Toyota has taken the wraps off a racier concept version of its FT-86 rear-drive coupe, featuring a turbocharged flat-four 2.0 engine and aggressive styling tweaks.
The FT-86 G Sports Concept is currently wowing the crowds at the Tokyo Auto Salon where, in spite of a lack of any official confirmation, it is doing a great job of fanning speculation that the 'cooking' version of the FT-86 due in showrooms in 2011 will be joined by a harder-edged performance version.
Official statements on the FT-86 G Sports Concept are limited to the news that it's got a turbocharged 2.0 Subaru boxer engine, a six-speed manual gearbox and retains the earlier concept car's rear wheel drive. (Subaru itself is supposedly working on a 4x4 derivative of the joint venture project nicknamed the Toyobaru, but we've yet to see any hard evidence.)
There is no performance data for the new Toyota concept, but the same Subaru engine is offered with up to 320 PS in the Impreza in Japan, which is a promising start.
Aside from its power upgrade, the G Sports Concept rides 30mm lower than the version we've seen before, and runs on Bridgestone Potenza racing slicks.
Key visual differences include a larger front air intake, more pronounced brake cooling ducts and revised sills, while the rear gets a big bootlid-mounted spoiler, twin exhausts and enlarged diffuser set-up.
New wheels, a matt black bonnet and racy graphics complete the picture.