Toyota’s GT86 sports car will continue into the second generation and go on sales by 2018-19, the Japanese carmaker has confirmed.
Karl Schlicht, Toyota’s Europe boss, revealed, “The GT86 is at the stage where it’s being decided on the next one. Then a chief engineer will be assigned and away we go.”
“The GT86 will carry on. The car serves a big purpose. We are not getting out of that business. Sporty cars go through their phases. It’s our intention to continue with that car,” he added.
The 198hp rear-wheel-drive GT86 has carved out a niche as a fun driver’s car, but like most sports models, its strong early sales have subsequently subsided. Continued cooperation with Subaru also looks likely but is as yet unconfirmed.
“Will it be with Subaru?” said Schlicht. “I don’t know. But for the concept to carry on, with the low engine, we’d have to do that. There are a lot of reasons to continue with Subaru.”
A key engineering feature of the GT86 is its low-slung Subaru flat four engine, which keeps the centre of gravity low for better handling. Schlicht also suggested that a soft-top version of the GT86 was unlikely.
“We wouldn’t do it on the current model. That doesn’t mean dealers wouldn’t like one, but there are so many other priorities that I don’t think we’ve got spare capacity for that,” he said.
The new GT86 will sit below the reborn Supra in Toyota’s sports car line-up. The bigger coupé is currently in development with BMW, whose version will replace the Z4 roadster.
“That cooperation is going well. It’s on track. It’s being done in Europe. Our version is a different car from BMW’s,” summed up Schlicht.