Ballooning development costs will result in a more expensive Toyota FT-86 when it arrives late next year, according to an insider close to Toyota.
When the concept was unveiled at last year’s Tokyo motor show, a Toyota engineer said that the company was aiming for an entry-level price in Japan of around £13,000.
See pictures of the Toyota FT-86
But the R&D team is now more focused on minimising fuel consumption and producing the cleanest engine possible; the Subaru boxer engine planned for the car is not considered to be that clean or fuel-efficient. That could force the Japanese price up to around £15,000, with the range-topper costing £17,000.
The hike in the cost moves the FT-86 further away from the original concept of a cheap, entry-level sports car and will no doubt be a disappointment to the people within Toyota who fought hard to get the project approved by bosses.
The car is also likely to be marketed to older buyers than originally planned, too. The head of Toyota’s newly created sports vehicle department, Tetsuya Tada, told Autocar that his team had increased the target age group by 10 years, from the 30s to 40s, after market research revealed that fewer younger buyers would opt for the sleek coupé than first thought.
Peter Lyon
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Re: Toyota ups price of the FT-86
honestly this is annoying..
here we go again:
"according to an insider close to Toyota"
"price expected"
"was aiming for an entry-level price"
"team is now more focused"
"planned for the car is not considered"
"could force the Japanese price up to.."
"car is also likely to be marketed"
except for the last sentence, but I doubt Tetsuya would ever speak to Autocar on his own..
please bring facts not rumorhills..
Re: Toyota ups price of the FT-86
Ouch, the aforementioned Fiat 500 1.2 Pop is the equivalent of £14k in Japan. Surely that still makes this a bargain.
Re: Toyota ups price of the FT-86
I don't see what the differences would be when aiming a coupe at 40 year olds as opposed to 30's. Are they going to make provision for a Stanna stairlift and provide a handy tray for Wethers Originals or something?
At 56 I probably won't be adding to the four Sevens I've had in the past, but I might consider another Elise (if they stop adding weight) to replace my Boxster S if interest rates don't improve a little.
I might also be interested in the original concept Toyota as I get older, but not if they turn it into some kind of sleek people carrier with multiple cupholder content being considered more important than resistance to brake fade and keen turn-in.
We seem doomed to a future of boring power trains, so let's at least make the rest of the car fun.