We’ve already seen and gone over all the juicy bits of the near-production Toyota FT-86 II sports coupé, but the Japanese automaker’s social media crew went over to the firm’s European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, for a new photo shoot last week, offering us a fresh batch of pictures.

The second iteration of the FT-86 study made its first public outing at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month. Its main purpose is to preview actual production model that will go on sale in late 2012. The well-received styling of the original concept model evolved gaining new front and rear ends, more pronounced surfaces and a host of other fresh details, with Toyota claiming that the design changes were made for safety regulations as well as for practical reasons.

The new rear drive coupé is being developed in cooperation with Subaru that will present its own version in the near future. Both cars will share the same underpinnings and mechanical hardware including the 2.0-litRE boxer engine and 6-speed transmission.

Toyota says the sports coupé will stand out for its light weight and low centre of gravity, offering an “optimum power-to-weight ratio”. More details are expected to be released later this year.

via CarScoop

Toyota has revealed details and images of the exciting new Toyota FT-86 II Concept which has just been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. This is the second version of the highly-anticipated Toyota FT-86 sports coupe that has been in the making now since 2009.

The main difference between this second version and the first is the styling. It features a more complete bodykit with an aggressive new front end. It is also seen as the final stage of development towards the production version, which will enter the European market in 2012 – as announced by Toyota Motors.

Toyota says the FT-86 II is 4 235mm long, 1 795 mm wide and 1 270 mm high, with a 2 570 mm wheelbase. As per usual FT-86, the Toyota sports coupe showcases a long bonnet and swept-back cabin design, inspired by the original Toyota 2000GT of the Sixties.

It still features a Subaru-developed four-cylinder boxer engine as the original FT-86 Concept, and will retain a strict rear-wheel drive layout. Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, said upon the FT-86 II announcement, “When the Toyota 2000 GT was built I was 11 years old – and I loved it. I said: ‘I want to drive something like this when I grow up.’ My dream came true when I drove a 2000 GT in a vintage car rally. That was a really great experience. I want young people to feel those same desires when they see a new Toyota sports car. I want to transfer the thrill of the race track to our vehicles, and make driving fun and exciting for our customers.”

Official engine specifications are yet to be announced for the production version, but Toyota promises it will offer a ‘free-revving’ small capacity boxer engine, matched to a six-speed manual transmission.

The Toyota FT-86 II Concept proves Toyota is working rather hard at providing a true sports car to the market in the near future. This later version, which looks even better than the original FT-86, is also said to best represent the eventual production model in terms of styling and proportions.

Adapted from CarAdvice

As the saying goes ‘good food takes time’, implying the end product is worth waiting for, which is fine, up to a point. At some stage though your stomach and its primal instinct to fill itself will get the better of you, at which point you may grudgingly decide to search elsewhere for satisfaction, knowing that you’re likely to be sacrificing a great meal for an okay one. Which brings us to Toyota and its FT-86 sportscar concept.

According to sources in Japan, the Toyota FT86’s release date is set to be postponed a further 2 years with the goal posts being moved from 2011 to 2013, with Toyota sighting two reasons for the delay.

Firstly, the design is going to be amended once again, indicating a fresh source of frustration for fans of the car the world over. Toyota appear to have gone to lengths to reiterate that the concept shown at the 2010 Tokyo Motor Show was only that, a prototype, and they have left the door open for further changes to its shape.

Secondly, according to information from the newly formed TMJ group (Toyota Marketing Japan), fears exist that the release date for 2011 may be premature – with a global economic slowdown effecting sales and with expectations that the sports car market is going to take longer to recover.

With the car expected to be displayed again at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011, Toyota are also said to be taking a hard look at the success of Honda’s CR-Z, with its hybrid engine the main focus, and this may end up influencing the development of the FT-86.

At this stage many things about the development of this car are uncertain and this can’t be helping the confidence of those ‘hungry’ to get their hands on the car when it does eventually go on sale.