The Toyota FT-86 concept will be a production reality by 2012, arriving in the UK with a target price of less than £20,000 for the entry level model.
To find out more about the car, which rumours suggest will be formally confirmed for production at the upcoming Geneva motor show, Autocar sent Steve Sutcliffe to meet its designer, Jaromir Cech.
What was the design brief for the car?
The first ideas we had came after some feedback we got from the engineering people. They told us they’d been testing this car, and that it drove just like a go-kart on the track. And so we thought, ‘Well, we need to make a car that looks like it drives like a go-kart.’
So when did you first start designing it?
A little over two years ago, since when the idea has been refined, obviously, but still with those same themes at the centre: driver focus, purity of form and functional beauty.
Were there any influences apart from the original rear-drive Corolla?
The Corolla represents a lot of the FT’s basic design influence, but really there are a number of cars that we looked at, from the Supra to the original MR2.
You were primarily responsible for the interior; which bits are you most proud of, and which aspect do you think will make it into production?
I’m proud of the interior. It’s deliberately extremely driver-orientated and contains quite a few fresh ideas, especially within the modular dash design.
I’m not sure whether the zips idea for the doorbins will make it into production — it may prove too difficult to mass-produce — but I hope one day we’ll see something like it in a production Toyota because it’s a simple but also functional solution.
And like I say, that’s the key design theme for the whole car: functional beauty. That came right from the very top.
Redesign rumors FALSE? Q&A Jaromir Cech, Toyota FT-86 designer
Fri, 2010-02-19 17:47
#1
Redesign rumors FALSE? Q&A Jaromir Cech, Toyota FT-86 designer
Fri, 2010-02-19 19:05
#2
Steve Sutcliffe about the FT-86
In the metal, says Sutcliffe, the charm of the FT-86 is achingly apparent. For starters, it's no more than two-thirds of the size you'd expect it to be. The Audi TT - not a big car - dwarfs it.
Beyond that, the most striking aspect of the car is how low the bonnet line is and how snugly the whole car seems to hug the ground as a result. This is because the engine is derived from Subaru's famous flat-four 2.0-litre 'boxer' unit.
Senior Toyota designer Cech estimates than the bonnet is around 100mm lower than it would be with a conventional four-cylinder engine in place, but cautions: "It won't be quite as low for the production car. Unfortunately, we have to raise it maybe 50mm to meet pedestrian crash protection legislation."
Mechanically, the car is fairly conventional. Suspension is probably wishbones at the front and almost certainly multi-link at the rear, transmission a six-speed manual and the chassis conventional rear-wheel drive.
What will make it special, claims Toyota, is the ultra-light kerb weight, which may be as low as 1250kg in production trim, its purity of response, its handling agility and the fact it will have a proper limited slip differential.
Another distinguishing feature will be its interior, and in particular its dashboard, which may even include software that provides data acquisition for a host of circuits.
Sutcliffe concludes that the FT-86 is a deadly serious attempt to take a slice of the lucrative affordable coupe market , as well as recapture and repackage the DNA that made Toyota's cars so popular in the past. "The sooner it goes into production, the better," he says.
Fri, 2010-02-19 19:56
#3
oh god, nothing new. absolutely.
general words: maybe , may, probably, almost certainly.
if you take out the sentences containing these words, there is nothing new.
Fri, 2010-02-19 19:08
#4
more from Steve Sutcliffe
What I can gather, having communicated with numerous official, unofficial sources within and outside Toyota, is this. In 2012 Toyota will definitely launch a rear-wheel-drive coupe that will have an unusually low centre of gravity, and for a target price of less than £20k equivalent to today’s money. But its final production design has indeed not yet been finalised.
However, what I can also tell you is that, unofficially and very much on the QT, Akio Toyoda himself loves the current design just as it is, especially the rear end. He’s also taken particularly keen note of the enthusiastic way in which the FT-86 concept has been received by its critics. And so, basically, it would seem he wants to keep the production car’s design as close as possible to that of the concept, once various aspects have been integrated to make it production friendly; such as pedestrian crash protection etc.
In other words, and despite nothing yet being officially official or otherwise, what you see is what we’ll get.
Fri, 2010-02-19 19:32
#5
Video with Jaromir Cech and FT-86 closeup!
http://www.autocar.co.uk/VideosWallpapers/Videos.aspx?AR=247659&CT=V
Fri, 2010-02-19 19:43
#6
This is awesome news!
Fri, 2010-02-19 19:46
#7
Great video!
However still everything is unofficial. Could ED2 team might have made this video because of their design was rejected? :D I hope not..
Fri, 2010-02-19 20:02
#8
a comment on autocar:
-------------------------------------
I do not want to unzip my dashboards, thank you, Toyota. Knowing you, it'll only get stuck at the wrong time sending me piling off a bridge.
The days when zips in cars were the new whiz-bang technology are long gone. If manufacturers wish to zip-up anything, zip-up something under the bonnet.
