LOS ANGELES: The former Scion FR-S will debut as the Toyota 86 at the New York International Auto Show with interior and exterior changes, as well as suspension and powertrain upgrades. The face lifted Toyota 86 will go on sale at all Toyota dealerships this fall.
In addition to the Toyota 86 name change, two other Scion vehicles will have new designations for 2017. The Toyota Corolla iM and Toyota Yaris iA will join Toyota’s small car line-up.
For its move to Toyota, the 86 sports car adopts more aggressive styling with a larger center intake emphasizing the low, wide stance of the car. The front of the car has a new design with re-configured LED front headlamps and turn signals, and revised bumper. The rear now sports LED tail lamps and a new bumper design. The alloy wheels feature a twisted spoke design and 86 logos have been incorporated into a badge on the front fender, as well as inside the front headlamps.
The interior also features the 86 logo on the new “Grandlux” material used on the instrument panel surround. The same material adds a new, soft feel to the door trim. Drivers also will enjoy new seating material with silver stitching and a sporty steering wheel with integrated audio controls and an 86 logo on the center hub.
Enhanced control and agile performance are achieved through revised shock tuning and a spring rate change. On the manual version of the car, additional performance comes from a gear ratio change and a torque increase to 212Nm, as well as a five-horsepower increase to 205hp. Hill Start Assist Control helps prevent the car from rolling back on steep hills.
The new Toyota 86 also will be featured in Formula Drift with racers Ken Gushi and Ryan Tuerck.
“When we announced the transition of the Scion models to Toyota we hadn’t planned on changing the names of our cars, but by popular demand, for our sports car, we decided to adopt the global name of 86,” said Toyota Division Group Vice President, Bill Fay.
“Enthusiasts have a strong association with the front-engine, rear-drive heritage of the ‘hachi-roku’ and the dynamic performance it offers.”
The C-HR Concept.
Joining the Toyota 86 on the show floor will be the Toyota C-HR Concept. The US production version of the C-HR will be shown later this year and the vehicle will go on sale in spring 2017.
The C-HR Concept is named for its compact size and high ride height. With four doors and a hatch for supreme functionality, it’s pitched as the vehicle for “yuccies,” the young urban creatives who inspired the design.
Underneath the design of the C-HR is a platform featuring Toyota’s New Global Architecture (TNGA). TNGA is an integrated approach to developing new platforms and powertrains for Toyota. It creates a lower centre of gravity, increased body rigidity, more responsive handling and improved ride comfort.
More information about the technical specifications for the C-HR will be available when the production version debuts later this year.
Keyword: Scion FR-S transitions into facelifted Toyota 86