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NEWS
Toyota 86 hybrid proposed
An update for Toyota's 86 is on the way – with a high-performance hybrid in the mix?Toyota's chief engineer has confirmed that several power boosting techniques are being considered for the Toyota 86's mid-life facelift.
Talking to UK mag Autocar, Toyota's engineering boss Tetsuya Tada revealed that the company has big plans for its iconic and critically acclaimed rear-drive sports car, and could take one of three routes to increase performance for a high-output version of the 86 – supercharging, turbocharging or hybrid.
"We are already working on a mid-life facelift for the car, and we are investigating both turbocharging and supercharging too," Tada-san told Autocar. "But an electric motor assistance solution is also possible, and would bring benefits that forced induction does not."
One of the few criticisms levelled at the Toyota 86 (and its twin, the Subaru BRZ) is the lack of power. The 2.0-litre boxer engine that powers both cars produces 147kW/205Nm, providing the car with a 7.6 second 0-100km/h time – deemed too slow by many pundits.
Ever since the car was launched there has been strong customer demand for a more powerful version, and at this stage it appears as though Toyota will favour a simplified hybrid system to boost power to the 86, not unlike the 'mild' hybrid system used by the Honda CRZ.
Mr Tada explained that Toyota top brass were concerned about the 86's appeal but now that it's a global sell-out success, it will make it easier to get the green light for new variants, as witnessed in the convertible version of the car shown at the Geneva motor show.
"Now that they have that proof, we can begin to think about other development ideas for the car. But we must guard against compromising any of the key virtues of the standard GT86 in the pursuit of more power," he said.
If an electric motor and battery pack were integrated in the Toyota 86 design it would add significant weight, but Tada says solutions have already been developed by its performance partner Toyota Racing Development (TRD).
"Our TRD tuning department has found it easy to take 100kg out of the kerb weight, and have developed certain underbody fins and plates that can be employed to alter the dynamic balance of the car, to increase or reduce oversteer at medium and high speeds. They have quite a pronounced effect," said Tada-san.
Subaru already has a turbocharged boxer engine that could squeeze in under the bonnet of the 86 and BRZ. So that would seem to be a simpler way to find performance for the 86/BRZ, but Toyota is also highly committed to building hybrids to cover a range of market niches – and presumably the sports car segment among them.
Any further analysis of Tada-san's remarks remains highly speculative, and it's unlikely we'll see the mid-life update for the Toyota 86 for another few years at least, since sports cars tend to have longer life cycles than regular passenger cars.
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