Toyota has changed its mind about the GR 86. Instead of developing another affordable sports coupe with Subaru, it will develop the new 86 on its own. And it won’t be a sports coupe with a boxer engine. Instead, the 86 will change into a hybrid sports 4-door with a 1.6-liter turbo engine under its hood, available as either a liftback sedan or even a wagon.
You might think this is a bad move for Toyota, which will upset fans, but it’s actually genius. Many of the buyers who first bought the Scion FRS or the GT86 now have families. In addition, it’s actually a return to the original formula of the car.
The 86 was a tribute to the AE86, built from 1983 until 1985 and made famous by Initial D. Buth both the Levin and the Trueno versions were essentially part of the fifth-generation Corolla family. And back then, a 2-door car wasn’t necessarily considered a coupe.
They made a concept in 2016
In any case, all this new information is coming from the Japanese scoop website Best Car Web, which has a proven track record, especially when it comes to future Toyotas. They’re saying the new GR86 could finally adopt the shooting brake body style they once developed as a prototype (in 2016), but not as a 2-door.
The new car is being developed internally without Subaru, which means the BRZ will be discontinued in a few years. Also, they’re going to use a brand-new chassis, which is shared with the Lexus IS. This has been rumored before, but now it makes perfect sense why they’re using a much longer platform. It also ties in with the next-gen Lexus IS being available as a wagon again for the first time since 2005.
Another reason why the 86 is going 4-door is that Toyota simply has too many sports cars. In addition to the new Supra, the company is also working on an MR2 which will be the last non-hybrid sports car they will ever develop. And there’s also the rumor of the Celica returning as an EV.
The 2026 GR86 would be powered by a much more powerful engine than the current generation. It’s the same 1.6-liter turbo found in the GR Corolla, but rotated into a longitudinal position and fitted with an electric motor. So they’re basically putting i-Force Max technology with the e-motor potentially producing 50 hp and about 180 lb-ft of torque. Total system output should be in the 320-350 hp region.
Toyota is great at making hybrids, and the GR86 won’t have a CVT like a Prius. Instead, this hybrid sports wagon will be available with an old-fashioned 6-speed manual. We believe there’s also an 8-speed auto version which would be shared with Lexus.
