There’s almost no doubt that the 086A or more affectionately known as Toyobaru will take center stage at Toyota’s stand at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, but there does seem to be some doubts as to the specification to the highly anticipated car.
The car has caught the attention of almost every generation; young and old but sadly it has also caught the attention of environmentalist and the Toyobaru is reportedly going under the green surgical knife. Not only that, apparently the marketing department will have a larger say in the new car as well with a target market switch to a much older market than what was first considered.
Firstly, power. The power output of the 086A’s FJ20 2-liter boxer engine has been reduced by a good 40 horses. Power figures first stood at 200hp but due to stricter economy and emissions targets Toyota/Subaru had to sadly unsaddle some horses. But don’t let that kill the mood though, the manufacturers are saying that performance won’t be diluted as the car will be loosing some weight in order to keep a respectable power to weight ratio. It’s not immediately know how much weight has been shed or how much the car weighs but what is known is Toyota and Subaru are under increasing pressure to produce a car that can be marketed as an “eco car” in Japan.
Secondly, marketing. Apparently the 086A is heavily influenced by the marketing department and its presence at the Tokyo Motor Show is primarily to gauge crowd reaction. So whatever design cues the concept car carries, expect it to change when the final product does finally make an appearance. This just goes to show how serious Toyota is about the success of the 086A in these trying times. So whether or not you make it to TMS, leave your opinion online because it matters… a lot!
Marketing doesn’t just stop there, Toyota and Subaru have also revised their marketing strategy of the 086A to focus on a core target market of 30-50 year old buyers. It was previously stated that the new car would appeal more to the younger market who are caught in the new wave of FR sports car, however according to sources, Toyota plans to cash in on older car enthusiasts who bought, or grew up with the original AE86. Expect nostalgia to play a big part in Toyota’s marketing campaign.
The 086A is still expected to debut towards the end of 2011.
Source: 7tune.com
