Looking to bring some competition to the Mazda MX-5, Toyota is in the final prototyping phase for a model slotted underneath the GT86.
The sub-86 — dubbed 69DZ — is said to be powered by a 1.5-liter direct-injection I4 pushing 130 horses to the back via Aisin six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, and will weigh in at 2,160 lbs., Motoring.com.au reports. A source close to the matter says the car’s designers “have a final prototype that could very well go into production as is,” styled after the Toyota 800 from the 1960s.
Said styling was recently brought over to the limited-edition GT86 Cb Style, including the rounded headlights and grill, with the intent for the smaller model to be a baby brother to the Cb.
Seating is set for a 2+2 configuration, though the rear seats will likely be used to secure shopping purchases over small children. Flared wheel arches and a hood with a so-called “lump” — meant to accommodate both the I4 and 3.5-inch pedestrian-impact absorption zone — will also be onboard.
The 69DZ is set to go on sale in early 2018, with a base starting price equal to the base for the Corolla. Whether it will be a Scion — let alone sold in the United States — is yet to be determined.
[Photo credit: Toyota]
This might be the old skunkworks Aygo-derived car Toyota was playing with a few years ago.
The question is: why? Given that the sales numbers for the FR-S are disappointing, why would they build a smaller one? Was the number one FR-S customer complaint that it was too big?
Akio Toyoda’s plan has been to build three sports cars, with the 86 occupying the middle slot. Part of the motivation is to get Toyota as a company to rediscover its performance roots.
It would appear that he is concerned about the company becoming too complacent and vanilla to remain competitive. He may be missing that the market has changed and is not that interested.
Ironic that he would probably fall right in with TTAC’s “appliance” haters. And be just as wrong.
Now that Toyota has become a major player, it will naturally have to continue to appeal to a much broader range of people if it is going to stay that large. Call that appliance or whatever, but targeting its smaller audience of forty years ago won’t work today.
That size may be the problem. Niche companies can and should do things differently from large ones. All of the sports car sales will seem to be a disappointment when compared to the high volume cars in the lineup, which will motivate internal opposition to such programs because the numbers are low. The numbers would look pretty good if the company was small, but it isn’t, so they don’t.
Akio appears to be a legit gearhead. And seems to be using his power to find ways to build as many as he can, market imperatives be damned.
So think of the appliances as subsidizing his sports car fetish, as that seems to be his approach to the whole thing. Or, if you’re a Toyota shareholder, think of it as a horrible abuse of power by a non-business oriented CEO who stole the position through nepotism.
Under powered is the loudest complaint I’ve heard.
My first guess too.
If it’s anything like the 86, it’ll be a pretty awesome little car. However, the internet will go nuts for it but nobody will buy it.
Maybe not if it’s priced econobox +10%.
Let’s just hope it’s not the Paseo v.2.
The front got the little mouse treatment, but they left the back as regular GT86, and it’s incongruent.
https://ichitaka05.wordpress.com/tag/gt86/
If the entry price is the same as that of a base Corolla, I suspect there may a reasonable amount of interest and sales. All of a sudden, this is a reasonable second car.
2018 is a loooooonngggg waaaayyyysssss awwaaaayyyyyyyy.
I feel like the media segments of car companies just create bites like this to keep their names in the news. This thing makes no business sense.
Looks like a cheap Porsche.
“Looking to bring some competition to the Mazda MX-5, Toyota is in the final prototyping phase for a model slotted underneath the GT86.”
Why, oh why? It isn’t like the GT86 is setting the world on fire…
I could see it making sense in Asian countries. It makes little to no sense in the U.S. as configured though. The frs is too small for most American buyers who tend to jack of all trades types of cars.
An FRS based sedan, though, could sell in the U.S. Keep it low and sleek, lengthen the wheelbase 3″, keep the weight under 3000lbs, stuff the turbo 2.0T in there and you have a car without a single non-luxury competitor.
True, but IMHO any carmaker willing to do this should be encouraged!
Isn’t a big part of the Miata’s draw the convertible top? There are other sporty small cars available, but nothing with the Miata recipe.
If you want to compete, make a Miata in slightly larger size to fit American adults and be easier for older folks to get in and out. This seems obvious to me, but I don’t know what I don’t know.
It’s been tried — Pontiac Solstice / Saturn Sky.
