TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: Toyota 86 Convertible "a possibility"

Toyota's recently released 86 Coupe could soon be joined by a rag top sibling. That is, of course, if the numbers stack up.

Speaking with chief engineer of the FT-86 project, Tetsuya Tada at the Tokyo Motor Show, motoring.com.au learned that a convertible 86 is a feasible option for the single-variant newcomer, provided the business case makes sense.

"If sales support the project, and if people buy the car, maybe we can think about it," Tada-san explained.

As it stands, Toyota expects sales of the 86 to be low in comparison to other models in its range, and with pricing so competitive, it expects to make a relatively small profit on each unit sold. That being the case, Toyota would need to sell the 86 Coupe in significant numbers both locally and in international markets before any investment toward developing an open-air offsider could be justified.

Toyota, never one to borrow against itself, would need to establish 86 as a global player before investing any further in future variants. Furthermore, the re-engineering required to support the hollow space left behind from the tin top would also contribute  a number of important issues.

"This is a pure sports car… and if you've driven the Mazda [MX-5] and the 86 back-to-back, you can probably admit there's quite a difference in the way the two cars handle," Tada-san said.

Weight is an obvious consideration in a 147kW/205Nm package that already tips the scales at 1100kg. The added stiffeners and bracing required to strengthen those areas usually supported by the roof and pillars would contribute significantly to the car's kerb mass, while also compromising its well-planned weight distribution and front-to-rear balance.

With that philosophy in mind, Toyota is cautious about messing with the formula -- a separate Toyota spokesperson adding that were a convertible to be in the pipeline, the company would favour a soft-top (cloth) folding roof over a retractable hard-top (metal).

Additional use of aluminium, which is already used in 86's bonnet, could also be considered elsewhere in the sheetmetal should the convertible model get the green light.

The logic is irrefutable, a soft-top would not only allow more organic styling but save precious kilograms, while also maintaining some remnants of cargo space.

And while Tada-san agreed that the added stiffness a convertible demands could in some instances work in 86's favour, he cautioned that any changes to the current formula could result in 86 losing the "fine balance, feel and feedback his engineering team worked so hard to deliver".

Image has been digitally manipulated

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