One of the big holes in Toyota’s current model line-up is an affordable sports car. While Toyota’s Supra, MR2 and Celica have earned their places in car enthusiasts’ hearts, none of these models are still being produced. At the 2009 Tokyo Motor show, it was Toyota’s President, Akio Toyoda, who candidly expressed his feelings about his company’s sports car drought: “…the fact that none of the cars is [sic] still being produced, makes me, a serious car fan, really sad.”
Only moments later, Mr Toyoda revealed the FT-86 concept, a compact, rear-drive sports coupe with an expected price tag of around $40,000. While details are scant, the FT-86 will feature a lightweight body, 2.0 litre boxer engine and seat 4 people.
Sadly, the FT-86 is still under development and about a year and a half away from appearing in Aussie showrooms. However, you’ll be able to test drive one long before it’s due in Sony’s upcoming car-sim smorgasbord – Gran Turismo 5.
While GT5’s launch date has been pushed back to March 2010, check out this video (video opens in a new window) for a sneak peek at the FT-86 concept in the upcoming game.