No, it failed the recipe on several fronts. It was a nice try though. When has GM ever really made a car with great feel and high quality?
The Pontiac Solstice, with one exception, did outsell the Miata every full calender year it was on sell. GM didn’t screw it up so much as to not allow that to happen.
Ford doesn’t have any trouble selling droptop Mustangs, that’d be my guess for where the “bigger than a Miata” crowd goes.
That’s true, but there is room in between if you really want to go after the MX5.
The Chevy Trax/Buick Encore are slightly larger than a Miata and accomodate ease of entry/exit for old people. I don’t know if they’re selling more of those than Miatas, but I know which one I’d rather drive.
Yet in no way are they a “slightly larger Miata”.
That’s my point. Expecting a Miata-like drive from something that’s like “… a Miata in slightly larger size to fit American adults and be easier for older folks to get in and out” is irrational.
Nonsense. You could make a bigger car without even making it heavier (though that would be more expensive). The idea that the next step up is to make a CUV is what’s irrational. Whats your real point,mor are you just trolling?
You’re right. You don’t know what you don’t know.
Absolutely. I am glad we agree.
They should just make a drop top version of the GT86 with a turbo in it. The GT86 is already a niche vehicle, so is Toyota really going to make a sub-niche? As someone else said above: are people really complaining that the 86 is too big? I don’t think so… the complaint is the power.
Likely a better idea than this.
Competition for the MX-5 from a smaller cheaper FR-S? I don’t think so, seeing as all variants of the MX-5 are priced higher than the FR-S, at least in Canada.
I don’t get it either. I think the GT and the MX are close enough in size to compete. Making the GT smaller would only make for a less appealing and cheaper car?
Plus if they don’t make it RWD this will be a no-go.
AND, if it’s got retro styling like the thing above, it MUST wear a Toyota badge. Scion cannot carry retro roadster.
To me, this looks more like a competitor for the Hyundai Veloster than the MX-5. Considering what’s going on in the marketplace, I wouldn’t expect to see this car in the U. S..
The only way I see this coming to the US is if they kill the FR-S at the same time. Then, in theory, there’s this thing at the low end and the FT1/Supra at the high end. The FR-S in the middle basically just gets squeezed out
“Seating is set for a 2+2 configuration, though the rear seats will likely be used to secure shopping purchases over small children.”
I think I’d rather like having an “inside trunk” with stowing solutions instead of pretending to be seats. No seat belts, no butt/back contouring–just a good shelf, bag clips, & such.
Nice weight. Drop the 2+2 and make it smaller.
The FR-S already has little enough back seat that your dog would have trouble climbing in there.
The 2+2 sports car that did a great job of rear seating was the RX-8. An adult could ride in there for a while (not on a long trip) without suffering. I was hoping the FR-S was going to have space like that. Then I might have bought one.
My friend owns a dealership and I was first in line for the FRS but when I sat in the back seat, I new it wouldn’t work for my kids and walked away. So they should have either dropped the “+2” and made the car smaller, lighter, and more dynamic, OR made the back seat actually useable.
No competition to the Miata…. the top is too hard.
T-tops and a removable liftback.
The Miata Forums are full of owners clamoring for a coupe. Guess we’ll see if they are serious.
Oooooo….2018.
We get to look forward to three years of pure marketing hype followed by bitter disappointment in the package and the pricing.
*golf clap*
Cars can be successful without selling in the USA. This car looks unsuitable for the wide open spaces but I can see it being a hit in Europe and Japan.. Remember the Capuccino?
Appears to be the new Celica. One of my daughters had a couple of different ones and one of my sons had one. They loved ’em. They were cheap to own and operate and just the right size for young adults. Handling was pretty decent also. There might still be a market for them if done right. Toyota, however, should put more time in engines for this type car – all three Celica’s the kids owned died from blown head gaskets.
So the FT86 isn’t selling that well, so let’s make a car with less power, and sell it for the price of a Corolla, but with less practicality. And make it sporty like a Miata but without the top-down experience. Give the pointless thing to Scion so they have one more model to wish they could sell.
Toyota reports JPY 1.823 trillion = USD $15 billion profits for fiscal year 2014.
I approve that they would play on the margins with their petty cash. They could afford to put this in production and then give them away for free.