Toyota 86 - Sporty but efficient?

[HyperCivic]

I just came across this new trailer.. Looks pretty sweet!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO7A9pHSfmI

I bet this car is the new "Mustang".. We'll be seeing it everywhere a year from now. No doubt there will be some new members joining trying to squeeze every drop out of theirs. I guess Toyota, Subaru and Scion are all coming out with variants of it.

Anyway, it looks and reads like a pretty nice automobile. It's sporty, but with a smaller, efficient engine, doesn't look like it will be sucking gas like the Mustang V6's and V8's.

I read that it's supposed to be in the low 30's EPA MPG. Which I think is outstanding for a car like this. We all know what a hypermiler can do with 30 EPA MPG.

It'll be interesting to see how this one turns out.

Cheers!

HyperC

[PaleMelanesian]

I've been watching this one for some time. I like it!

It's a lot smaller than a Mustang. It's more like Miata size, only with a hardtop. And a boxer engine mounted WAY down low. The horizontal pistons and crankshaft are level with the wheel hubs. It's more like the new 240Z.

It doesn't have a huge amount of power (200 hp), but it's lightweight, low center of gravity, rear wheel drive and set up for excellent handling.

Oh, and it's reasonably priced too.

The manual gear ratios are a bit disappointing. It runs about 2600 rpm @ 60 mph, with a 6-speed. Nothing a bit (or a lot! ) of P&G can't solve.

If I didn't have a family it would likely be my next car.

[Rackster]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

I've been watching this one for some time. I like it!

It's a lot smaller than a Mustang. It's more like Miata size, only with a hardtop. And a boxer engine mounted WAY down low. The horizontal pistons and crankshaft are level with the wheel hubs. It's more like the new 240Z.

It doesn't have a huge amount of power (200 hp), but it's lightweight, low center of gravity, rear wheel drive and set up for excellent handling.

Oh, and it's reasonably priced too.

The manual gear ratios are a bit disappointing. It runs about 2600 rpm @ 60 mph, with a 6-speed. Nothing a bit (or a lot! ) of P&G can't solve.

If I didn't have a family it would likely be my next car.

For what it's worth, my S2000 runs around 3400 rpm @ 60 mph. When doing a highway study last summer, I was able to get 33 mpgs with the top down (using cruise control). It will be interesting to see what I'll get this summer using DWL, DWB, and P&G. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see this Toyota pull some pretty high mpg numbers.

2 seats shorter than Mustang, but I suspect that my S2000 and the 86 would win the FE challenge.

[herm]

How much is a stripped V6 Mustang?.. 300 ponies at your disposal.

[EdwinTheMagnificent]

The Mustang could never handle like the Toyota/Subaru.
Never.

[PaleMelanesian]

A Mustang V6 weighs 3453 lb.
The BRZ / FR-S weighs 2734 lb.


http://www.insideline.com/subaru/brz...and-video.html
.92g, 69 mph slalom

That's right beside last year's BMW 335i (which is better handling than the new one). It's just a tick slower than the new Porsche Carrera S which is the best non-special-edition Porsche has ever made.

[HyperCivic]

Alls I meant with the Mustang reference was that I expect that the various Toyota 86 variants are going to be about as common as the new Mustang is (or, was, when we first started seeing them a few years back).

I'd love to have the Subbie version. The mustang would handle like a horse carriage compared to the the BRZ.

[HyperCivic]

Haha, and I'm SURE a year from now we'll already be seeing YouTube videos of these things with 800 rwhp running 10 second quarter miles!

[PaleMelanesian]

Meh on the hp and quarter mile.

BMW / Porsche handling for under 25 grand. And that's with the stock LRR tires.

[herm]

I wish the new 86 had been just below $20k with AC and a stick.. Is the V6 Mustang faster 0-60?