This would greatly reduce servicing costs as a quick zip-down-brake-lining-in-zip-up would make the whole thing so easy that even that man off Sky News who was interviewed by Evil Kay Burnley could do it.
Fri, 2010-02-19 20:41
#9
Either 7tune or Autocar will get a bad PR. still its PR.
from Jalopnik:
There have been some filthy rumors floating 'round the internet about a possible redesign of the almost-too-good-to-be-true Toyota FT-86. Turns out, they're completely untrue.
A two-door Toyota that's rear wheel drive, Subaru boxer-powered and actually pretty cool looking?! Unpossible! No, it's true, but the pessimists at Japanese buff book Holiday Auto ran a salacious tale of redesign claiming infighting between Toyota Europe Design Development and Toyota Technical Center's design groups and a pending redesign as a result.
Well, Jaromir Cech, senior designer at Toyota Europe Design Development, has come out and quashed those rumors. The FT-86 we know and can't wait for is in no danger of a major redesign. The only thing the car's in for is dimension-stretching to meet crash and pedestrian impact requirements. Also, a realistic interior treatment.
We're told to expect the production version of the FT-86 at Geneva. We hope so — it's a Toyota that's actually got us giddy with excitement.
Fri, 2010-02-19 22:32
#10
Fri, 2010-02-19 23:12
#11
i like this part :D
Sun, 2010-02-21 17:01
#12
transcript of the video:
-----------------------
Steve Sutcliffe: Now, although not everything is going quite according to plan at the moment at the world's largest car maker, there are still one or two things to be cheerful about at Toyota and this is certainly one of them.
Welcome to the FT-86 Concept. Otherwise known as the Toyobaru, mainly because it is the result of a joint project between Toyota and Subaru. This is a traditional front engine rear wheel drive coupe that is set to go on sale in 2012 for less than twenty thousand pounds. And if it drives even half as good as it looks... well, I reckon we're all in for a right treat.
So we're here with Jaromir Cech... is that correct?
Jaromir Cech: yes
Steve Sutcliffe: ...one of the designers of the FT-86. Um, just tell me a bit about the car. How long have you been involved with it and how long has this project been in your mind.
Jaromir Cech: Se we started in 2008 in mid year and basically finished by 2009 in October for the... well August... for Tokyo Motor Show in October.
Basically as a designers we always try to make it exciting... but I think just the basic brief was so exciting I can... you would have it make it really bad to go wrong, you know.
The we had before we actually see the package or anything we heard of rumors from TMC or from Japan they testing the chassis on Norschleife it goes like a go cart.
Actually the whole design, the concept for the car was functional beauty. And that says we NEED to respect the function of the sports car essentials... and, ah, give it the beauty, the something that makes you think "ah this is what I want."
The production should start 2012.
Steve Sutcliffe: so maybe...
Jaromir Cech: maybe even before
Steve Sutcliffe: This, as it says, is a concept. What can you see changing? What can you see being lost on a production car that is on this?
Jaromir Cech: I think the bonnet will have to go up, not because of the unfeasible engineering things... I think that's... you can put in poduction like that.
Steve Sutcliffe: It's for pedestrian..
Jaromir Cech: Pedestrian pact, yeah. I mean, ah, basically I heard that Mr. Toyoda really like it and he wants to push it very very closely to production... the exterior.
The interior I think... it's ah... I would be very surprised if there would be something left. Basic idea was actually the same as exterior... to emphasize the low center of gravity and emphasize the lightweight feeling. So...
Steve Sutcliffe: Right... so you deliberately make it appear as low as possible...
Jaromir Cech: yes... create a dominant central tunnel and really light IP... no addditional. The original dasboard idea was to create trimming the oven ducting and the idea of the zippers was to... not just a decoration but to... but for example instead of creating plastic pockets... is just as a you have like a jacket pocket, so you're taking away unnecessary plastic.
Steve Sutcliffe: How do you think you'll do that in a production car?
Jaromir Cech: I don't see why not but I think it's, ah, maybe unconventional.
Steve Sutcliffe: What about... what about backseats? Will there be... will there basically be just no back seat?
Jaromir Cech: There will be... well there should be two plus two but... ah... actually for small kids.
Steve Sutcliffe: I mean you can potentially be able to seat small adults...
Jaromir Cech: Small person, yeah.
Steve Sutcliffe: A bit like a 911
Jaromir Cech: Yeah, I guess... worked a little bit on the concept with Playstation. Is a little bit, yeah again, engaging to have a fun car and... of course when you go to production maybe this will be the GPS standard issue thing. That was the whole idea as well, to try to concentrate all the information in front of you even in a production car... to... so you don't have to look up, down...
Steve Sutcliffe: Everything's just...
Jaromir Cech: Everything's just...
Steve Sutcliffe: ...right there. It looks really neat. And this is just the normal six speed gearbox?
Jaromir Cech: Yeah. You have a...
