Subaru Toyota FT-86 to use 195kW STI engine

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By Brett Davis | August 10th, 2010

More information on the upcoming Toyota and Subaru FT-86 joint-project has been circulating this week, including some details on the Subaru version of the car. A recent Autocar report has confirmed Subaru will use a more powerful engine in its version that could see an extra 45kW on top of the Toyota counterpart.

Subaru is said to be planning an ‘STI’ version of the coupe, but, more importantly, Subaru is not planning on combining its all-wheel drive symmetry to the car. Although an all-wheel drive platform would provide more safety and, possibly, faster acceleration and lap times, an all-wheel drive version is said to be too similar to the Impreza WRX STI, rending the concept redundant. Besides, Toyota is aiming to stick with rear-drive heritage here, if Subaru were to add a front differential it could disturb the entire dynamics of the car.

Reports also say an all-wheel drive version would hinder the concept’s weight and increase costs. The project is still said to be desperately aiming at the $50,000-$60,000 market. With the Subaru version expected to be slightly more expensive, Toyota prices should be around $45,000.

More information about the car’s platform has been revealed as well. The car is said to use a Liberty chassis with Impreza rear suspension. No word yet as to what the Subaru variant will be called.

Unfortunately there’s still no confirmation on a definite release date at this stage. More delays are expected too, as Toyota works on improving the fuel efficiency of the Subaru engine.

Overall though, this is a very exciting package. There aren’t many cars around today that showcase the same foundations – medium-sized, manual, rear-drive coupe; only the BMW 3 Series and 1 Series, Mazda RX-8 and Nissan 370Z exist in the segment, apart from European exotica.

http://www.facebook.com/mraedge Anthony Edge

At that price point, the Subaru version will have to be very good if it wants to take sales away from the 370Z (even 2nd hand ones).
F1 Addict

Is this thing RWD or FWD?

http://caradvice.com.au Brett Davis

Fixed, just for you mate
It’s rear-drive. First rear-drive Subaru ever, I believe?

Carl

Actually the Subaru 360 of the 1960′s was RWD

Crossy

Best looking Subaru I’ve seen for a long time

timmy201

They have dropped the current design lanuage so it wont look anything like this..

Jonathan

It won’t compare with the 3-series coupe as that’s quite expensive. It will however compare very well with a manual 125i coupe – about the same size, power and price.
UMWHAT

Not really feeling the Toyota one’s looks…. looks sort of like a longer 370z

Subaru version looks decent but I doubt thats the final design

have these designs been confirmed that they’ll make it to production?
KinFungl

PLEASE!!!!!!! Give me the Subaru engine and the Toyota body!!! I hope the CGI is not real… What wrong with the design team @ Subaru!!!
Whitbomb07

“There aren’t many cars around today that showcase the same foundations – medium-sized, manual, rear-drive coupe; only the BMW 3 Series and 1 Series, Mazda RX-8 and Nissan 370Z exist in the segment, apart from European exotica.”

How about it’s true competitor? The Genesis Coupe? Or is it not considered med size?

Regards

Whitbomb07

Shak

Well ,its one of those cars that straddles the med-large segments so its hard to classify. But i think the writer was referring to competitors that we can actually purchase.

Alex

Has Toyota provided any input at all to this project?

Subaru Chassis, Subaru Engine, Subaru Suspension…

FTSII

Toyota partly owns Subaru so they share some of the technology in their vehicles. Just because it says Subaru chassis and all doesn’t mean it wasn’t developed with Toyota input.

RK

Is it a 2-seater or does it have a backseat?

I suspect Toyota are getting a better deal out of this than Subaru. A 45k RWD coupe hits a nice point in the market where it undercuts other RWD coupes and the Golf R, compares on price to an MX-5, and has RWD and styling to differentiate itself from hot hatches in that price range. 60k has to deal with benchmarks against every hot hatch (including AWD contenders like the Golf R), and edging a lot closer to Evo/WRX STi/370Z territory.
http://Audi Robj

Toyota input = bland design and electric motors..ha

Toxic_Horse

You call that bland !

TomJ

While other car companies are giving us exciting cars now, as with Toyota as always, all you can maybe hope for is one model in the distant future. And with the Toyota version being a planned NA 4 cylinder engine, i can’t see it being more than ‘mild’.

http://www.thethrillofdriving.blogspot.com MaK

Oh really?

You dont see a high-reving VVTL-i engine going into this?

The only other car company that I think can (well could) do it better was Honda.

Simon

I agree. It’s all about low weight and high RPM power with a slick close-ratio box and bulletproof dynamics.

http://www.thethrillofdriving.blogspot.com MaK

STI engine is 220kw. Not 195

That’s WRX
Al Juraj

50-60K is a big ask for something that produces less power than an Aurion. It’s essentially a WRX that’s less hideous, minus a couple of doors and two driven wheels. Performance should be at 335i levels for this price.

Damian

“50-60K is a big ask for something that produces less power than an Aurion. It’s essentially a WRX that’s less hideous, minus a couple of doors and two driven wheels. Performance should be at 335i levels for this price.”

That’s an invalid line of argument, considering the success of the Lotus Evora, which has the same 3.5L V6 as the Aurion.
My Cars Called T-Rex

I dare say that it wont be to far from 335i performance levels.

The Realist

335i with DCT is 0-100 in 5.3 seconds…

My Cars Called T-Rex

335i kerb weight = 1550kg the FT86 is a lite weight car that could be up 300kg less in weight.(we don’t know we must wait and see)If it is around 1250kg it would be as quick as the BMW and probobly faster around a track.