After the release of the Toyota 86 and rumours of a Supra successor set to be released in a few years time, there is no doubt that things are changing in the Japanese auto firm. Once known for releasing boring cars, now the company is back on track with a new sports model and it seems that we are going to see more sports orientated models from Toyota. Some of us may have already known about a Supra successor that is slated for a release roughly in 2015. Rumored reports have mentioned that the car will be based on the Gazoo Racing Sports Hybrid Concept. But, latest reports have stated that Toyota is planning on a three tier sports model line-up; with a new sports car sitting below the 86 and the Supra successor above it. Toyota
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[extract] Ever since the release of the Toyota variant for the Toyobaru sports car, the GT86, the company has been busy showing to the world what the latest model is capable of. Subaru recently unveiled the GT300 racing version of the BRZ cousin which will be fielded in the Japan SuperGT racing series. And now, it is Toyota
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[extract] Toyota
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The triplet siblings of the Toyota 86, Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S are the most anticipated Japanese sports cars in recent years. Why would I say that? Basically, Toyota has not offered a sports coupe model ever since the early 2000s and this has made JDM lovers more excited over it. Toyota has built desirable sport coupes since the 1960s, from the 2000GT to the Supra, and these cars are sought after by many enthusiasts all around the world. These enthusiasts love them not because of their performance but more on its simplicity and some would swear that these cars handle so sweetly. Enough talk about cars of the past and let us continue on what Toyota and Subaru has in store for the 86 and BRZ. Let
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[extract] The Toyota 86 was only released several months ago and the car received a lot of attention since it is Toyota
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The jointly developed new sports coupe (86, FR-S and BRZ) from Toyota and Subaru has yet to arrive in the showrooms around the world. But some tuners have made specially designed units of the abovementioned cars. And the car you see above is just one example of it. Scion unveiled this specially made car at the 2012 Detroit Motor Show and it is named as the Scion Racing Greddy FR-S race car. This car was built by team crews from Scion Racing and Greddy. Greddy is a performance parts company that has worked with Toyota previously and has been involved in racing for over twenty years. The car has been tuned to produce 600bhp. It will be used in the 2012 US Formula Drift season and it will be driven by professional drift race car driver, Ken Gushi. Toyota did not reveal much about the car except that it has been lowered, stripped-out and fitted with a huge GT wing spoiler and racing bodykit. Surprisingly, the exhaust appears to be missing from the car and some believed that it is still under development. It is also known that Greddy is developing a custom road legal exhaust system for the road going sports coupe. In other news, Toyota will start selling the 86 and FR-S by spring of 2012 and it will be the first car to offer a connected infotainment audio system called BeSpoke, powered by Pioneer's Zypr. Toyota is organising a program known as the First 86. This program will pick eighty-six lucky people to be the first owners of the FR-S. They will receive the cars even before the model goes on sale to the general public. Photo credit: GT Spirit
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As I write this article (27/12/11), there will be only a few days left to 2011. Many things have happened in the automotive industry in 2011. This is not a list of the best or worst of 2011 in the automotive industry but more like a recap of some of the incidents/news that took place in the automotive world in 2011. Japan earthquake and tsunami catastrophe The 9.0 magnitude earthquake that happened in Japan on 11 March 2011 caused extensive damage to a lot of things. Not only properties and infrastructures were damaged, a significant number of human lives were lost as well. It was further made worse by a tsunami which was triggered by the earthquake. Video footage and images of people running to save their lives were broadcast on the news and it was a painful moment for everyone in the country. The earthquake also damaged a nuclear power plant which emitted harmful levels of radiation after that. On the business side, many automakers suffered huge losses when the earthquake and tsunami destroyed their manufacturing plants and new cars. Several of them had to shutdown their manufacturing operations and it took them months to get back at the same level before the disasters occurred. Toyota
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[extract] Ever since the release of the Toyota 86, many rumours have surfaced which mentioned about Toyota
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Initially when the Subaru BRZ was released recently, Subaru announced that there will be no turbocharged version of their BRZ model. Many in the automotive world were left disappointed. Some felt that it would be a waste for Subaru not to release a powerful version of the car. Furthermore Subaru is known for their expertise in turbocharged engines and since the BRZ is using a boxer engine, that piece of news make it even more disappointing. Just before Subaru showed the BRZ to the world, they said that the car will have less than 300bhp. But eventually it was offered with the same engine and same power specifications as the 86. But latest reports have shown that Subaru will eventually release a turbocharged version of the BRZ. Subaru of America has announced that they are planning on building a turbo version of the boxer engine used in the BRZ in order to create a BRZ Turbo model. Subaru will work on the FA20 boxer engine which is being built at the Oizumi engine manufacturing plant, the same plant where Toyota