Steve Sutcliffe: You won't have anything fancy...
Jaromir Cech: No. Even the handbrake that was actually the whole intention... it's design in spade of old Corolla so you can go drifting.
Steve Sutcliffe: That's great. I love it. I think it looks absolutely fantastic. It looks as good inside as it does outside. So production in...
Jaromir Cech: 2012
Steve Sutcliffe: ...next year? or 2012?
Jaromir Cech: 2012... so two more years
Steve Sutcliffe: An you can confirm that?
Jaromir Cech: Yes. I could give you probably my left hand on it.
Steve Sutcliffe: Right. Thank you very much...
Jaromir Cech: Thank you...
Steve Sutcliffe: for showing me around this car. It's great! I'm excited!
-----------------------
Steve Sutcliffe: Now, although not everything is going quite according to plan at the moment at the world's largest car maker, there are still one or two things to be cheerful about at Toyota and this is certainly one of them.
Welcome to the FT-86 Concept. Otherwise known as the Toyobaru, mainly because it is the result of a joint project between Toyota and Subaru. This is a traditional front engine rear wheel drive coupe that is set to go on sale in 2012 for less than twenty thousand pounds. And if it drives even half as good as it looks... well, I reckon we're all in for a right treat.
So we're here with Jaromir Cech... is that correct?
Jaromir Cech: yes
Steve Sutcliffe: ...one of the designers of the FT-86. Um, just tell me a bit about the car. How long have you been involved with it and how long has this project been in your mind.
Jaromir Cech: Se we started in 2008 in mid year and basically finished by 2009 in October for the... well August... for Tokyo Motor Show in October.
Basically as a designers we always try to make it exciting... but I think just the basic brief was so exciting I can... you would have it make it really bad to go wrong, you know.
The we had before we actually see the package or anything we heard of rumors from TMC or from Japan they testing the chassis on Norschleife it goes like a go cart.
Actually the whole design, the concept for the car was functional beauty. And that says we NEED to respect the function of the sports car essentials... and, ah, give it the beauty, the something that makes you think "ah this is what I want."
The production should start 2012.
Steve Sutcliffe: so maybe...
Jaromir Cech: maybe even before
Steve Sutcliffe: This, as it says, is a concept. What can you see changing? What can you see being lost on a production car that is on this?
Jaromir Cech: I think the bonnet will have to go up, not because of the unfeasible engineering things... I think that's... you can put in poduction like that.
Steve Sutcliffe: It's for pedestrian..
Jaromir Cech: Pedestrian pact, yeah. I mean, ah, basically I heard that Mr. Toyoda really like it and he wants to push it very very closely to production... the exterior.
The interior I think... it's ah... I would be very surprised if there would be something left. Basic idea was actually the same as exterior... to emphasize the low center of gravity and emphasize the lightweight feeling. So...
Steve Sutcliffe: Right... so you deliberately make it appear as low as possible...
Jaromir Cech: yes... create a dominant central tunnel and really light IP... no addditional. The original dasboard idea was to create trimming the oven ducting and the idea of the zippers was to... not just a decoration but to... but for example instead of creating plastic pockets... is just as a you have like a jacket pocket, so you're taking away unnecessary plastic.
Steve Sutcliffe: How do you think you'll do that in a production car?
Jaromir Cech: I don't see why not but I think it's, ah, maybe unconventional.
Steve Sutcliffe: What about... what about backseats? Will there be... will there basically be just no back seat?
Jaromir Cech: There will be... well there should be two plus two but... ah... actually for small kids.
Steve Sutcliffe: I mean you can potentially be able to seat small adults...
Jaromir Cech: Small person, yeah.
Steve Sutcliffe: A bit like a 911
Jaromir Cech: Yeah, I guess... worked a little bit on the concept with Playstation. Is a little bit, yeah again, engaging to have a fun car and... of course when you go to production maybe this will be the GPS standard issue thing. That was the whole idea as well, to try to concentrate all the information in front of you even in a production car... to... so you don't have to look up, down...
Steve Sutcliffe: Everything's just...
Jaromir Cech: Everything's just...
Steve Sutcliffe: ...right there. It looks really neat. And this is just the normal six speed gearbox?
Jaromir Cech: Yeah. You have a...
Steve Sutcliffe: You won't have anything fancy...
Jaromir Cech: No. Even the handbrake that was actually the whole intention... it's design in spade of old Corolla so you can go drifting.
Steve Sutcliffe: That's great. I love it. I think it looks absolutely fantastic. It looks as good inside as it does outside. So production in...
Jaromir Cech: 2012
Steve Sutcliffe: ...next year? or 2012?
Jaromir Cech: 2012... so two more years
Steve Sutcliffe: An you can confirm that?
Jaromir Cech: Yes. I could give you probably my left hand on it.
Steve Sutcliffe: Right. Thank you very much...
Jaromir Cech: Thank you...
Steve Sutcliffe: for showing me around this car. It's great! I'm excited!