As you might expect, Toyota’s stand this year consists of a series of rather dull cars. We’ve got Avensises (Avensi?), Aurises (Auri?) and Priuses (er... Prii?) by the dozen. So far, so white-goods.
Concept tag means testing the water
Fortunately, there’s a selection of
GT86
s also here. Jolly good, but the most interesting thing on Toyota’s stand is lurking among them - the
FT-86 Open
, soon to be the upcoming convertible version of the GT86.
OK, so Toyota’s still officially calling it a concept, but with the probable exception of some of the interior trim finishes, you can put money on the real thing looking almost identical. Which is good, because it’s rather a pretty thing. It’s also rather unusual at this price point in being a 2+2, and Toyota’s stayed true to the GT86’s ‘less is more’ ethos by keeping the roof fabric. Under the skin, you’ll find the same 2.0-litre boxer engine that comes in the coupe, so you can expect similar performance to the hardtop – 0-62mph in around seven-and-a-half, then, and a top speed of 140mph or thereabouts. Assuming they haven’t shed any stiffness in the conversion from coupe to cabrio – and assuming the price isn’t as high as some outlets have been suggesting – the combination of GT86 thrills and top-down kicks could prove hard to resist.
