This is it folks: the Toyota FT-86 Open Concept convertible in the flesh. Well, sort of. About as in-the-flesh as you can get until it premiers at Geneva next week.
We reported on the rumors surrounding the exciting Toyota drop-top since we heard about it in early February. And frankly, it’s better than we had imagined.
We assumed (wrongly) Toyota was going to chop the top and call it good. But they did more – much more. Toyota has really tarted up the convertible concept of the vehicle we’ll know in the States as the Scion FR-S.
Toyota designers have fitted a higher quality dash complete with extra gauges and a special GT-86 badge smartphone holder – a feature we love and hope goes to production. The specially designed sport seats and sport steering wheel have been covered in white perforated leather to match the crisp white paint job and include yellow stitching. Instead of a drab black carpet, Toyota has instead opted for a burnt yellow set that really give the rear-wheel drive coupe a retro feel.
Designers had planned form the outset of the GT-86 build process to offer a convertible variant at one point so we assume the outstanding driving dynamics of the hardtop haven’t been spoiled much by letting the sun in.
One thing that disappoints us a bit is the close resemblance the FT-86 convertible has to the fated Honda S2000 sports car – especially from the side. While clearly different beasts, the two could be cousins. The S2000 wasn’t a bad looking car, we’d just hoped for something a bit more dramatic from the GT-86.
The leaked images haven’t been attached to a spec sheet so we’ll just have to guess that the normally aspirated 200 horsepower 2.0-liter Boxer four-cylinder hasn’t changed. The one thing we’ll know will be different is the back seat. It’ll be way easier to access in the convertible versus the coupe.
When we learn the specs on this beauty, we’ll let you know. Until then, you have to just imagine yourself in the driver’s seat on that gorgeous coastal highway.
