The car that has been dubbed the ‘Toyobaru’ has been revealed for the first time. Toyota’s new FT-86 concept will appear at this month’s Tokyo motor show as the first half of a joint-venture rear-wheel-drive sports car with Subaru.

The affordable compact coupe will go on sale in late 2011 with a Toyota badge, followed by the Subaru version that should get its own styling. Toyota has designed the FT-86 that is both short (4160mm) and low (1260mm) and borrows styling cues from the company’s FT-HS concept. Blacked-out A-pillars create a sporty wrap-around windscreen.

Toyota says the FT-86 is a five-seater and which based on a shortened version of the Impreza small car platform also modified from all-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive. Subaru’s 2.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-four ‘boxer’ engine will add to the coupe’s low centre of gravity that will aid handling. It will be mated to a six-speed manual.

The FT-86 will be a much-needed model for Toyota, a brand that has been searching for an image boost after discontinuing its most exciting products in recent years – the Supra, MR2 and Celica.

This article also can be found at www.fastmotoring.com