Toyota continues to partner with Subaru on a number of projects, including EVs. However, the next generation of the iconic GR86 sports car will likely not be developed with Subaru and there might not be a BRZ twin brother.
A new report out of Japan clearly states that the next-gen GR86 will arrive in 2028. It will not be powered by the familiar boxer 4-cylinder engine and will instead feature a hybrid 3-cylinder turbo. Not only that, but the platform will have to be new.
This report comes from the website Mag-X, and it lines up with a previous story from Best Car Web which came out in October 2022. However, there are areas where the stories are different.
What engine the next GR86 will use
Best Car claimed that the GR86 will arrive three years sooner and would use a 1.6-liter 3-cylinder turbo, like the GR Corolla, powering a modified Lexus IS platform. However, Mag-X claims the 2028 GR86 would use a slightly smaller 1.4-liter 3-cylinder turbo with an electric motor and would need an all-new platform.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean the stories are false or contradict each other. The new platform could just be based on the one from the Lexus IS, which makes sense considering the architecture will be obsolete or discontinued by 2028, when the IS will be electric. And as for the engine, the 1.4-liter could be derived from the 1.6-liter, maybe having a shorter stroke.
As far as we know, Toyota has never offered a 1.4-liter 3-cylinder. An engine with a short stroke is called “over square” and usually produces its peak power relatively higher up the rev range. All signs indicate the GR86 will also have an electric motor between the 1.4L turbo and the gearbox, like the latest Toyota model. But that could mean no manual gearbox.
Believe it or not, Toyota has already built the 1.4 turbo, which it used to compete in the 2022 Super Taikyu Series. And it uses carbon-neutral synthetic fuel, which ties in with the next-gen Supra story. The Subaru BRZ also races in Taikyu with a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter BRZ.
Mag-X claims the old GR86 platform, itself quite similar to the original 86, can’t support the turbocharged engine. It would need costly modifications to the firewall to meet crash safety regulations.
Why Subaru is leaving the BRZ behind
The development of this sports coupe began way back in 2008 as a collaboration between the two companies. Subaru reportedly handled most of the engineering work, the testing, and even the engine. However, it can be argued that the Toyota version is more famous.
It all hinged on one man, Tetsuya Tada, who took control of the 86 project from the start. He’s seen as a hero of the sports car world and was also responsible for the Supra. But according to Mag-X, Tada retired in 2021, “and there was no one left who could be in direct contact with Subaru to develop products closer to Toyota’s ideals.”
In the past decade, sports cars like the Supra and 86 have completely transformed Toyota’s image. However, the same cannot be said about the BRZ and Subaru. The company is known more for its permanent AWD system and rugged crossovers. Despite this, Subaru is reportedly keen on assembling the next GR86 for Toyota at its Gunma factory.
